Alfa Romeo GTV and Spider
| Alfa Romeo GTV & Spider | |
|---|---|
| Alfa Romeo Spider | |
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Alfa Romeo |
| Also called | 916-series GTV and Spider |
| Production | 1995-2005 (Spider to 2006) |
| Assembly | Arese, Milan, Italy (Alfa Romeo) Turin, Italy (Pininfarina from 2000)[1] |
| Designer | Pininfarina |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Sports car |
| Body style | Coupé Cabriolet |
| Layout | FF layout |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 1.8 L 16V TS 2.0 L 16V TS 2.0 L JTS 2.0 L V6 turbo 3.0 L V6 12V 3.0 L V6 24V 3.2 L V6 24V |
| Transmission | 5 and 6-speed manual |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 2540 mm (100 in) |
| Length | 4285 mm (168.7 in) |
| Width | 1780 mm (70.1 in) |
| Height | 1318 mm (51.9 in) 1315 mm (51.8 in) Spider |
| Curb weight | 1370-1470 kg (3020-3240 lb) |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Alfa Romeo Giulia Spider Alfa Romeo Alfetta GT, GTV & GTV6 |
| Successor | Alfa Romeo Brera & Spider |
The Alfa Romeo GTV (Gran Turismo Veloce) (Template:Lang-en) and Alfa Romeo Spider are two sports cars produced by the Italian manufacturer Alfa Romeo from 1995 to 2006. The GTV is a 2+2 coupé (to avoid insurance premiums), with the Spider being essentially a two-seater cabriolet version of the GTV. The rear seats on the GTV can be optionally deleted to increase the very tiny boot space. The Spider has no rear seats, only a storage trunk.
The pair were launched at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1995. The GTV's name placed it as the successor to the long-discontinued Alfetta GTV coupe, whereas the Spider was effectively the replacement for the then 30-year-old Giulia Spider.
The cars were aimed at the gentleman sports car market with little creature comforts, with air conditioning and a decent stereo. Most 1995-1997 cars have aftermarket radios fitted. Leather was standard on "Lusso" specified models. This was known as "Ti" on Alfasud models etc.
Design
Both cars were designed by Pininfarina.[2] It is a typical Italian design, with the Alfa Romeo grill with the pair of lights on each side recalling the 1750 GTV of the late 1960s and 1970s. It has a wedge shape which is in keeping with traditional Alfa Sports design. The back is "cut-off", creating a sharp, aggressive look. The car is very low slung and entering and exiting the car is very similar to that of a Ferrari: difficult. The design has been rebuked by tall drivers that the windscreen is too low. The Spider shares all of these traits except for the cut-off back, here the rear is rounded, reminiscent of Lamborghini rear design.
The Spider featured a folding soft-top with five hoop frame, which completely disappears from sight under a flush fitting cover. An electric folding mechanism is fitted on some versions. As would be expected the GTV has a much more rigid chassis, although considerable work was done to ensure that the Spider does not suffer from the traditional convertible chassis problems.
In addition the stock choice of wheels and tires are considered by some to be too small for the chassis design. A stock configuration of 16 inch wheels and 205 sized tires lie too deep in the mudsills, appearing mismatched to the width of the car. A factory option of 17 inch wheels with 225 tires is an improvement, as are aftermarket 18 inch wheels with wider tires still.
Characteristics
The Spider and GTV were based on a Fiat platform called Tipo (Italian for 'type') 2,[2]in this case a heavily modified version with an all new multilink rear suspension which allowed passive rear steering to help reduce understeer.[3] 1.8 16V (Template:Auto PS) and 2.0 16v Twin Spark (Template:Auto PS) were available along with a turbocharged 2.0 V6 that produced Template:Auto PS or a 3.0 V6 in either 12 (Template:Auto PS) (only on Spider) or 24 valves (Template:Auto PS) (only on Gtv.)
The 2.0 V6, called V6 TB, was developed because of an Italian law that put an extra tax on cars with engines larger than two litres. It is basically a smaller version of the three litre V6. The turbo was added for extra power while avoiding the tax. Template:Auto PS is easily made a reality. When new the 3.0 V6 24V was the fastest production Alfa Romeo. The 3.2 V6 24V GTV Template:Auto PS is currently fastest Stradale Alfa Romeo (introduced on the 2003 GTVs), capable of 0-60 mph in just over six seconds. Autodelta (UK) has bored out the 3.2 engine to 3.7, with supercar performance on demand (0-60 in less than 4.0 seconds).
The 2.0 16v Twin Spark engine is noted to have the best ratio of fuel economy to performance. The 2003 and last restyle to the Gtv also introduced the 2.0 JTS (Template:Auto PS) engine. To save in weight the hood of these cars was made from composite material called KMC.[4]
1998/2003 facelifts
The Spider and GTV were revamped in 1998; the post-revamp models (Phase II) are recognisable by the addition of a chrome rim around the Alfa shield in the bonnet, and colour coded door mirrors, side skirts, and bumpers. Also, the interior was redesigned with the most noticeable difference being that the center console was now silver. A six-speed gearbox was made available as an option for the 3.0 24V. A second, more comprehensive facelift occurred in 2003, with the revamped cars (Phase III) being unveiled at that year's Geneva Motor Show. The most notable difference was the restyling of the front end to include a much deeper 147-style front grille, a frontplate-holder moving from the centre to the right and a change of interior instrumentation lighting colour from green to red.
The GTV finished production in 2005 on the launch of the Brera, while the Spider lasted another year until the launch of its Brera-based successor.
The 916 GTV and Spider are considered by some to be the last model line to be true to the Alfa Romeo heritage in terms of design and sound. The reasons given that the successor lineup (159, Brera, Spider) have higher ride height, larger frames, and use engines made from GM base models, as opposed to being designed by Alfa Romeo.
Engines
| Model | Engine | Volume | Power | Torque | 0-100 km/h,s | Top speed | Years | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.8 TS | I4 | 1747 cc | 106 kW (144 PS) @6500 rpm | Template:Auto Nm @3500 rpm | 9.2 | Template:Auto kmh | 1998-2000 | |
| 2.0 TS | I4 | 1970 cc | 114 kW (155 PS) @6400 rpm | Template:Auto Nm @3500 rpm | 8.4 | Template:Auto kmh | 1998-2000 | |
| 2.0 TS | I4 | 1970 cc | 110 kW (150 PS) @6200 rpm | Template:Auto Nm @4000 rpm | 8.4 | Template:Auto kmh | 1995-1997/2001- | Euro2/Euro3 |
| 2.0 JTS | I4 | 1970 cc | 121 kW (165 PS) @6400 rpm | Template:Auto Nm @3250 rpm | 8.4 | Template:Auto kmh | 2003-2006 | Euro 4 |
| 2.0 V6 TB | V6 | 1996 cc | 148 kW (202 PS) +overboost @6000 rpm | Template:Auto Nm @2400 rpm | 7.0 | Template:Auto kmh | 1995-1998/2001 | Euro2 |
| 3.0 V6 12V | V6 | 2959 cc | 141 kW (192 PS) @5600 rpm | Template:Auto Nm @4400 rpm | 7.3 | Template:Auto kmh | 1995-1998 | Euro2 Spider |
| 3.0 V6 24V | V6 | 2959 cc | 162 kW (220 PS) @6300 rpm | Template:Auto Nm @5000 rpm | 6.7 | Template:Auto kmh[5][6] | 1997-1998 | Euro2 |
| 3.0 V6 24V | V6 | 2959 cc | 160 kW (218 PS) @6300 rpm | Template:Auto Nm @5000 rpm | 6.8 | Template:Auto kmhaerokit | 1998-2003 | Euro3 |
| 3.2 V6 24V | V6 | 3179 cc | 176 kW (240 PS) @6200 rpm | Template:Auto Nm @4800 rpm | 6.3 | Template:Auto kmh | 2003-2006 | Euro3 |
*performance values for GTV, unless otherwise stated
References
- ^ "PRODUZIONE COMPLESSIVA" (PDF). pininfarina.it. Retrieved 2007-08-03.
- ^ a b "Alfa Romeo GTV (1995)". autozine.org. Retrieved 2007-04-25.
- ^ "Car Reviews, Alfa Romeo GTV (1996 - 2006)". uk.cars.yahoo.com. Retrieved 2007-04-25.
- ^ "Buyers Guide Alfa Romeo Spider & GTV 916". alfisti.net. Retrieved 2007-06-05.
- ^ "Technical specifications of 1997 Alfa Romeo GTV 3.0 24v". carfolio.com. Retrieved 2007-08-11.
- ^ "Alfa Romeo GTV 3.0 V6 24V (916 series)". triumph.no. Retrieved 2007-08-11.
