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Added on the 16/06/2020 08:35:31 - Copyright : Auto Moto EN
On June 24th, 2020, Alfa Romeo will reach an important milestone in its remarkable history: 110 years in business. During that century-plus span, Alfa Romeo engineers and designers have relentlessly pursued innovation, while always remaining true to the Brand's DNA. Over the years, this DNA - the perfect combination of sportiness and elegance - has created not only some of the most iconic vehicles ever built, but also vehicles that are right at home both on the racetrack and in any beauty contest. To mark its 110th birthday, Alfa Romeo presents a vehicle that fully signifies a return to the brand's origins, while paying tribute to one of the most emblematic vehicles of Alfa Romeo: Giulia GTA. The acronym GTA stands for "Gran Turismo Alleggerita" (alleggerita being the Italian term for "lightened"), and it originated in 1965 with the Giulia Sprint GTA, a specific version derived from the Sprint GT, designed as a sports car and presented at the Amsterdam Motor Show staged that same year. The body of the Giulia Sprint GT was replaced with an identical version in aluminum, for a total weight of 1,642 lb compared to the 2,094 lb of the road version. A second variation concerned the 1.6 twin cam engine which, in the road configuration, with dual ignition, reached an impressive output of 115 hp. The technicians of Autodelta, the official Alfa Romeo racing team, chose it as the reference vehicle for the Touring category, and developed it to achieve a maximum output of 170 hp. The model's success in competitions was then immediate: three consecutive "Challenge Europeo Marche", tens of national championships and hundreds of individual races in every part of the world. And the way it ramped up the image of the entire range was also impressive: Giulia Sprint GTA expressed the claim "A victory a day in your everyday car" to perfection. From then on, the GTA made a name for itself as the undisputed icon of Alfa Romeo sportiness and the acronym GTA became so successful that the public soon associated it with all the sporty Alfa Romeo vehicles in general.
Alfa Romeo has introduced the Giulia and Stelvio “ESTREMA” special series in Hinwil at the headquarters of the Alfa Romeo F1 Team. The first global special series, “ESTREMA” is equipped with a trim that puts it at the top of its range as it embodies the highest achievements in terms of technical and dynamic solutions, style, and sportiness. Its official debut took place at none other than the Alfa Romeo F1 Team’s Factory. Outside the limelight, Alfa Romeo and Sauber are carrying on with nonstop synergy which is founded on the exchange of their respective knowhow in an ongoing search for efficiency and state-of-the-art sustainable technology: the key territory for the new era of the brand.
The Museo Storico Alfa Romeo turned red for 4 days in the name of passion for the brand founded on June 24th 111 years ago. Starting last Thursday, the celebrations involved the entire extended family of the Alfisti fandom, from Clubs to management and from the owners of the Alfa Romeo cars on parade to Museum visitors. The big names at the event were the Giulia GTA and GTAm supercars, the first models of which were delivered there. Not only does the sedan represent the best of the brand’s technical excellence, it is also the common thread that binds the glorious history to the future.The celebrations then continued at the Museum throughout a weekend with a packed schedule.
To follow the testing session on the Giulia GTA and GTAm last fall, the Finnish world champion was back at the Balocco Proving Ground a few days ago to personally evaluate the work done on the highest-performing sports sedan the Italian brand has ever produced. His words leave no doubts in the mind: “I really like it. We’re looking at a car that can be used on an everyday basis, but that can also be taken onto the track, one in which you can really enjoy yourself.”Kimi Räikkönen analyzed the changes made to the car, specifically in terms of the aerodynamics. He had already worked on this aspect in the first session, providing invaluable advice on the new appendages added both to the front – the new adjustable splitter built into the new front bumper – and to the rear – the addition of the new manually adjustable wing. More general changes have also been made to the overall balance guaranteed by the interaction of these new components with the extractor and the underbody fairing. Kimi’s judgment? “Of course, it's better at high speeds in terms of balance. It seems the front of the car is lower, making the steering faster. It’s fast, easy to drive, and responsive.” Once he takes off his racing suit and is away from the spotlight, Kimi Räikkönen is back playing the role of father, taking his children to school. He therefore believes that the Giulia GTA represents the ideal mix for use every day and on the track.
The Giulia GTA is instantly recognizable courtesy of an exclusive characterization that is both aesthetic and functional, confirming it is not an exercise in style but instead a high-performance vehicle derived from a mass-produced car, the exceptional Giulia Quadrifoglio. With the widespread use of ultralight materials, the Giulia GTA’s weight is reduced by up to 100 kg compared to the Giulia Quadrifoglio, and is powered by an upgraded version of the 540-hp Alfa Romeo 2.9 V6 Bi-Turbo engine with a best-in-class weight-to-power ratio of 187 hp/L. It also delivers extraordinary performance, in terms of both its lap times on the track and its acceleration. With the Launch Mode system, it goes from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.6 seconds.Alfa Romeo engineers have worked to improve its aerodynamics and handling, but above all to reduce the weight, following the same guidelines as for the 1965 Giulia GTA. To achieve these objectives, widespread use has been made of components in carbon fiber and composite materials. The aerodynamics have been specially designed to increase downforce. These solutions embody technical expertise that comes straight from Formula 1, courtesy of the synergy with Sauber Engineering. They were entrusted with the aerodynamic appendages, the new rear spoiler – adjustable to 4 positions in the GTAm, and the active front splitter, which can be extended for use on the track by up to 40 mm on the GTAm. Other features developed include the Akrapovič central exhaust system in titanium, built into the rear diffuser in carbon fiber, and the 20-inch wheel rims with single locking nut, seen for the first time in a sedan, paired with specially selected Pilot Sport Cup 2 Michelin tires. The aerodynamic research in the wind tunnel was not limited to the aerodynamic appendages, it also focused on the specially developed fully faired underbody. The GTA and GTAm also benefit from a special new air extractor capable of increasing the car’s ground effect, thus guaranteeing excellent road holding at high speeds. More specifically, on the Giulia GTAm the most intense aerodynamic configuration mounts triple the increase compared to the Giulia Quadrifoglio, previously the benchmark in its class.
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