What happens when you take one of the best looking cars from the 60s/70s ever made and let the fine folks over at Alfaholics get their hands on every tiny inch of it? You wind up with this. The GTA-R.
Squeezing 240hp out of the original 4 cylinder is no small feat, but as nothing is left untouched, that's the number Alfaholics ends up with. The drivability remains somewhat tame for such a hot motor. When the hammer drops, the earth around you will rumble with the sound of its velocity stacks. I’ve never driven a car that disliked slow speeds as much as this one. It begs to be revved out, and over again at that. Being a self-proclaimed Miata fanboy, this car speaks to me in volumes. Being able to use all 240hp most of the time makes this a riot on the streets. Long straights and empty roads need not apply.
The handling is on par with your run-of-the-mill shifter cart. Tight, flat, purpose-built. The way this thing eats up corners puts it in a league of its own. In a time where most cars these days come with silly gimmicks and modes, the Alfa reminds you that absolutely none of that is necessary. The GTA-R is a handful, always eager to play, yet is probably one of the most predictable cars I've ever driven. You can literally feel the car rotate around you because it's so small.
Although not a car I could daily drive, which is completely irrelevant, it's what I base my opinions on. How well can a car be a car. Honestly, aside from the suspension that most certainly favors smooth surfaces (that can be dialed in), this is a wonderful vehicle. It's got a trunk for things, it's got air conditioning, its got a hidden sound system that works off Bluetooth, it has those wonderful vent windows in the front AND back, the seats are heavenly, it smells of leather and manliness, and makes the best sounds a 4 cylinder motor can make. It started life as an exceptional piece of Italian automotive achievement and Alfaholics gave it a bump...of the white powdery variety.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
Follow us for more articles, interviews, films and giveaways. Don't forget to like and subscribe for more features like this one.
www.TrustInTheMachine.com
Instagram - @TrustInTheMachine
Twitter - @machine_trust