AUTODELTA RE-STYLED ALFA 156 GTA DEBUTS AT GENEVA
MOTOR SHOW
The one thing the new 156 GTA lacks, according to critics of this new high-performance
Alfa Romeo, is the bold, aggressive styling you would expect from such a seriously
powerful vehicle.
Which is why London-based Alfa Romeo tuning and design house Autodelta has chosen
the 2003 Geneva International Motor Show (6th-16th March) to launch its very
own special version of the GTA, complete with a suitably re-styled body kit.
“ If you’ve got it, flaunt it” says Autodelta chief Jano Djelalian. “The
156 GTA may be exhilarating to drive, but to look at it, you’d never know
it. What’s the point of producing a car with such a famous heritage if
it doesn’t look the part?”
Jano Djelalian’s answer was to call in Creativestudio, Autodelta’s
in-house design and manufacturing division, responsible for previous acclaimed
styling exercises like the J10-Evo Spider/GTV, the J11 156 saloon and more
recently, the J12 147 hatch.
The results didn’t take long in coming: gone is the GTA’s unremarkable
upswept front under bumper air vent with centre strut, to be replaced by
a full-width down-turned mesh grille, divided into three sections by two
separate
pillars
and incorporating the two original equipment fog lamps either side.
The overall effect is dramatic: at a stroke, the GTA’s sharp end takes
on a lean and muscular look, whilst still retaining its unmistakable 156
classic lines.
In fairness,” observes Jano Djelalian, “Alfa Romeo’s
design team were a bit restricted in the what they could and couldn’t
do in terms of appearance, due to the need to force copious quantities
of air into the engine
bay to cool the all-new 3.2L power plant. Having said that, public demand
indicated that it was up to Autodelta to find a way to do the GTA badge justice.”
Meanwhile, the rear bumper has also been given the Autodelta treatment, sporting
dramatically increased curves to make it more voluptuous and so do away with
the factory GTA’s questionable ‘boxy’ back.
To inspect an Autodelta GTA in the flesh, you need only pay a visit to stand
number 7214, where Autodelta’s agents for Switzerland, FM Evoluzione,
have one on display for the duration of the show.
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