Photo: RM Sotheby's
Even though the Giulia Quadrifoglio has what it takes to become a touring car, Alfa Romeo has more mundane interests than getting back to racing. Sales and prestige are the company’s biggest worries these days, and that’s a bit of a shame considering the motorsport pedigree associated with the Alfa Romeo brand of old.
A perfect example of what the Italian automaker could do five decades ago is the Giulia Sprint GTA. Starting with a regular Giulia, Alfa Romeo and Autodelta scrapped every part that would put a dent in the power-to-weight ratio.
Thus, the Peraluman-bodied Giulia Sprint GTA doesn’t feature front and rear bumpers. The cabin went on a diet too, but this being an Italian vehicle, Alfa Romeo decided that the ashtray has to stay. On the technical front, the Alleggerita (lightweight) packs a 1.6-liter four-cylinder with twin camshafts and two spark plugs per cylinder. The Stradale model packs 115 horsepower, but this car here isn’t one. It’s the Corsa, which means 150-plus horsepower.
A distributor shared with the Ferrari Dino is on the menu too, as are magnesium wheels, plastic side windows, as well as an aluminum rear upper control arm. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, then, why Alfisti revere this thing as one of the greatest Alfa Romeos of all time. After all, five European Touring Car Championship constructor’s titles don’t lie, nor does the exterior design.
The pictured vehicle is chassis number AR 613457. As per RM Sotheby’s, that means this is one of the first 50 units produced in the first year. Bearing in mind that only 501 were ever made, it’s also a rare bird in its own right. Documented in “Alleggerita” by Tony Adriaensens and equipped with the original magnesium valve cover and GTA seats, the estimate for this unmolested Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA is a bit on the steep side.
RM Sotheby’s believes that the right price for this car is anything between €350,000 ($376,405) and €425,000 ($456,940). Too much, too little, it’s up to you to decide. On that note, try to imagine Alfa Romeo applying the Alleggerita treatment to the modern Giulia Quadrifoglio. You can’t? Neither can I, all the more reason why RM Sotheby’s estimate makes sense.
Thus, the Peraluman-bodied Giulia Sprint GTA doesn’t feature front and rear bumpers. The cabin went on a diet too, but this being an Italian vehicle, Alfa Romeo decided that the ashtray has to stay. On the technical front, the Alleggerita (lightweight) packs a 1.6-liter four-cylinder with twin camshafts and two spark plugs per cylinder. The Stradale model packs 115 horsepower, but this car here isn’t one. It’s the Corsa, which means 150-plus horsepower.
A distributor shared with the Ferrari Dino is on the menu too, as are magnesium wheels, plastic side windows, as well as an aluminum rear upper control arm. It shouldn’t come as a surprise, then, why Alfisti revere this thing as one of the greatest Alfa Romeos of all time. After all, five European Touring Car Championship constructor’s titles don’t lie, nor does the exterior design.
The pictured vehicle is chassis number AR 613457. As per RM Sotheby’s, that means this is one of the first 50 units produced in the first year. Bearing in mind that only 501 were ever made, it’s also a rare bird in its own right. Documented in “Alleggerita” by Tony Adriaensens and equipped with the original magnesium valve cover and GTA seats, the estimate for this unmolested Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA is a bit on the steep side.
RM Sotheby’s believes that the right price for this car is anything between €350,000 ($376,405) and €425,000 ($456,940). Too much, too little, it’s up to you to decide. On that note, try to imagine Alfa Romeo applying the Alleggerita treatment to the modern Giulia Quadrifoglio. You can’t? Neither can I, all the more reason why RM Sotheby’s estimate makes sense.
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