Alfa Romeo’s first 156 GTA off the production line early next year is
destined for Japan, after an on-line charity auction held for the duration of
the recent Frankfurt Motor Show.
During the 10 days of the Show, more than 20,000 people – mainly from
Japan, Germany, UK, Switzerland and Italy – visited the appropriate e-commerce
auction sites. Starting price for the GTA auction was 1 Euro, but the winning
bid was €48,691.26 (about £30K) – proceeds that Alfa Romeo is donating in
their entirety to the Telethon charity fund, which raises money to finance
scientific research into muscular dystrophy and other genetically transmitted
diseases.
The new owner of Alfa GTA number 0001 – the first off the production line
– will be Tadashi Sengoku, a 44-year old Japanese doctor who lives in Tokyo,
and is already the owner of two Alfa Romeos (an Alfa 164 Q4 and a Spider). Says
Sengoku: "It is a great honour for me to have the privilege of
purchasing the first Alfa 156 GTA in this internet auction. I am also most happy
to be making a contribution to funding vital scientific research."
The 250 bhp 3.2 litre V6 Alfa Romeo 156 GTA and Sportwagon GTA will become
available in spring 2002, with both manual and Selespeed transmissions.