Thursday 9th August 2012

Spotted: Alfa Romeo GT Autodelta

Rare Autodelta tuned Alfa GT gets Harris excitable, and a little bit cross too

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Being asked to write someone else's 'Spotted' is an enlightening exercise. The always-busy Dan now has about 10 jobs to do because dear Riggers has moved to pastures new (best of luck old bean), and he asked if I might write something about an interesting Alfa in the classifieds, following a tip from PHer Ian Bond.

Still one of the best looking engines ever

So here it is, a supercharged Autodelta Alfa GT. And I'm now going to tell you how much it makes me want to reach for my wallet.

Well, the GT is a great looking machine - to these eyes more elegant than the Brera because its wheelbase matches the styling, where the breadvan's stunning visage is ruined when you peer round to the side and see they plonked it on an Austin 1100's footprint.

A good start then: pretty face.

The power figure looks, how can I put this, interesting. I have no reason to doubt the claimed 400hp and 375lb ft of torque. Nor that they will propel this little car with some urgency - but I'm wondering what 400hp must feel like in a front-wheel drive Alfa, even one with an LSD fitted. The word 'shambolic' keeps ricocheting around in my head.

Wing and valance not as appealing as power

In fact the more I look at this advert, the more it makes me angry at Fiat for allowing Alfa Romeo to become wrong-wheel drive. Just imagining what this car would be like if it was rear-driven is enough to ferment that emotion into outright anger.

I'd probably leave the aftermarket rear valance-bumper-thing too, but that's just personal taste.

Still, it's an interesting car with massive power for not much cash. And it looks great. From the front and the side.

But this exercise teaches us two things. First, from an editorial perspective, do not attempt to write another man's Spotted. One man's oyster is another man's fetid sexual effluent packaged in an exoskeleton. (I think Chris is saying we have differing tastes... - Ed.)

Second, I'd take this instead, every day of the week. A lovely 75 V6. Just find some original alloys, remove the rear wing and take it to Autodelta.

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ALFA ROMEO GT 3.7 AUTODELTA
Engine: 3,750cc V6
Transmission: 6-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 'over 400'@7,200rpm (claimed)
Torque (lb ft): 375@4,750rpm (claimed)
MPG: 22.8mpg (NEDC combined, pre-modification)
CO2: 295g/km (pre-modification)
First registered: 2004
Recorded mileage: 49,000
Price new: £26,695 (basic list price, Autodelta upgrades extra)
Yours for: £12,000

See the original advert here.

[dave stew]

I like Alfas, I've had a 156 and my wife a GTV - but I bet that wheelspins with 400BHP!

[DanDC5]

Awesome car, bargain price but terrible colour

[TurboLizard]

Dreadful colour, although I do like the GT. 400bhp sounds great but I bet it spins most of that away. Minty fresh E39 M5 or a decent spec Toyota Supra TT would get my vote if I wanted big performance for £12,000.

[kambites]

I wonder if that engine would fit in my Elise.

[underphil]

Interesting - this one has changed hands a couple of times over the last two years I think

Last time I saw it for sale it had a seriously munting pale blue custom interior which I believe was done at the same time as the engine upgrade - looks like someone saw the light and put the original stuff back in.

Also used to have OZ Boticelli alloys which did nothing for the car, again addressed

Nice car now, though I'd have it re-sprayed/wrapped another colour if I bought it...

[snorkel sucker]

Quite apt that it would likely go like s&*t off a shovel given the God awful dysentery beige colour.

If it were my cash, I'd be looking at the Autodelta 147 I think...

linky

[Howrare]

Styling wise one of my favourite cars. I've driven plenty of them too. Owned and driven a lot of Alfa's as it goes. However, since recently owning a 147 that these are wholey based on and experiencing the hideous build quality and electrical issues that went with it, I could never bring myself to buy a GT now. That 75 is very tempting though, and I agree with Mr Harris, the spoiler would have to go. FWD V6 would have to be a GTV V6 with a Q2 diff. Man I miss my GTV.

[ph1l5]

I have been behind this car before. its no slouch !!

[M@1975]

£12K for a worng wheel drive (for the power before the FWD police attack me again) deathtrap seems a little excessive. Nice looking car but not worth that even with 400bhp in my book as mentioned M5s 'can' be had for that and they were designed to cope with that power. This is not and I'd imagine corners would be utterly terrifying.

[k-ink]

I had a brand new 147 GTA. I sold it after six months as it was so poor at trying to put a mere 250bhp through the front wheels. That was my last ever wrong wheel drive car. Never again!

[Chris71]

I'm with Mr Harris on this one. That 75 looks gorgeous. Much, much want:


In this case I even like the boy racer aerodynamic accouterments.

[Hangus]

Damn!!

Thought this was Shed of the Week Thread

[Luca Brasi]

I hated the handling on my GT, that, and the rubbish Selespeed, ruined what was otherwise a pretty nice car. And that was only the humble 2.0 JTS.

[billzeebub]

I love Alfas, but that colour and that spoiler?!.. 'looking at the options list can I tick the pensioners Bowls Club Rover Gold paint and combine it with the Chav Essex Ford spoiler purlease?!'

[Twoshoe]

Had I not owned one of these before (non-Autodelta-ified admittedly), I would be seriously considering this. However, I've had 9 Alfas over the years and the GT was the only one I never regretted selling.

Sure, they look great and it did sound amazing, but it had a bone-hard ride, embarrassing turning-circle, rubbish satnav, recalcitrant gear-change and strange steering (sometimes car would tramline, sometimes follow camber etc). It was comfortable though and very practical for the type of car it was, and I have to say I never had any problems with it (electrical or otherwise) during the year I owned it.

Oh yes, and the satnav could tell you how high you were above sea level!

[only1ian]

Me Harris you do this a disservice! It's not just a supercharger it's a wholey reworked engine with 500cc increased displacement!

Does anyone have auto delta ownership experience I'm tempted?

[MGZRod]

Pretty sure that's been for sale for a wee while? Remember seeing it a few months ago. Lovely motor though.

[Bloitus]

That 75 is actually quite nice imo and its making me miss my 155, even though it did have a big backside


I'm off to the classifieds!

[Kitchski]

"Wrong wheel drive"

So RWD is better in a Focus-sized hatchback is it? Because the GT is based on a 147, and if a 147 had RWD the boot would be smaller, the interior more cramped in just about every way and the bonnet would need to be longer, so it'd look a bit funny (like a 1-series does).

Does my head in this anti-FWD stuff. FWD has its place, just like RWD has its place. The reason most mainstream cars are FWD is because it's the best all-round solution. I'm not saying it's the best layout for a driver's car, but if the GT wasn't underpinned on 147 hatchback (which isn't a drivers car, it's a car for everybody) and had it's own RWD layout the development costs would have been astronomical. They'd have got into such debt they'd end up selling re-badged average Fiats and Chryslers.....oh, hang on.....

I also believe people who slate FWD haven't driven a decent handling FWD car. I love the 147GTA, but a decent handler it is not!

End of rant

[k-ink]

I have driven a decent handling FWD car - the DC2. However it doesn't have the torque of a hedge trimmer, so you never realize the limits of its FWD layout. Try to get decent handling and large power outputs on a FWD car simply ends in frustration. The 147GTA is a perfect example of this. There is a reason high power FWD cars get slated. Those who defend them usually have never owned anything else.