MILAN — The Alfa Romeo Giulia is getting a new flagship variant — the 533-hp Giulia GTA — in time for the brand's 110th birthday this June.
Alfa will build just 500 units of the Giulia GTA, billed as the most powerful road car the automaker has ever engineered and produced. It's based on the current top-performance version of the sedan, the Giulia Quadrifoglio.
Alfa's engineers recalibrated and increased the performance of the Quadrifoglio's 2.9-liter, V-6 engine by 29 hp. The Giulia GTA goes from 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) in 3.6 seconds, compared with 3.9 seconds for the Quadrifoglio.
Handling at high speeds was improved by widening the front- and rear-wheel tracks by 2 inches and developing new springs, shock absorbers and bushings for the suspension systems.
At 1,520 kg (3,351 pounds), the car is 100 kg lighter than the Quadrifoglio. Weight reduction was achieved through the use of lightweight materials such as carbon fiber for the driveshaft, hood, roof, front bumper, front wheel arches, rear wheel arch inserts and the seat frames.
Alfa is taking orders for the Giulia GTA but has not disclosed pricing. The car will be available in two versions, the Giulia GTA with four seats and the Giulia GTAm with two race seats, a roll bar and a six-point harness.
The GTA name harks back to the Giulia Sprint GTA coupe unveiled in 1965.
