28.10.2004 Alfa Romeo have made a winning return to the South African race tracks this year with a trio of 147 GTAs, and to celebrate this achievement one of these racers is on display at Auto Africa Expo

Alfa Romeo are on a roll in South Africa, with their enthusiastic importer, one of the most forward thinking globally.

The sporty qualities associated with the Italian brand are being enhanced by a highly ambitious programme which aims to increase an already long term strong interest here in the Alfa Romeo name.

To this end, Alfa Romeo South Africa have recently brought the exciting 250bhp 3.2-litre V6 powered Alfa 147 GTA to the continent for the first time. In fact this week's Auto Africa Expo represents the first chance for the public to see it as deliveries are scheduled to begin next month.

Joining this super-hot hatch at the Johannesburg show is the new Alfa GT Coupe which is making its African debut here. Styled by Bertone, and to be available from early next year with either the 3.2litre V6 or 1.9 M-Jet 16v, the Alfa GT is certainly one of the stars of the show.

Alongside the arrival of these exciting new models comes a return to the tracks which has seen three Alfa Romeo 147 GTA racers slugging it out with their BMW rivals for victory in the South African Production Car Championship, one of which is proudly on display at the show.

Despite missing the opening round of the series, the brand-new cars have proved instantly quick, and lead Alfa Romeo Squadra Corse driver Martyn Steyn, has been fighting it out for the title rce-by-race, with his closest rival, BMW's Anthony Taylor.

In fact after the last round at East London earlier this month, when BMW and Alfa Romeo claimed a closely-fought win apiece, the two drivers will now go head to head at Kyalami in ten days time during the final two races of the season, when the championship will be decided.

“It has been some time since there was fierce competition at the front of Production Car racing,” commented Alfa SA's marketing boss Michael Burkhart at the recent East London race, continuing that “Alfa Romeo’s return to national racing returned some spectator appeal to the formula and we are happy that we can give them a show right until the end. It will be great to see the two camps of fans supporting their favourite brands.”

The Alfa Romeo 147 GTA racers have evoked fond memories of the marque's national racing programme almost two decades ago when the monstrous Alfetta GTV6 swept all before it, and South African racing enthusiasts have now been swept along by this titanic struggle for supremacy.

With a racing programme that has quickly captured the public imagination, a raft of exciting new sporty models, and an importer enthusiastic to promote the Alfa Romeo ideal, things have never looked better for the Italian firm in South Africa, and at Auto Africa Expo this mood is clearly in evidence.

additional photos by Shaun Churchyard in Johannesburg