13.06.2004 Alfa Romeo claimed an important victory today as they made it back-to-back wins in the 'Alternative Fuels' class of the Nurburgring 24 Hours, while the stylish new GT Coupe made its track debut

Alfa Romeo claimed an important victory today as they made it back-to-back wins in the 'Alternative Fuels' class of the gruelling Nurburgring 24 Hours, amply demonstrating once again, the power and reliability of their burgeoning diesel engine range.

Building on last year's victory, achieved with a 1.9-litre JTD powered 147, this year it was the turn of the 2.4-litre JTD engine, shoehorned into a 147, which claimed a debut win.

Stefan Neuberger, Raimund Baumschlager and Herbert Schurg brought the Alfa Romeo Division Sportiva-run 147 JTD across the line earlier this afternoon after twenty four hours of tough racing in often changing conditions, after along the way, having fended off strong opposition in the class for diesel powered cars, which included the likes of VW, Jaguar, BMW and SEAT.

The trio, driving for the team which is run by the German Alfa Romeo importer's competitions arm, came home two laps clear of the second place finishing VW Bora R-TDI.

Much interest surrounded the JTD-powered Alfa Romeo GT Coupe also entered by the Divisione Sportiva team, partly as it marked the racing debut of Alfa Romeo's exciting new Bertone-designed coupe, and partly because popular German TV actress Eve Scheer, a regular competitor in the local Alfa 147 JTD Cup, was in the driving line-up.

Showing instant signs of being a competitive racer, the stylish new coupe, with a driver line-up completed by Gunnar Beer, Markus Lungstrass and Stefan Neuber, however did not make the finish line.

Fifth slot in the S1 Alternative Fuels class, ten laps behind the winners, were Fred Feuerstein, Barney Gerollheimer, Mr Slate and Peter Heckman in a 'Classic Driver' entered Alfa 147 JTD Cup, a car usually seen competing in the popular German-based Alfa 147 JTD Cup racing series.

A third Alfa 147 JTD also made it reliably to the chequered flag, Dietrich Hueck, Dale Dare, Werner Habermehl, Franz Schutte crossing the line to take ninth in the diesel class, 21 laps adrift of the winners.

The 'old' Nurgburgring, possibly the most famous and legendary racetrack in the world, with its 24.358 km, 73 corner, lap, lived up to its exciting billing, an action packed race featured all manner of cars, and was eventually won 1-2 by the factory-backed BMW M3-GTR squad.