Giulia GTA: the legend takes to the streets

• Alfa Romeo unveils the new #giuliagta to the international press at the Balocco Proving Ground (Vercelli province), where Autodelta developed its legendary forerunner – the 1965 #giuliagta, the “Gran Turismo Alleggerita”, which racked up sporting successes all over the world.
• Inspired by one of the most successful models in Alfa Romeo's 111-year history, the new #giuliagta is the epitome of style, mechanics and driving pleasure.
• The #giuliagta is powered by the Alfa Romeo 2.9 V6 Bi-Turbo engine, upgraded to 540 hp, with a best-in-class power ratio of 187 hp per liter. With its extensive use of ultra-light materials, it benefits from a weight reduction of up to 100 kg compared to the Giulia Quadrifoglio, and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in just 3.6 seconds.
• Additionally, specific technical solutions have also been developed for other aspects, including aerodynamics, alignment and handling. The project has made use of the skills of Sauber Engineering and the drivers from the Alfa Romeo Racing ORLEN Formula 1 team, Antonio Giovinazzi and Kimi Räikkönen.
• The new features include 20-inch wheel rims with a single locking nut, for the first time in a sedan, and the titanium Akrapovič central exhaust system with its unmistakable sound.
• A wide range of customization options as part of an offering reminiscent of the spirit of the 1965 #giuliagta: from liveries created by the designers at the Centro Stile Alfa Romeo to the countless details, including brake calipers and, in the interior, roll bars, seat belts and stitching.
• Selecting the #giuliagta therefore opens the doors to a dedicated customer experience, a project that seeks out collector niches, as well as the apexes on the track: 500 numbered units specially for the EMEA market.
• Dedicated sales processes and after-sales services, with an exclusive experience package including a Bell helmet in special GTA livery, a tailor-made Goodwool car cover, and exclusive services. The GTAm will also come with full Alpinestars racing apparel. 

Today at Balocco saw the unveiling to and testing by the international press of the Alfa Romeo #giuliagta, including in its “extreme” GTAm configuration. It brings back one of the legends of motoring and a milestone of the brand's history: the 1965 #giuliagta. It is therefore an authentic return to the roots of the brand established 111 years ago, those of the worlds of performance and touring. A model is brought to life that epitomizes Alfa Romeo’s unique ability to combine style and sportsmanship. The only possible location for its official debut could be the former Autodelta workshops at the Balocco Proving Ground (Vercelli province), the site of the 1960s creation of the Giulia Sprint GTA, one of the most successful cars in Alfa Romeo’s history. This evocative venue – built 60 years ago, with a surface area of 6 km², 27 different circuits, a total of 80 km – is the home of the development and testing of all Alfa Romeo cars. It was right here that journalists tested out the new Alfa Romeo supercar, later to appreciate its road-going qualities on a panoramic off-track route from the countryside of Vercelli province to the Ivrea moraine and the Lago di Viverone in the foothills of the Alps. 

The model in brief

The #giuliagta 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 #giuliagta. 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.

Handling has been improved by widening the Quadrifoglio’s front wheel tracks by 25 mm and their rear counterparts by 50 mm, and by developing a specific suspension setup for the suspension systems (the front with two oscillating arms, the rear using independent multilink springs). The specific setup of the suspension and steering ensures higher cut-in and cornering speed and improvements in stability with no impact on comfort on all surfaces.

Last but not least, in terms of performance, the Alfa Romeo 2.9 V6 Bi-Turbo engine, made entirely of aluminum and capable of unleashing no less than 510 hp on the Giulia Quadrifoglio, reaches an output of 540 hp in the #giuliagta, courtesy of the meticulous development and calibration work of the Alfa Romeo engineers, who revisited the piston cooling flow and the design of the rods. The air circulation in the engine cooling and transmission circuits has also been increased.
For such an exclusive model, the brand has created a wide range of customizations aimed at a unique purchase experience for this supercar, including an experience package with a Bell helmet in special GTA livery that can be customized with the serial number, a specific Goodwool car cover, and dedicated services. The GTAm will also come with full Alpinestars racing apparel. In Italy, the #giuliagta and GTAm experience is priced at €175,000 and €180,000 respectively (22% VAT included). 

A unique, functional design that transcends time

The specificities that have always marked out an Alfa Romeo creation definitely include design unique in the world for its basis in the skillful combination of form and function. Indeed, the car's style must correspond to an overarching tenet of beauty, to transcend the passing of time, while maintaining functionality to the advantage of aerodynamic and mechanical efficiency. This maxim is epitomized in the #giuliagta, where specific processes on both the bodywork and interior are aimed at magnifying the bold spirit of the Quadrifoglio version, on which it is based.

The bodywork features a powerful front that expresses all the power unleashed by the engine, with new, larger air intakes and technical elements in carbon fiber, giving a specific and precise role and position to the aesthetics. Even the iconic "Trilobo" is made extreme without leaving behind its DNA; reminiscent of the early days of F1 are the slots that edge the badge, aimed at optimizing cooling, which have also become typical Alfa Romeo features. In the lower part, the active splitter has been redesigned. Once only found on the Giulia Quadrifoglio, it has now been made even larger on the GTAm, and can now be adjusted lengthways by 40 mm to ensure a perfect balance with the rear. In the rear, especially on the GTAm, pride of place goes to the large spoiler. With its aerodynamic profile and 4-position adjustment (low-high drag) of the central section, the car is also perfectly aerodynamically balanced here. On the sides, the carbon fiber side skirts, broadened front fender and the clearly visible carbon fiber on the rear wheel arches accentuate the car's “size impression”, with an image of power and dynamism. The new 20-inch rims with single locking nuts have been specially designed to best combine style and lightness, therefore ensuring the best possible overall handling of the car. A typical solution among F1 single-seaters, it is unique in the road-going sedans on the market.

We now move on to the interior, clearly inspired by the competitive arena. The standouts include full Alcantara^® upholstery on the dashboard, door panels, glove compartment, side pillars, and the central trim on the seats. This prized material provides the driver with the right grip and reduces the commonly seen reflections from the dashboard and other plastic components. Alcantara^® is used even more extensively in the GTAm version, where the rear seats have been removed, leaving room for a fully upholstered “basin”, hosting specific moldings deigned to hold helmets and a fire extinguisher. The new matt carbon-fiber inserts endow the interior with a distinctive technical and aesthetic elegance. In the new GTAm, the interior differs slightly in that it features a roll bar, no rear door panels, and the front doors are opened with “pull loops” instead of a handle, in the same colors as the 6-point SABELT seat belts, another touch typically inspired by the racing world. 

Excellent weight-to-power ratio

But power on its own is not enough to ensure extraordinary performance. The work done with a view to reducing the vehicle weight has been meticulous, and it has reaped particularly impressive results: the total weight is reduced by up to 100 kg, given the adoption of lightweight materials such as carbon fiber in the front bumpers and fenders, and in the front wheel arches; and the specific monocoque sports seats in carbon fiber: changes on top of the components already included in the Giulia Quadrifoglio, such as the roof, bonnet and crankshaft. The use of aluminum is widespread in the engine, doors, suspension and various composite materials in many other components: on the GTAm, a polycarbonate has been used in the side and rear window frames, further contributing to the weight reduction. The combination of a lighter weight and the increase in output to 540 hp results in extraordinary performance. Courtesy of the Launch Mode system, it only takes 3.6 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h. Different from the GTA, the Giulia GTAm offers a two-seater configuration with rear roll bar, yet is still type-approved for on-road use. In the GTA trim, with the same output, the Giulia offers 5 seats: a true supercar also suitable for the whole family.

F1 aerodynamics, provided by the invaluable know-how of Sauber Engineering

One factor from which Alfa Romeo technicians have been able to benefit is aerodynamics, guaranteed by the expertise and facilities of Sauber Engineering. With its 50 years of experience in motorsport – 27 of which in F1, the Swiss firm has accrued in-depth expertise in aerodynamics, partly down to its very own wind tunnel, one of the most advanced in Europe. The Sauber team played an active role in the design, prototyping and manufacturing of the aerodynamic components of the new #giuliagta. Courtesy of the manually adjustable front splitter and rear aerowing, the Giulia GTAm can adapt its aerodynamic performance to any kind of track, precisely following the requests and preferences of its driver. 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, the Giulia GTAm is able to develop double the pressure compared to the #giuliagta, and a triple increase compared to the Giulia Quadrifoglio, a highly significant figure that testifies to the great work done by the Alfa Romeo and Sauber technicians. Taking part in this work were two drivers from the F1 team, Antonio Giovinazzi and Kimi Räikkönen, who played an active role in some track testing sessions, during which they provided invaluable indications, especially on the car's aerodynamic components and handling. 

Tailor-made supercars

Even so, the pleasure of owning a car like the Alfa Romeo #giuliagta lies not only in its exceptional performance, but also in its exclusivity. Alfa Romeo has therefore set up an exclusive, dedicated purchase process, involving direct customer relations with a Brand Ambassador. The exclusivity is also accentuated by an experience package, including Bell helmet in special GTA livery with a dedicated serial number, a specific body-color Goodwool car cover – customizable on request, and exclusive after-sales services. The GTAm will also come with full Alpinestars racing apparel. A sophisticated range of customizations is also available, aimed at a unique purchase experience for this supercar. The starting point is the liveries produced directly by the Centro Stile Alfa Romeo, recalling history and bringing out the best of Alfa Romeo’s victories and iconography: the front, characterized by the historic white or pastel brown “mask”, is undoubtedly the first element of distinction that – combined with the longitudinal stripes on the roof and tailgate, as well as iconic elements of the Alfa Romeo logo such as the Cross and Biscione on the bonnet – immediately brings the heart and mind to racing. Individual customers can also request one of the liveries on offer, including one version featuring the Italian flag, another with Lipari Brown paintwork, let alone further options to select at will the number emblazoned on the side door. Once the customized liveries are gone, the #giuliagta and GTAm will come in Etna Red, Trophy White and Montreal Green, a color palette that pays tribute to the Italian flag. Another layer of customization lies in the selection of a color for the brake calipers – including the brand-new gold; and in the interior, the roll bar, seat belts and stitching.