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When is the more appropriate time than a birthday to rummage through the past, especially when the stately age of 110 has been reached? Alfa Romeo is celebrating this anniversary and is putting a remarkable gift on the table for both yourself and your particularly sporty customers. The already extremely powerful motorized Sport sedan Giulia will adorn the traditional abbreviation GTA in the future and in a series limited to 500 copies Giulia GTA. The three letters, which stand for Gran Turismo Alleggerita, caused a sensation in the motorsport arenas as early as the 1960s with the Giulia Sprint: Now the current series is getting a new crown.
The 2,9-liter V6 biturbo engine reaches 540 hp (397 kW) after a renewed peak in output and thus surpasses the previous top engine with the same displacement in the Giulia Quadrifoglio by at least 30 hp. The rocket science in GTA, however, mostly concerns weight. It is 50 kilograms lighter, the racing version GTAm even undercuts the series counterpart by 100 kilograms, so it does without the back seat and is equipped with bucket seats and a roll cage. A competition vehicle with road approval.
As easy as possible
The A in the type designation stands for extreme lightweight construction. Aluminum and, above all, carbon material are used wherever the pounds have to shed. The windows in the rear and at the rear are made of lightweight Lexan, including the front and rear aprons, bonnet and seat shells and the roof are baked from carbon fibers. Both versions of the hot Giulia use conspicuous spoilers, with the GTAm the towering wing already looks a bit put on, reminds us of the blissful Lancer Evo from Mitsubishi.
But there has to be downforce. After all, Alfa Romeo promises a top speed of 307 km / h. Unpleasant updrafts can occur without the wing mechanism. With the GTA without m, two extensions of the spoiler lip on the trunk lid do it. The front splitter and rear diffuser also direct the wind flows in the desired directions.
Under the rear, the two black tailpipes of the Akrapovic exhaust system made of titanium cuddle with each other, it doesn't get cuddly at all after pressing the red button on the leather-covered steering wheel, which is slightly flattened at the bottom. The V6 starts with a hoarse bark and gives an acoustic foretaste of which game is about to kick off. The selector lever of the eight-speed automatic slides gently into the D position, and a gentle touch of the accelerator pedal lets the Giulia scurry off. The acceleration lane on the motorway seems surprisingly short, the car gathers speed as if it had shot out of the barrel, the rear axle lock has a lot of work to do to prevent the wheels from spinning.
Powerful V6
Because the machine delivers a full 600 Newton meters (Nm) of torque at a maximum of 2500 revolutions per minute (rpm). So bear forces are already available at low speeds. On the other hand, the V6 does not worry if the needle on the tour counter approaches the red area of the scale at 6500 rpm. The engine wanders smoothly through all the ups and downs of an engine existence and is completely relaxed or just as hot as a rat.
Driving pleasure guaranteed
The sprint from 3,8 to 0 km / h takes 100 seconds, and the 200 km / h mark flies by in less than 12 seconds. In a seemingly eternal hurry, the speedometer needle wanders over the scale. The digital speed display is reminiscent of the timeline for video recording, the driving experience is exhilarating. Despite the hot blood, Giulia does not let herself be disturbed. Her directional stability could not be better, it gets twisty, she shows extreme agility, can be directed wonderfully with gentle thrusts.
The ESP fights gentle oversteer with restraint, so the Giulia waves with pleasure even through challenging curve combinations. The fundamental revision of the springs, dampers and bushings of the chassis has noticeably succeeded and ensures that 20-inch light-alloy wheels equipped with a central lock remain firmly on the ground. The steady and enlarged brakes bring the four-door car from 100 km / h to a stop after almost 36 meters.
Although the GTA version is significantly tighter than the less powerful Giulia versions, the hardness has not become uncompromising. As a four-door family limousine, however, despite the 480-liter trunk, it is unlikely to find entry into the fleets of sporty, ambitious fathers. First of all, there is the limitation and certainly also the price. Alfa Romeo is asking for 173.000 euros for the Gulia GTA, which has been reworked in the Autodelta tuning plant. More is to be paid for less. For the GTAm (the one without a back seat) even 178.000 euros have to be paid. After all, every customer gets a helmet designed in GTA racing design and a vehicle cover from Goodwool. And on top of that, he is allowed to take part in a driving course at the Alfa Romeo Driving Academy in Italy to deepen his knowledge of racing. If that's not a bargain.
Data Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA
Length x Width x Height (m): 4,65 x 2,02 x 1,39
Wheelbase (m): 2,82
Drive: V6 petrol engine, 2891 cc, turbo, direct injection
Rear-wheel drive, 8-speed automatic
Power: 397 kW / 540 PS at 6500 RPM
Max. Torque: 600 Nm at 2500 rpm
Top speed: 307 km / h
0 acceleration to 100 km / h: 3,8 sec.
Average WLTP consumption: 10,8 liters
Efficiency class: F
CO2 emissions: 244 g / km (WLTP)
Empty weight (EU) / payload: min. 1580 kg / max. 570 kg
Boot volume: 480 liters
Test car Price: 173.000 Euros
