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The Autodelta Alfa Romeo 147 GTA put
its money (or should that be its astounding horsepower) where its mouth is last
Wednesday in front of the camera’s of the BBC 'Top Gear' TV programme.
The offer to have their 328bhp V6 3.7-litre ‘monster’ appear on Europe’s leading
television motoring show was a challenge that Autodelta instantly accepted.
However, as many manufacturers have found to their horror over the years, the
programme can have a sting in the tail if your product is not up to scratch.
Autodelta claim that their 147 GTA is the ‘world’s ultimate hot hatch’, and it’s
a serious statement to make!
For a motoring TV program, Top Gear is unique. It is broadcast across the UK,
and other countries who receive BBC, in a prime-time Sunday evening slot, at 8pm
GMT. Repeats are also shown on other leading European channels.
Top Gear mixes humour and banter with a ‘warts and all’ approach, giving it a
widespread appeal. Long time frontman Jeremy Clarkson will not hesitate to
castigate a product if it does not live up to its billing and the ensuing
humiliation is always very public.
The 147 GTA claims to be rapid. It would be against the stopwatch. Everything
from Minis to Ferraris had posted times, so there would be no escape.
The invitation came after Clarkson recently tested the 147 GTA for his ‘Times’
column in which he delivered the verdict, “Mad amount of power and astounding
grip make this the hottest hatch ever.”
And so, into this unpredictable ‘mix’, Autodelta threw their latest offering.
Barely six months old, the Autodelta-branded 147 GTA, first thrust itself into
the public gaze just before Christmas at the MPH03 Motor Show.
With a bored out V6 engine, revised cylinder heads featuring new camshafts,
re-mapped electronics and a Ferrari-inspired throttle, power was upped to a
quite staggering 328 bhp. All these bucking horses are fed through a new limited
slip differential and quad-tailpipe stainless exhaust while a totally revised
suspension set-up and improved brakes along with massive 18-in slim-spoke alloy
wheels help get all that power onto the road.
Having taken Alfa Romeo’s GTA concept to the extreme, Autodelta believed they
were justified in claiming they had created the world’s fastest ever hot hatch,
a real ‘hardcore’ sportscar, which proudly bears the famous Alfa Romeo badge,
and is capable of 0-60mph in five seconds flat and a top speed of 175mph.
Now it was time to put that to the ultimate test.
Last Wednesday the Autodelta team headed to Dunsfold Airfield near Croydon, home
of Top Gear’s test track and studio.
Other cars in action the same day around the very quick airfield track included
two race bred road going sportscars, the 306km/h 380bhp Flat-6 Porsche 911
GT3-RS and the 300km/h 425bhp 3.6-litre V8 Ferrari Challenge Stradale. These
cars, however, did not feature in the same Top Gear TV episode.
Very quickly it became the Alfa’s turn to enter the action, and Top Gear’s
mystery road tester, who is know only as ‘The Stig’, buckled himself in and took
to the track.
Top Gear never do things by halves. Autodelta had made a serious claim and ‘The
Stig’ was going to find out and tell the nation whether it was true. The 147
GTA’s moment had arrived!
For half a dozen laps he pushed the 328bhp front wheel drive rocket to the
limit, the screaming Alfa Romeo V6 sounding gorgeous as it went up and down the
revs, the car a red blur as it flew around the wide sweeping curves of the test
track.
We watched the board, times were everything. We were astounded! 1.8
seconds a lap faster than the BMW M3, the ultimate icon and benchmark of
performance blown away! And while we are at it, the 147 GTA was 2.2 seconds
faster than the Ford Focus RS, a pretender to the hottest hatch crown.
The 147 GTA was also quicker than the Subaru Impreza STi. The product of years
of World Rally Championship winning action, the engineering brains of the
world-renown Prodrive concern and huge manufacturer dollars, not to mention its
four wheel drive capability. The 147 GTA was quicker!
The role call of prestige sportscars left in its wake was astounding, the Aston Martin DB7,
the Audi S4 and the Nissan 350Z but three of the evocative names it dismissed. It’s
was really turning into some party that Autodelta have gate crashed!
Autodelta’s boss Jano Djelalian, a man whose waking moments are dedicated to
building the ultimate Alfa Romeo sports cars, stood with one eye on the red blur
flying around the track and one eye on the time board, a big grin stretching
from ear to ear.
It had taken the speed test and passed with flying colours, those 328 angry
horses have been put to good use. The Stig was clearly impressed, “mad”,
“powerful” and “grippy” were among the words he used when quizzed by Clarkson.
The most amusing moment during what was a very pleasant and relaxed day involved
the celebrity test driver present, hypnotist Paul McKenna.
During a brief break in the serious filming, McKenna hypnotised one of Top
Gear’s presenters to drive the 147 GTA around the track, telling him he was ‘at
the wheel of a powerful Alfa Romeo sportscar’. We all laughed as the poor chap
had no idea what was going on!
Keeping with the Italian flavour, two other Alfa Romeos were present. The 166,
recently the recipient of a handsome new facelift, and the brand new and
exciting GT Coupe which has really captured the public’s imagination.
Jeremy Clarkson waxed lyrical about Alfa’s big executive lugger, summing up by
pointing out that the Autodelta 147 GTA’s 3.7-litre engine will slot nicely
under the bonnet.
Meanwhile the Bertone-styled GT was being closely checked out by the studio
audience. I caught Jano admiring it while being somewhat lost in thought.
Tackling him he told me what plans he has for the GT! Watch this space,
Autodelta are about to redefine the words ‘extreme Alfa’…yet again!
Clarkson waxed lyrical about the Autodelta creation, describing it as 'The
Devil's Work' and it all served to wrap up a day that far exceeded the
expectations of the Autodelta team.
Last word to Jano, “It’s been a really fantastic day, far better that I could
have dreamt of. We have pitched our car in front of the TV cameras against the
best, cars with proven pedigrees and huge manufacturer backing and it has held
its own."
Photos:
Sarkis Boyadjian |
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