Alfa Romeo goes nuts with its new Giulia GTA/GTAm twins, 18 headed here

BY CALLUM HUNTER

ASK any die-hard car fan to list some of the world’s most iconic brands and there’s a good chance that one of the reoccurring names will be Alfa Romeo.

Founded in 1910, the Italian marque quickly established itself as one of the heavyweights when it came to car design – it has genuinely produced some of the most drop-dead gorgeous vehicles ever and judging by the current Giulia, it seems that trend is set to continue.

Designed as a looker from the get go, Alfa apparently had more plans for its 3 Series and C-Class rival than just being pretty.

The Giulia GTA and GTAm take all of the standards set by the Quadrifoglio and dial them up to 11.

Punchy engines, rear-wheel drive and a well-sorted chassis combine with those lovely looks to create one very appealing package, especially in Quadrifoglio guise, which straight-up (metaphorically) kicked BMW M and Mercedes-AMG in the teeth.

Well now, just as the Germans do, Alfa has taken things up a notch or five with the imminent launch of the Giulia GTA and GTAm; a lightened, fettled and more potent pairing designed to be the ultimate expression of the brand’s capabilities at this point in time.

Packing the same turbocharged 2.9-litre V6 as the Quadrigfolio, power in the GTA and GTAm has been dialled from 375kW to 397kW while torque has remained steady at 600Nm.

The GTAs follow the same basic recipe as the Quadrifoglio, just with a heap more grunt a lot less weight.

All of this forced-induction fury is still channelled exclusively to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.

More than just a power upgrade, Alfa claims 100kg has been shaved from the Quadrigfolio’s kerb weight thanks to extensive use of carbon-fibre and aluminium both on the body and for select mechanical components.

When all’s said and done, both the GTA and GTAm will launch from 0-100km/h in 3.6 seconds – 0.3s faster than the Quadrifoglio.

Blisteringly fast and track capable, but the GTA is still a comfortable beast day-to-day.

But there is more to the story than just brute force. Alfa engineers also set about fettling the Quadrifoglio’s underpinnings to make the GTA pair as capable as possible on the track.

GTA-specific upgrades include carbon-ceramic brake discs, new springs, shock absorbers and suspension bushings, 50mm wider tracks front and rear, a Lexan rear window, Sparco sports seats, carbon-fibre roof, front end and rear diffuser, widened front and rear tracks, single-nut 20-inch wheels, Sauber Aero kit, central Akrapovic exhaust and Alfa’s DNA Pro drive mode system now with ‘Race’ mode.

The GTAm ups the ante further with an even more aggro aero kit – making this thoroughbred Italian sports-sedan look like something from the GTA video game – with carbon-fibre Sabelt sports seats, black six-point harnesses and a roll bar in place of the rear seats.

There’ll be no mistaking either variant for anything else.

Given the new flagships check into local showrooms more than $129,000 upstream of the already pokey Quadrifoglio, readers will be relieved to know that buyers will still be getting plenty of creature comforts on top of the track-minded upgrades.

Standard equipment highlights on the dynamic duo include an 8.8-inch infotainment touchscreen, full Alcantara-wrapped interiors, matte carbon interior accents, numbered steering wheel badge, unique exterior badges, carbon-fibre grille and wing mirrors, coloured brake callipers and the ‘Experience Pack’ made up of an authenticity certificate, racing helmet personalised with the car’s serial number and a Goodwool car cover, while GTAm customers will also score an Alpinestars racing suit.

Customisation is also high on the agenda for the brand, with customers able to personalise the look of their GTAs by configuring the colour of the brake callipers, interior stitching, seatbelts and roll bar (GTAm only).

Just three colours are being offered globally.

Just three exterior colours are being offered globally – Montreal Green, Trofeo White and Edna Rosso – with just 18 units across both variants slated to make it to Australia.

“What makes this vehicle truly unique is the personalisation offered to the 18 fortunate Australians who will soon own a special piece of Alfa Romeo history, being one of the 500 vehicles produced globally,” said Alfa Romeo marketing communications director Tom Noble.

“As part of the exclusive global program, the 18 Australian owners will receive a certified, numbered vehicle, and will further have the opportunity to personalise their GTA … reminiscent of the spirit of the 1965 Giulia GTA.”

Customers can configure the colour of their cabins to their liking.

Such performance and exclusivity doesn’t come cheap however...

As alluded to earlier, the Giulia GTA and GTAm are near enough double the price of a Quadrifoglio, carrying sticker prices of $268,000 and $288,000 plus on-road costs respectively.

For many that premium may be a little hard to swallow, but on the flipside, there’s no chance of either variant being mistaken for a Quadrifoglio or even a tickled Veloce. And if they are, they have the firepower to prove otherwise.

Manic performance and styling is matched by a manic pricetag – the GTAm is more than twice the price of a Quadrifoglio.

Protect your Classic. Call Shannons Insurance on 13 46 46 to get a quote today.