Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA And GTAm Coming With 532 HP, Less Weight

As if the 510 PS Giulia Quadrifoglio wasn’t bonkers enough, Alfa Romeo has a big surprise for fans of its sports sedans.

As a matter of fact, it has two big surprises as the Giulia is getting not only one but two limited edition, higher-performance variants of the Quadrifoglio series. They’re called GTA and GTAm.

The iconic GTA (Gran Turismo Alleggerita) moniker returns in style on the Giulia GTA and Giulia GTAm sports sedans on steroids. Technically and conceptually inspired by the Giulia GTA of 1965 developed by Autodelta, the 2021 Alfa Romeo GTA is based on the Giulia Quadrifoglio and comes in two stages of commitment: the standard Giulia GTA and the hardcore Giulia GTAm.\

Both are powered by an uprated version of Alfa Romeo’s 2.9-liter V6 Bi-Turbo engine which now makes 540 PS (532 HP) – 30 PS (30 HP) more than the Giulia Quadrifoglio.

Alfa Romeo engineers’ focus when developing the Giulia GTAs was to improve aerodynamics and handling but above all to reduce weight. The active aerodynamics were specifically upgraded to increase the downforce using Formula 1 know-how. The side skirts, the specific rear spoiler and the active front splitter have all been assigned the same mission.

The Giulia GTAm takes things further courtesy of a larger front splitter and a real carbon rear wing which Alfa Romeo says ensure “a perfectly balanced load at high speeds”.

Handling-wise, Alfa Romeo has widened the front and rear wheel tracks by 50 mm (1.97 in) and developed a new set of springs, shock absorbers and bushings for the suspension. These upgrades are said to improve high-speed maneuverability.

And so we arrive at the weight-saving measures, which on the outside include carbon fiber hood, roof, front bumper, front wheel arches, and rear wheel arch inserts, titanium Akrapovic central exhaust system integrated in the new carbon fiber rear diffuser, and 20-inch center lock wheels – a first on an Alfa Romeo sedan.

The weight diet continues inside with Alcantara trim on the dashboard, door panels, glove compartment, side pillars and seats. The Giulia GTAm uses Alcantara even more extensively as well as matte carbon inserts, but the real savings come from the ditching of the rear bench. This leaves room for a fully upholstered area used to hold helmets and a fire extinguisher.

Other components hinting at the radical nature of the Giulia GTAm include the roll bar, lack of door panels, and belts instead of door handles. Weight-saving measures that are harder to spot include the use of carbon fiber for the drive shaft and the shell of the GTAm’s sports seats, as well as lightweight aluminum used in the engine, doors and suspension systems. Various other composite materials are used throughout, such as Lexan, a unique polycarbonate resin used in motor sports that was used for the side and rear window frames.

All in all, these measures contribute to shaving 220 lbs (100 kg) off the standard Giulia Quadrifoglio’s weight, bringing down the Giulia GTA and GTAm’s curb weight to around 3,350 lbs (1,520 kg). Combined with the power increase, the weight-to-power ratio reaches 6.2 lb (2.8 kg) /PS. Unsurprisingly, performance sees a boost as the 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) sprint takes 3.6 seconds in both models.

There’s a lot to like about the Giulia GTAs so far but the production run will likely be very disappointing as Alfa Romeo will only build a total of 500 GTA and GTAm vehicles. All will be numbered and certified, bound to take their place among the most sought-after Alfas ever made.

Alfa Romeo has already opened advanced bookings and will close them as soon as the 500th unit has been reserved – which will probably take only hours. Along with their Giulia GTA, owners will get a personalized experience package kit, including a Bell helmet in special GTA livery, a full racing set by Alpinestars (race suit, gloves and shoes) and a personalized Goodwool car cover. Also included will be a driving course devised by the Alfa Romeo Driving Academy.

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