What was the start-up process like?

In 1967, Alfa Romeo began thinking about a successor to the Giulia GT, the successful design of the Bertone studio, designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro. He no longer works there, because he started his own company, Ital Design. This offers one design after another, including versions with folding headlights (photo). In April 1969, the first 1:1 model of Giugiaro was ready, based on the 1750 Berlina. It later became clear that the Alfetta’s lower body kit (1972) would form the basis for the GT. Meanwhile, Alfa Romeo’s interior painting department, Centro Stile, is also busy making sketches. He’s going to take care of the interior anyway, that’s clear from the start. However, abroad, the battle between Giugiaro and Centro Style was far from over. Finally, the former delivers his design, 90 percent complete, to his client.

The GT prototype, including a 10% contribution from Alfa Romeo itself, was born in April 1970. Bertone was also informed of a proposal based on a Giugiaro design, but its shooting brake-like design à la Lancia Beta HPE disappears into the dustbin. Incidentally, Alfa Romeo never officially acknowledged Giugiaro’s contribution to the Alfetta GT, and vice versa, the designer never claimed the design. At the time, Giugiaro was angry at the way Centro Stile had modified his original design. In particular, the removal of the “gills” in the front screens caused bad blood, as did the shoulder line that no longer ran smoothly down the windshield and thus covered the windshield wipers. The fate of the independent…

How did the press and public receive him?

When the Alfetta GT was presented to the press in Tuscany in June 1974, the world was in the midst of an oil crisis, keeping the need for thirsty sports cars (relatively) at a low level. Tighter speed limits on highways don’t help either. The big niche the newcomer has to fill – more than 225,000 of the beautiful Bertone coupés were sold in total – doesn’t get any smaller this way. Fortunately, thanks to the transmission design, which results in a 50:50 weight distribution, the driving characteristics are excellent. Dutch brochure Oracle: “The Alfetta Coupé models are cars with excellent sporting characteristics and are therefore suitable for a public looking for excellent performance, which is matched by a rational design in which the correct mechanical concept, safety characteristics, modest fuel consumption, comfort and sustaining quality are present.” Compared to its compact predecessor, the Alfetta GT is very roomy. The back seat is not wide, but there are at least two decent seats. Thanks to the large tailgate, loading luggage is easier than before; Bertone had a small trunk. The press and public are positive about the GT in all Areas: Criticisms mainly focus on poor sitting posture, poor ergonomics and electrical faults.

How revolutionary was he really?

That’s not so bad, as the GT was planned from the start as a sporty derivative of the Alfetta sedan, which saw the light in 1972. The GT has a 110mm shorter wheelbase, but otherwise the technology is almost identical: engine in the front, A gearbox facing the rear axle, rear-wheel drive and rear axle construction from De Dion. The GT’s dashboard, which only has the tachometer behind the steering wheel and the rest of the clocks in the middle, is significantly different from that of the sedan. To Alfa’s credit, it’s not simply copying the sedan. The sedan and coupe come off the same production line in Arese.

What are the choices during the market introduction?

Engine choice was limited to one in 1974: a 1.8 four-cylinder with two Weber carburettors, rated at 122 hp. Two years later, it was removed and you could get the 1.6 with 108bhp or save on a 2-litre with 122bhp, while the Lusso introduced in 1979 offered 130bhp. The six-cylinder car only came with a comprehensive facelift in 1980, when ‘Alfetta’ disappeared from the type name and the model continued as the GTV.

What were its competitors?

If we take the price list from the end of 1975 (when the Bertone Coupe was still available, by the way), the price of the Alfetta GT appears at 20,990 guilders (9,525 euros). In this performance and price category, you also have other sports coupes, such as the Opel Manta 1900 (FL 16,292), Volkswagen Scirocco TS (FL 16,553), Toyota Celica 1600 GT (FL 18,299), Audi 100 Coupe (FL 24,505), Mazda RX-4 (FL 17,195), Ford Capri 2300 GT (FL 17,388) and a 1979 Datsun Silvia (pictured). Competition from our country comes in the form of the Lancia Beta Coupe 1600 (fl 21,808) and from the British corner there is the Triumph TR7 and MGB GT. Those who prefer French products can go for the Renault 17 (fl 18,450) or Peugeot 504 Coupe, although the latter is higher up the market with a V6 engine.

Are there any details during his life?

In 1980, the Alfetta GT underwent a comprehensive restoration; The Alfetta name disappears (only GTV will suffice) and plastic is introduced. As was often the case in the 1980s, bumpers, rubber bands, handles, moldings, exterior mirrors and grille were now made of plastic rather than steel or chrome. New one-piece taillights replace the “loose” strips and Alfa Romeo installs a new dashboard with a more traditional design. The humble 1.6 has been discontinued and the engine range has been expanded – finally – with a six-cylinder: a 158bhp 2.5bhp Busso V6 from the Alfa 6, with Bosch L-Jetronic injection instead of Sei carburettors. This concerns the US market, where more stringent emissions standards apply, but also other safety standards; The Alfetta GT and GTV cannot escape the disproportionate “safety bumpers”. Plans for a second redesign in 1983, with rectangular headlights and a new dashboard, were discarded.

Which version is more appealing to fiction?

Over the years, many great versions have been manufactured by Alfa Romeo itself or by third parties. Among the “official” versions, the 2.0 Turbodelta from 1979 is a very nice one. This is a 150 hp race and rally car-compatible model, built in a limited edition of 400 units. In the US, in addition to the Balocco and Maratona versions, you also have a 230-horsepower Twin Turbo engine built by tuner Reeves Callaway. A deal with Alfa Romeo to sell it through the dealer network fell through. You can only go to specific merchants to make the transfer. It is estimated that only 30 to 35 pieces were made. Something exclusive like the heavily pampered Zagato version and the South African GTV6 3.0 with 190 hp. With Autodelta’s conversion kit, Alfa Romeo is building 200 homologation examples to participate in local championships. Even more unusual is the GT V8 2.6 (engine from Montreal) from 1979, an initiative of Alfa’s main German dealer, with the blessing of Alfa Romeo, which had canceled such a version years earlier for budgetary reasons. Unfortunately, of the planned 100 pieces, only three copies were made, and two of them appear to survive. If you can get it… The more accessible Alfetta GT Grand Prix is ​​a ‘promotional model’ with different wheels, special stripes and a body kit from Rayton Fissore. This version was also delivered in the Netherlands in 1985.

2.0 Turbodelta from 1979.

What is the effect of the Alfetta GT?

Although they are now beloved classics, the Alfetta GT and subsequent GTV did not set any standards in their time. They were nothing more or less than sports coupes with beautiful lines with great driving characteristics and great engines. Alfa Romeo had great success in racing and rallying with the GT(V). For example, the brand has won four consecutive constructors’ championships in the European Touring Car Championship. Amazing details: After her short Formula 1 career (17 races), Italian Lella Lombardi celebrates several victories for Alfa in touring car races. Despite these successes and the popularity of the street versions among the public, the Alfetta GT could not stand in the shadow of its predecessor, the hugely popular (and also successful in motorsport) Bertone Coupé. In 1993, the GTV was succeeded by an all-new front-wheel-drive model of the same name.

How much is left and what is their price?

From 1974 to 1987, just over 136,000 examples of the Alfetta GT and GTV were built. The vast majority (103,000) have four-cylinders, the rest are V6s. According to Finacles data, there are still 128 cars registered with a valid license plate in the Netherlands, 34 of which are GTV6 models. A very large number (22) date back to 1974, the GT’s first year. At the time of writing, there are eleven copies for sale in the Netherlands. For a beautiful Alfetta GT, you can count on asking prices of between €19,000 and €25,000. The range of the GTV6s is somewhat greater. Count on an average of 30k for a nice copy.