Alfa Romeo may not be as much a household name as its fellow Italian marques Lamborghini and Ferrari, but it’s a name that commands respect in the world of high performance cars nonetheless. The brand has been around for 110 years, and now seeks to reclaim some of its lost glory by bringing back the Giulia GTA. “Alfa Romeo engineers and designers have relentlessly pursued innovation, while always remaining true to the Brand’s DNA,” a statement from the company said. “To mark its 110th birthday, Alfa Romeo will amaze its fans and all motorists with a vehicle that fully represents a return to the brand’s origins, while paying tribute to one of the most emblematic vehicles of Alfa Romeo: Giulia GTA.” The Giulia GTA, which stands for ‘Gran Turismo Alleggerita,’ is inspired by a model of the same name produced between 1965 and 1969.  Developed by Autodelta, Alfa Romeo’s racing and performance department, parts of the car was based on the track-focused Giulia Sprint GT, while others were based on the Giulia Quadrifoglio production car and the standard Giulia. Alleggerita in Italian means ‘lightened,’ and true to its name, the Giulia GTA makes extensive use of ultra-lightweight materials, which renders the car 100 kgs lighter than a standard Quadrifoglio. The weight loss also gives it a best-in-class power-to-weight ratio of 2.82 kg/hp. Under the hood lies a more powerful version of the Alfa Romeo 2.9-liter V6 Bi-Turbo engine, now producing 540 hp. This engine links to a new Akrapovič central exhaust system that’s made completely of titanium and gives the car its distinct guttural sound. Specific technical solutions have also been developed for aerodynamics, setup and handling. The aerodynamic enhancements in particular, serve to increase the car’s downforce, which are delivered by the sideskirts, rear spoiler and the active front splitter. The Giulia GTA interior boasts Alcantara leather on the dashboard, door panels, glove compartment, side pillars and the central seat trims. The plush synthetic material is used even more extensively in the GTAm variant, supposedly the GTA’s extreme version. Described as an “extreme 100% “street legal” version of the GTA,” the GTAm is characterized by two racing seats, roll bar and 6-point safety belts. The removal of the rear bench permits a fully upholstered ‘basin’, with specific moldings designed for storing helmets and a fire extinguisher. The Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA and Giulia GTAm will be built in a limited edition of only 500 units.

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