Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV

Now a typical sensible non-Italian manufacturer would have opted to replace this iconic car with a Giulia Mk2 evolution. However, in usual perplexing Italian fashion they attempted to replace the Giulia with two radical cars. One was the famous ‘smaller’ Alfa Sud and the other was the ‘bigger than the Giulia’ Alfetta series.

Instead of the Giulia’s perfectly honed and race developed, tried and tested drivetrain they went for an exotic and complex race car/super car transaxle layout. For better weight distribution the five speed gearbox was located at the rear. This idea came about from the company’s super successful Alfetta 158/159 Gran Prix cars mastered by Fangio, Farina and Fagioli among others. These were the Red Bulls and Maxes of that era. 

1972 saw the launch of the sedan of Alfetta, “Berlina” in Ital-speak with the 1800 Alfa twin cam engine producing 122hp. 1974 saw the introduction of the GT, a rakish 4-seater coupe penned by Giugiaro and Alfa’s own stylists.

Naturally Alfa Romeo had to present it with one big quirk. This was the dashboard layout. Straight ahead of the driver’s sight was the tacho - in true race car fashion. However, to the bewilderment of every road tester, the speedo was located bang in the center of the dash. A place usually reserved for air vents or a stereo. Obviously, this drew criticism from most. Later in 1980 Alfa would go more sensible with the facelift, moving the speed next to the tacho. 

A few months after the GT 1800’s launch came a 1600 GT with 109hp. 1976 saw the 2.0 engine powering the GTV featured here. It was missing 10hp from its Giulia GTV 2000 ancestor though. Blame it on stricter emission rules coming into play.

As expected with a near perfect weight distribution, all Alfettas handled exemplarily. However, this expensive layout did ruin one important aspect of the driving experience. The gearchange. Drive an early car like mine for the first time, and lack of smoothness when changing up or down will make one gasp in disbelief. It does get better with practice though, although never truly perfect like almost any other Alfa Romeo. 

The many updates that ensued improved the quality of the change over the years. This platform also spawned the 90, 75 and 116 series Giulietta. The GT/GTV culminated in the very desirable 160hp 1981 GTV6 with such limited run gems as the 175hp homologation special GTV 2000 Turbodelta and eventually the 210hp 1989 Zagato built SZ and RZ.

During its life cycle, the company faced many challenges from Alfa Sud’s rust debacle to constantly being short of cash. Despite this, it kept stubbornly funding its many racing programs. The Alfetta GT series won many touring cars championships in Europe, UK and other parts of the world, although to a lesser extent compared with the all-conquering Giulias.

In pop culture most will remember the superb car chase in the 80’s James Bond movie Octopussy, where Roger Moore out runs German police BMWs in a GTV6. However there is an earlier movie featuring an Alfetta GT very heavily, as it is the personal car of American F1 driver Bobby Deerfield (movie title). Despite the top credentials of director Sydney Pollack and star Al Pacino and featuring the 1976 F1 season, it turns out to be a total bore. If you wish to see an Alfetta being driven cross continent in period by all means; watch it. However, beware if it’s too early for bedtime. It will put you to sleep!

Today the allure of the Alfetta cars is gaining the world over, although still somewhat distant from its Giulia predecessors. Prices all over the world remain accessible. 

The car featured here is my 1977 ‘early’ car. One of perhaps four or five Alfetta coupes that came to Sri Lanka, the car was offered to me in several boxes and a bare shell by a close friend. Back then I was a budding Alfista having somewhat blindly acquired my Giulia coupe. However along with the Sud Sprint the Alfetta GT/V/6 was on my dream list having seen a brochure at my cousin’s place. The wedge shape silhouette with its pointy front end and abrupt rear twanged my heart strings. Despite the dismantled status and zero savings, I just had to have it. I am the very lucky second owner.

It was a long and arduous restoration for a novice like me, then in my early 30s. However, the strong attachment to the brand that had been deepening with each passing day driving my Giulia got me driven and focused on getting it on the road. After several years it did. It has been the only running Alfetta in Sri Lanka for at least 17 years. At the time of writing, I’m pleased to reveal that there is a very strong possibility of a second coupe being resurrected and joining my lonely grey pet. 

Driving the Alfetta is always an event that brings a smile on my face as I marvel at the superb handling and wince at the next gear change. Apart from the latter it feels modern and easy to use compared to the Giulia. More refined and grown up. A proper GT. Talking of which I must mention a few of my unforgettable drives. One to Haputale and Bandarawela which began late one night. The car never missed a beat although it did earn a traffic offence fine I never committed. Perhaps the copper didn’t like the smirk on my face. Then there was a crazy dash from Gampola to the Nuwara Eliya Golf Club in an hour and ten minutes. There was also a Pannala track event that truly brought out the magic of the transaxle and suspension layout, wishbones and trailing arms up front and a De Dion arrangement at the rear. Racing into corners at seemingly impossible speeds did not seem to bother it one bit. This was exemplified by the absence of even a hint of tyre squealing despite my amateurish lack of smoothness. The car seems to relish long and wide tracks and roads. The traction is truly amazing for a car of this era. No doubt the superior weight balance and the sophisticated suspension comes into play here.

A big complication for local experts has been the balance of the prop shaft and its smooth running. The clutch is located at the rear adjacent to the 5-speed gearbox and because of a lack of expertise I have had the misfortune of damaging the clutch housing twice and breaking the rubber couplings that join the propeller shaft. The shaft runs at the engine rpm. Thankfully thanks to a non-Alfa novice mechanic we have perfected the set up and it now runs beautifully.

Apart from this area where pain had been self-inflicted, the car has never given me any serious problems. A few times a month I drive it to the office and back and it proves quite easy compared to similar aged classic cars in the traffic. The steering is light and communicative, and the ride quality is very good for the period, even if the seats could do with more support.

The restoration is now around 18 years old and is showing a little age in some areas. This car is very standard with no modifications. Future plans include sprucing up the interior, fitting an air con as it originally came with one, and perhaps a touching up the body’s age-related imperfections. Once the air con is fitted I plan to embark on a few more long drives to various corners of Sri Lanka.

From the little history I know, the car’s first owner was a precious stone merchant from the “city of gems” who also had several other luxury cars. A late mechanic friend of mine related to me how the prop shaft issue gave trouble for the owner even back then.  When I first ran the car it had a locally-cast clutch housing. No doubt because the original exploded under hard acceleration owing to imperfect balance and alignment. 

I had the shocking experience of discovering what it felt like when the car’s engine was being tuned for the first time. We had no idea about having fresh rubber couplings back then and at a heady rpm it was like a grenade went boom under the car. We raised the original faded thick carpet to discover a metal “flower shaped hole” on the transmission tunnel. Thanks to the carpet the glasses didn’t shatter for the shrapnel. We had to dig out nuts and bolts a few inches inside the soil though!

Another interesting incident happened at one of Colombo’s famous Sunday runs many years ago. On Galle Road I was chased by a Gent on a motor bike yelling “me ape karr eka” (this is our car). Initially I thought he was a nut job and I accelerated harder trying to lose him. But I kept getting caught at red lights and he pulled alongside me yelling the same thing. He was visibly emotional. So reluctantly I told him to meet me at Nawam Mawatha which is the usual finish of the Sunday Runs.

Needless to say, he tailed me to Nawam Mawatha and jumped off his bike. He had been the custodian of this car when it was in a sad state of neglect after leaving its first owner. Being a somewhat technically savvy chap (also from the city of gems), he had tried his best to get the car running without success. He was about to do the obligatory Toyota running gear swap when the car was rescued by my friend at the former Alfa Romeo agents at Nawala. In a strange twist of coincidence, the son of the yelling biker is now rebuilding my Mazda RX7 engine. 

The lack of local knowledge on the propeller shaft was so frustrating at times that I occasionally toyed with the idea of letting the car go to a techier owner. However, each time I drove it I just didn’t have the balls to do it, knowing that I would regret it. Thankfully cowardice prevailed and I am so glad. In fact, it’s out on the road after four years of hibernation, thanks to my mechanic sorting out the prop balance.

How do I sum up this Gran Turismo Veloce? Svelte, Stylish GT with exemplary road manners, with a gear change I want to point a shot gun at. And yet on a long drive with less frequent gear changes I can forgive it more and more with each corner taken faster than the last. In the end it’s car that forces me to improve my driving skills. I like to think that I’ll get a little like Fangio with each passing year of ownership!