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FCA Heritage is bringing two classic Alfa Romeos that are normally on show at the Museo Storico Alfa Romeo in Arese, the 1750 GT Am (top) and the 1900 Sport Spider (bottom), to the Goodwood Festival of Speed, which kicks off tomorrow. |
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From tomorrow morning until Sunday evening the English county of West Sussex will host the "Goodwood Festival of Speed", one of the most prestigious events in the international motorsports calendar.
The Festival will also be attended as usual by historic Alfa Romeo brand cars, as well as current production models, confirming the unbreakable bond between the icons of the past and the models that embody the brand's new paradigm today.
The event will include the UK debut of the right-hand drive version of the Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio, to be put through its paces on the famous Goodwood hill on Thursday.
Not just Stelvio Quadrifoglio as on the Alfa Romeo stand fans flocking to the event will also be able to see current production models as well as the showcar of the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team, currently competing in the FIA F1 World Championship.
Also on display will be two limited edition models, available in the EMEA region in just 108 units per model, recalling the brand's 108th birthday, celebrated on 24 June. They are the Nürburgring Edition Giulia Quadrifoglio "NRING" and Stelvio Quadrifoglio "NRING" special series, celebrating the two cars' records set on the famous German circuit.
Alongside the Nürburgring Edition special series will be the Stelvio Quadrifoglio in Vulcano Black livery, the Giulia Veloce Ti and the Giulietta Veloce. The Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce Ti, will be in Competizione Red livery and equipped with the 280 hp turbo petrol powerplant combined with 8-speed automatic transmission and Q4 all-wheel drive.
The Giulietta Veloce is the sportiest version in the Giulietta range and iis fitted with the 240 HP 1750 turbo petrol engine and TCT automatic transmission. It will be finished in metallic Misano Blue paintwork.
The FCA Heritage collection
The Goodwood Festival of Speed is one of the world's largest outdoor automotive events, and this year it celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary. More than 600 cars and motorbikes, retracing the amazing history of motoring and motor cycling, will be taking part in the event, with some of these sports' most legendary personalities, as well as world-famous celebrities.
The Festival will include the presence of FCA Heritage, the carmaker’s department dedicated to conserving and promoting the historic legacy of FCA's Italian brands, which is bringing two Alfa Romeos normally on show at the Museo Storico Alfa Romeo in Arese, the 1750 GT Am and the 1900 Sport Spider.
Alfa Romeo 1750 GT Am
The 1750 GT Am was type-approved for GT racing, on the basis of the 1750 GT Veloce version built for the USA market - hence the "Am" for "America". Unlike the model sold in Europe, the 1750 GTV - from which the GT Am was born - featured the Spica indirect mechanical injection system, which complied with American emissions standards and was also well suited to racing.
In contrast with the Giulia Sprint GTA and the later GTA 1300 Junior, the "GT Am" had steel body panelling and riveted fibreglass wheel arch flares, giving the car a very aggressive look. There were also major changes to the engine, giving it a power of 220 HP at 7500 rpm to propel the GT Am to a speed of 240 km/h.
The GT Am achieved great success in the European GT Championship when the car's top driver, the "Flying Dutchman" Toine Hezemans, won the Drivers' Title in 1970.
Alfa Romeo 1900 Sport Spider
Only two 1900 Sport Spider cars were ever built, and the only one to have survived is from the FCA Heritage collection, with bodywork designed by Bertone. It was constructed under the supervision of Orazio Satta and Giuseppe Busso.
The car's mechanicals originate from the "1900 Super Sprint": the twin-cam engine had the same cast iron engine block as the coupé, but the displacement was raised to close to the two litre limit (1,997.4 cc) for racing purposes. The compression ratio was boosted to 9:1, dry sump lubrication was added and power was increased to 138 HP.
The car was equipped with double wishbone front suspensions with a De Dion rear axle, the solution adopted twenty years later on the "Alfetta" sedan.
Photos: Alfa Romeo 1750 GT Am & 1900 Sport Spider
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