Autodelta have unveiled their take on the Alfa 147 GTA, which is itself a highly capable machine in the first place (see
our review here). Always one to believe there is scope for improvement in his quest for the ultimate Alfa, Jano Djelalian has worked his magic on the entire package.
Most astonishing is the engine re-work which gives the Autodelta 147 GTA a huge boost in power. Via careful attention to the breathing and a 500cc increase in capacity (courtesy of a re-bore), the 3.2-litre, 250 bhp V6 from the GTA becomes the
3.7-litre Autodelta engine; good for 328 bhp. Obviously this has a direct impact on the performance of the already stupendously quick GTA, which was the king of the uber-hatch hill in terms of straight-line performance. Autodelta are claiming a 175 mph maximum but no claims were available for acceleration at time of writing. Given the normal GTA's sub 6 seconds to 60 mph and 15 seconds to 100 mph it wouldn't be unreasonable to assume that figures in the region of 5 and 12 respectively may now be on the cards.
The engine now breathes through redesigned inlet and exhaust manifolds and a fantastic looking quad exit exhaust system. These promise an improvement to the already infamous operatic quality of sound from the Alfa V6. A near 8000 rpm rev limit will also add more spice to the mix.
As the saying goes: power is nothing without control. To this end Autodelta have also made available brake and suspension upgrades to cope with the additional demands 328 bhp will place on the chassis. Further to this, a Group N specification clutch is available along with a limited slip differential. These, accompanied by 18" alloy wheels to increase the footprint of the 147, are tasked with the job of trying to deploy those 328 horses.
To complement the muscle, fitting Autodelta's exclusive line up of body styling options can toughen the looks of the already svelte Alfa up. These include a new bonnet and front and rear bumpers.
The price of fitting all of these modifications to your GTA would take its price up to nearly £40k, but if you want the ultimate incarnation of the Alfa, tailored to your own specification and with guaranteed exclusivity then it may just be considered to be good value. We look forward to driving it in the near future.
Dave Jenkins - 30 Jan 2004
