GTA Names Return With New 540-horsepower Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA and GTAm

Alfa Romeo has unveiled the most performance-focused example of the Giulia Quadrifoglio yet to mark the company’s 110^th birthday this year. And in celebration, the new Giulia GTA will be limited to, yep, 500 examples…

…yeah, it does feel like Alfa Romeo missed a trick there, doesn’t it?

Based on the BMW M3-rivalling Giulia Quadrifoglio, the 2.9-litre biturbo V6 remains intact, albeit with power now punched out from 510hp to 540hp, all of which is, presumably, sent to the rear wheels via an upgraded version of the Giulia’s eight-speed transmission. Torque has yet to be confirmed for the Giulia GTA, though the additional lunge off the line will be accompanied by a rortier soundtrack courtesy of a new titanium Akrapovič central exhaust system.

By the way if those initials sound familiar to you, and we’re guessing they do, they stand for ‘Gran Turismo Alleggerita’, in deference to the original Giulia Sprint GTA that landed back in 1965. Boasting aluminium bodywork, the ‘Alleggerita’ – read ‘lightened’ – ’65 GTA weighed just 745kg, some 205kg less than the Giulia Sprint GT from which it was derived. Tweaks to the 1.6-litre engine meant power was boosted from 115hp to an impressive 170hp.

Like its contemporary, which received its additional boost from Alfa’s Formula 1 team and Sauber Engineering, the ’65 orginal was heavily influenced by Autodelta.

As well as its heartier set of lungs, the new GTA has also been on a crash diet, the new GTA shaving 100kg off the Quadrifoglio’s 1,620kg thanks to copious use of lightweight material. Most notable is the use of carbon fibre for the – deep breath – drive shaft, bonnet, roof, front bumper, front wheel arches and rear wheel arch insert, as well as the use of aluminium in the engine, doors and suspension componentry. That redressed weight means the newboy boasts an impressive 355hp/ton power-to-weight ratio, and though the top speed has yet to be unveiled, with a little help from launch control, the GTA will hit 0-100kph in 3.6 seconds. That’s the same as a Mercedes-AMG GT R.

In-keeping with the new power and looser belt, the active aerodynamics now feature a more aggressively sculpted front bumper, and new side skirts. There are also wider flared arches hinting at the wheel tracks that are now 50mm wider than before.

By the way, those of you looking for a more “extreme” version will be pleased to hear that the GTAm is also available, which also features a larger front splitter and new carbon-fibre rear wing. The rear bench has been removed entirely to make way for a roll bar, and the remaining sport seats now feature six-point Sabelt harnesses. In receipt of their deposit cheques, those 500 (500?) customers will also receive “a personalised experience package” including a Bell helmet in special GTA livery, a full set of threads from Alpinestars, and a bespoke car cover.

*Images courtesy of Alfa Romeo