Tuesday 17th February 2015

DTM on the Nordschleife: Time For Tea?

When Alfa went to the 'ring and showed the Germans what fast really meant

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A copy of the Adrenalin DVD is currently circulating PHHQ, meaning there's a slight obsession with German touring cars going round. The film covers BMW's saloon racing history from the 60s and the period footage is fantastic. And, predictably enough, it's the racing on the Nordschleife that's most memorable.

BMW left the DTM in 1992, not to return for 20 years. 1993 saw new rules introduced and Alfa was very successful, winning with the glorious V6 155 first time out. This video is from the Nurburgring where Nicola Larini dominated the weekend, apparently taking 'new Nuvolari' as a nickname. Even looking past that victory for a second, it's just fantastic to see old DTM cars flying round the Nordschleife.

A final note on noise too. The DTM will go to four-cylinder turbo in 2017, a sad shift for a sport always famed for its exotic engines. Judgement should probably still be reserved until then but for now enjoy the Alfa's V6. It's a shriek unlike anything else, manipulated by one of those manual gearbox things too. Joyous.

Watch the video here.

 

[Sources: DTM.com, Alfa Romeo. Yes, the lead image isn't from the Nordschleife but it was the best from a limited selection!].

[kritter86]

Absolutely love that Aplha!

[Uncle John]

The Alfa 155's were spectacular!

Remember the massive multiple barrel role by Tarquini in the BTCC (I think)?

Also the iconic shot of a 155 spitting flame as it enters a chicane on the two nearside wheels.

Superb!!

[Mini 360]

kritter86 said:

Absolutely love that Aplha!

Even spelled correctly, you've spelled Alfa incorrectly.

These things are awesome, there's no other word for it. Flame spitting, huge noise making, cool looking racing cars. Shame motorsport isn't like that these days

[-crookedtail-]

Bloody brilliant!!

One of my favourite race cars of all time is the 1994 BTCC Alfa 155, for a number of nostalgic reasons but I was 10 when it happened, it was fast and it was red.

When I learnt about this though, ommphh

[CedricN]

First time ever someone have snatched a video from my YouTube channel and put it on theirs. Don't care as long as everyone enjoys the awesome racing, enjoy the vid

[g3org3y]

Article said:

A copy of the Adrenalin DVD is currently circulating PHHQ, meaning there's a slight obsession with German touring cars going round. The film covers BMW's saloon racing history from the 60s and the period footage is fantastic. And, predictably enough, it's the racing on the Nordschleife that's most memorable.

Got that for Christmas. Very enjoyable (esp as a BMW fanboi!), some of the old footage is stunning.

Back on topic...

[Thunder18]

Loved watching the DTM back in the day, my most memorable moment, 1 minute in......

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&pers...

Loved the Alfa's and the Calibra's

[DeltonaS]

-crookedtail- said:

Bloody brilliant!!

One of my favourite race cars of all time is the 1994 BTCC Alfa 155, for a number of nostalgic reasons but I was 10 when it happened, it was fast and it was red.

When I learnt about this though, ommphh

The BTCC Alfa 155's were nice, but only had 2 ltr 4 cilinder engines. The DTM cars were epic, and the 1993 model the best looking.

A 2.5 V6 with a rev limiter somewhere near 12.000 rpm, 450 HP, a lot of aero...

[forzaminardi]

What an oddly-proportioned car the 155 was in road form, let alone the steriodal DTM version.

And what a great driver Larini was (indeed, is). One of my favourites from back in the day, and a pity he never got a proper crack at F1.

[Kawasicki]

forzaminardi said:

What an oddly-proportioned car the 155 was in road form, let alone the steriodal DTM version.

And what a great driver Larini was (indeed, is). One of my favourites from back in the day, and a pity he never got a proper crack at F1.

road car was tranverse engined in the Tipo platform, so big front overhang
dtm car a 4wd with a longitudinal engine mounting, in front of the front axle, so huge front overhang

[soad]

Arrrggghh, poor video quality makes it near unwatchable.

[AMcLean]

Uncle John said:

Remember the massive multiple barrel role by Tarquini in the BTCC (I think)?

Yes, Knockhill, I was there, sometime around 1992 I think. I remember seeing some lad walk past with the crumpled back door which came off in the accident. Some trophy !

Edit: 1994 actually, footage here - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kY0XdaiU2BM

[V8 TEJ]

Kawasicki said:

road car was tranverse engined in the Tipo platform, so big front overhang
dtm car a 4wd with a longitudinal engine mounting, in front of the front axle, so huge front overhang

Yes.

I owned a road 155 V6 from 2001-->2010. It was a lovely rare car then in an even rarer trim spec. Still miss it. There are a few chaps over on alfa155.org who have made some very good DTM replicas. One of the cars has IIRC a Fiat coupe turbo engine fitted with around 350 bhp. The 4WD DTM machine is a proper beast though.

My old Alfa..

[Mr Tidy]

Ooh that looks lovely!
Although I can't help thinking it would look even better in red!

[V8 TEJ]

I have a phobia against Red cars Which is why it took a very long time to hunt one down that was my favourite car colour at the time, dark Blue.

Even if I was after a Ferrari it would be a dark Blue version..

[JBT]

Mega cars, the 155 V6 TI DTM machines. Was there any link between the road car Busso V6 and the V6 in the DTM cars?

[forzaminardi]

Kawasicki said:

forzaminardi said:

What an oddly-proportioned car the 155 was in road form, let alone the steriodal DTM version.

And what a great driver Larini was (indeed, is). One of my favourites from back in the day, and a pity he never got a proper crack at F1.

road car was tranverse engined in the Tipo platform, so big front overhang
dtm car a 4wd with a longitudinal engine mounting, in front of the front axle, so huge front overhang

I'll take your word for it, but it doesn't explain why it appears so upright next to the Mercs and so narrow. I like them btw, not being critical, I just thought at the time they were a bit odd looking and the comparison to the Mercs reinforces the look.

[V8 TEJ]

JBT said:

Mega cars, the 155 V6 TI DTM machines. Was there any link between the road car Busso V6 and the V6 in the DTM cars?

No, the road cars used a 12 Valve 2.5 Busso engine. As far as I know the DTM cars used a different V angle (90 degree instead of 60 or something similar) and had 24 Valves and Quad Cams. The Busso engine was of course available as a 24V in the 156 V6 but it shares nothing with the race engine.

Still nice to see this under the bonnet of the road going 155 V6. The engine from my car..


upload an image

Edited by V8 TEJ on Wednesday 18th February 15:06

[V8 TEJ]

forzaminardi said:

I'll take your word for it, but it doesn't explain why it appears so upright next to the Mercs and so narrow. I like them btw, not being critical, I just thought at the time they were a bit odd looking and the comparison to the Mercs reinforces the look.

They are a narrow car (by modern standards) and my BMW E28 is a similar width which is also considered a narrow car in today's day and age. When the 155 was launched the equivalent Merc was the newly launched (and newly badged) C-Class. The 190E that had just been phased out was just as narrow as the Alfa. Same situation with BMW E30 -> E36. Also the body work on the C-Class DTM cars made them look wider and lower than the 155 DTM. If you compare a road 155 with a road W202 C-Class now you will probablt notice less of a difference..:-)

[JBT]

Cheers for the info V8 TEJ. I'm lucky to have a 24V Busso in my 156 The 156 V6 is a rare sight on the roads these days, let alone a 155 V6 - I don't think i've ever seen one in the flesh. Was that gold leather in yours or is it a trick of the light?