GTV

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[Sasha]

What's Good

We're talking about the latest model here, not the mid-60s Duetto that lasted into the 1990s. The good bits are fabulous looks, brilliant engines, 'Quick-Rack' steering, better rear suspension than the saloons. 3-year warranty. 1999 MY on 218bhp 3.0 24v V6 6-speed is as close as you'll get to a new Ferrari for under ?30k. Same engine and gearbox in Spider from Spring 2001, making it an unruly hooligan of a car and capable of over 150mph with the top down. Surprisingly little buffeting at this speed, even without a cockpit air-dam. Gets 236bhp 3.2 V6 from September 2003. 5 year or 60,000 mile warranty from January 2004. Replaced by GT Coupe in 2004.

What to Watch Out For

Kerbed alloys. Electrics. Porous wheel rims (symptom: soft tyres). Undeclared personal imports lacking 3-year warranty. Disguised envy damage. Hood mechanism and tears in hood (don't forget to check hood if hood is down). Make sure it has 'Red Key'if supposed to. Clonks from rear suspension mean that bolts through he aluminium suspension components have not been tightened periodically causing wear both to bushes and mounting points (as per 156).

[kilson]

Facelift
Born in 1995, the GTV and Spider are now 8 years old. Although its beautiful design aged well and remains to be one of the most beautiful cars in the world, Alfa decided to give it a facelift in order to keep the twins alive for 2 more years. The facelift is focused at the nose, where a 147-style V-shape grille is introduced. It integrates so well with the otherwise unchanged body that you might think it were a fresh new design. This is one of the few successful facelifts I have ever seen.
The facelift also brings 2 new engines - 1) the 165hp 2.0-litre JTS four-pot engine with direct injection. It comes from 156 JTS; 2) the 3.0 V6 is replaced by the longer-stroke 3.2 V6 already used by 147 GTA and 156 GTA. The bigger V6 pumps out 240 horsepower, 10 less than the sportier GTA but 20 more than the outgoing 3.0 V6. With the new V6, the GTV can touch 158mph and accelerate from zero to 60mph in 6.0 second.

Otherwise the GTV and Spider are mostly unchanged. The cockpit may be decorated by more alloy parts, but the fundamental chassis, suspension setup, steering etc. remain unchanged. In other words, the GTV is still a nose-heavy but inspiring coupe, especially with the lovely V6. The Spider remains to be the victim, blame to its weak chassis and extra burden.

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[156V6]

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Press Reviews

What the GTV V6 does best is accelerate - and make the most wonderful, soulful, brass-laden noise while it's about it. This is a genuinely quick car, don't forget - 0-60 in around 6.5sec and over 150mph all-out. The previous day I'd been driving the Aston Vanquish and to be absolutely honest the GTV didn't feel a whole heap slower, though obviously it is. There's a decent spread of torque, but if you really want to keep it on the boil you'll be whipping up and down the six-speed box - it's a rather loose and long-winded shift, but it slips through quickly enough when you're really trying.

Just as impressive as the engine is the way the Alfa puts its power down - front-wheel drive, and no trick diffs or traction control, remember. Unless you're determined to be a complete hooligan, you can make rapid progress without the lashings of wheelspin and the torque-steer you'd expect. On dry, reasonably smooth roads, the fact it's front-wheel drive really isn't an issue. the handling's more benign than, say, most recent hot French hatches, but you can still tailor your line by playing with the throttle. The steering requires fairly big inputs, and lumpen surfaces reveal a lack of the ultimate composure that marks out the very best chassis, but the GTV makes a decent fist of most roads."
- Evo Magazine

"Fabulous object that deserves more design praise than the gometric Audi TT. Both engines superb to drive behind. Production has slowed to 500-a-month trickle, but the GTV is a fine car. Flawed, of course, but then this is one of the oldest current alfas. There's no room, the drving position is cramped and theres hardly any boot space. Chattery ride but huge grip. Demands attention from the driver. Despite updates, its still likely to suffer quality glitches but if you want real passion, you wont mind.
Alfa's mistress: risky but rewarding.

Our choice: 3.0-litre GTV. Expensive, but old-world character and flaws makes it one of the few real individuals left."
- CAR Magazine

"Road scrolling seamlessly in at you through the letterbox windscreen, super-quick, accurate, 2.1 turns, lock-to-lock steering, sharp turn in, a firm but never jarring ride, and bags of grip with no hint of the old, proper-power-to-the-front-wheels foe, torque steer (dry roads today). And all the while, that glorious din..."
- Top Gear

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"?for Ferrari-like thrills the 220bhp 3.0 litre V6 puts the coupe into another performance league altogether, accelerating past 150mph. It makes a wonderful sound too"
Quick-acting steering and limited body roll give the GTV a real sports car feel, and the impression is heightened by the subtle howl of the engines. Lacks a little finesse for the super-enthusiast driver, highly entertaining nonetheless."
- www.4car.co.uk

"Even the 2.0 option makes 155bhp and gives a respectable turn of speed. It gets off the line smartly and once you're, away needs little provocation to overtake. Things get much faster with the V6, though. It will lunge forward in any of its six gears and cracks the 0-60mph sprint in less than 7.0sec.

The GTV is a decent handler. The V6 sometimes struggles to get all its power down cleanly, but both grip well through corners and benefit from precise, communicative steering...

No complaints with the GTV's engine refinement. Both motors are sonorous when extended and settle down to a whisper when less stressed..."
- WhatCar

"The normally aspirated, alloy-headed V6, with its twin overhead camshaft and twelve spark plugs is a testament to what can be achieved by people who love what they do. I know that to many people appending Turbo to the boot lid is equivalent to a quick shot of Viagra. Or at least they think so. But isnt there something to be said for being naturally well-endowed? Using nothing more elaborate than the air that we breathe, the V6 GTV will outpace many a fine motor car whose engine designers have resorted to blowing in the wind.

A cross-section of a GTV engine is like a slice of sporting legend. Alfa Romeo have been making and racing performance cars for some 80 years and it was they who gave a young Enzo Ferrari his first big break. All that heritage is invested in the GTV and you would have to be particularly insensitive not to detect the faint whiff of laurel leaves every time you sit behind the wheel."
- www.newcarnet.co.uk

"The styling is deliberately controversial: after all, a successful coupe must attract attention. Fantastic design detailing and those charismatic engines complete the picture. This is what people expect of an Alfa Romeo, and it doesn't disappoint.

...for Ferrari-like thrills the 220bhp 3.0 litre V6 puts the coupe into another performance league altogether, accelerating past 150mph. It makes a wonderful sound too.

Not a problem to drive fast, especially since the steering is so responsive. Dashboard layout easy to see and use. Rear view is restricted and some drivers may feel claustrophic. In sports car terms fun, but safe."
- Auto Trader

"The one thing that is most distinctively Alfa here is that the GTV V6 is a driver's car of the very finest kind. It isn't just a sporty car, it's a genuine sports car, pure and proud of it. In terms of sharpness, performance and deep driver involvement, it has a character quite different from any of its coupe rivals from Germany or Japan. A more Latin temperament, for want of a better way of putting it."
- MSN Carview

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Buying Guide

Buying a used Alfa is never easy. Too many people are haunted by stories of dodgy Alfas with dodgy bulid quality. Many people also have preconceptions and indeed misconceptions about Alfas and wonder if they should just stick to something German instead. They've heard about iffy Italian build quality and poor reliability. Alfas were indeed sub-standard in these areas for a long time. But in 1987, FIAT took over the ailing company and injected some badly needed cash into it. Since then, build quality and reliability have slowly but surely improved, so much so that Alfa Romeo are now biting at the heels of other well established german manufacturers.

So what about the GTV? Its Italian and its a coupe, and you're thinking its probably had the nuts driven off it. And its a V6, and you're thinking its definitely had the nuts driven off it. And its an Alfa, and you're thinking it will be falling to bits in no time. Well, contrary to what you might think, most GTV V6's are looked after extremely well by their owners and don't get thrashed. You see, when you buy a GTV, you have to make sacrifices. It costs a bit to buy in the first place, its thirsty, theres no room in the back, its got a tiny boot and its pricey to insure. Because GTV owners have made these sacrifices when buying this car, the vast majority of them are not going to run it into the ground.

So maybe you are thinking about buying a GTV V6 but you're not sure where to start. Well, detailed below is all the information you need to help you find the car you are looking for. Hopefully, it will help you avoid picking a lemon!

[Sasha]

Golden Rules

The golden rules with regard to buying an Alfa is to buy one with as little mileage as possible, a full service history and to spend much as you can afford. You might find a GTV V6 at a really good price but with high mileage. If its been well maintained, it may be a good one. But in the experience of many GTV owners, those with the least problems have GTV's with the lowest mileage! The more you can spend, the lower the mileage will be. This initial extra outlay will pay dividends throughout your ownership.

Secondly, get it checked out. Don't go up, look under the bonnet, kick the tyres and look under the chassis. Its needs to have been serviced properly by a proper Alfa garage so make sure it has been. Get it wrong and you'll be telling your grandchildren all about it.

Buying from a dealer
The safer choice when buying an Alfa and is recommended . YOU ARE STRONGLY RECOMMEND TO BUY FROM A DEALER WHO SPECIALISES IN ALFA ROMEOS. Buying from a dealer will usually mean the car has been properly serviced and checked over before being sold. And you may even get some sort of warranty.

Of course, there are two types of Alfa dealer - the 'authorised' main dealer and the independent specialist. The main dealers usually charge more for their cars than independent garages, usually because they have higher operating costs and are taking advantage of their 'main dealer' status to prop up prices. The independent specialist garages on the other hand, tend to offer Alfas at more reasonable prices and in my opinion, the whole buying experience is far more enjoyable at a specialist. These people tend to be Alfa enthusiasts who actually enjoy selling Alfas and are not just concerned with shifting units to bump up their sales figures. It is of course up to you, who you buy from. If you find a V6 thats in good condition and at a price you think is fair, then do not be too concerned with whether the dealer is a main dealer or otherwise. The real test of a dealer is in the 'after-sales' area.

Buying private

The best prices are always to be had from a private seller. The private seller has one car to sell and wants to sell it now. Private sellers tend to be more reasonable when it comes to agreeing on a price and you may be able to pick up a V6 at a significantly lower price to a similar V6 at a dealer. Don't go to look at the car on your own. The GTV V6 is a fairly complicated piece of kit and really you should have someone look the car over with you if you are unsure what to look for. If you are unable to find someone to help you examine the car, consider contacting an independent Alfa garage who may come and check the car out for you. Some of them do offer this service. Alternatively, ask the seller if they would mind you bringing it to an Alfa garage for assessment. If the seller refuses, then you've probably just saved yourself a fortune. Some people pay the AA or RAC to come along and inspect the car for them. It does offer some peace of mind but really these companies know very little about GTV's. If you its your only option on a second opinion, then you should consider doing it. Make sure the car has a full Alfa service history (accept no less) and get a HPI check done on it.
Note! There are plenty of V6's about on the used car market now so you have a lot of choice. For this reason, do try and buy a V6 that has a full ALFA service history and is being sold by an Alfa dealer (independent or official). This is your best bet in my opinion

[Sasha]

What to look for

No rust worries (really!), superb mechanicals, proper maintenance is vital and the trim can be a bit flaky but I and many other V6 owners have no significant interior build problems. The GTV is screwed together better than many other Alfas.

The car must have a full Alfa service history. I cannot stress this enough. It shows the car has been looked after and gives real peace of mind.
The fabulous V6 engine has been around for a long time and as a result, Alfa have had ample opportunity to iron out any problems with it. Its a very solid. However, there is always the chance of an oil leak so take a look underneath for any leaks which will be obvious.
The gearbox on the GTV is the best I've ever experienced on an Alfa. I haven't heard of any major problems with gearboxes on GTVs but attention should be paid to the feel of the gearbox and clutch during a test drive.
The brakes on the V6 are discs all round with beefy Brembos at the front. The brakes do a good job of stopping this quick car quickly but they can feel a bit spongy when braking hard.


There have been some problems with rear suspension failures on the GTV, mainly on the 2L. The V6 comes with uprated parts so the problem is less likely to occur. Still, listen out for noises at the back going over bumps and lesser roads. Clonks from the rear suspension means that bolts through the aluminium suspension components have not been tightened periodically causing wear to the bushes and mounting points. A properly maintained car will have had these checks. Ask the seller if the rear bushes have been replaced.


Belts should be done at 70,000 miles but really 60,000 miles is the safe option. The spark plugs should also be replaced at 60,000 miles. If the car you are looking at is near 60k, ask if these items have been done and if so, ask to see proof e.g. a garage invoice. If they haven't been done, factor this into your offer, its going to cost a high hundreds of pounds for all this work. You have been warned!

Ensure the car has had regular oil changes. Alfas are very found of the black stuff and having the oil changed regularly is pinnacle to health of the car. Again, if the car has a proper Alfa service history, this will have been done regularly. Many Alfa owners insist on having the oil changed every 6000 miles.

Airflow meter problems are very common on V6 GTV's. A faulty airflow meter results in slightly strangled acceleration with a flatspot kicking in at around 4-5k rpms. The GTV should accelerate very quickly and very smoothly. If it doesnt feel it, its probably a faulty afm and this will cost the best part of ?200 to replace. Afm's are not repairable!

What to expect

The windscreen is quite small, it makes the driver feel very cocooned just like a racing driver. Some however, do dislike it. It can give the feeling of claustrophobia but you get used to it very quickly and you will grow to like it.

The leather interior is very classy and the seats quite comfy but lateral support is dissapointing to the point that on very sharp cornering, the steering wheel becomes a grab rail to stop yourself leaving the seat! You'll find yourself using the furniture as support. Its a knack, you'll get used to it. The new GTV Cup comes with a newer style of seat which is offers better lateral support.

Boot space is poor but you not buying this car for practicality are you? Anyway, fitting a spare tyre replacement kit will free up a significant amount of space.

Some reviews complain of lack of headroom. If you've well over 6 ft, you may find the roof a bit low but thats a complaint you will find with many cars of a similar type to the GTV.

Getting in and out of the GTV can only be described as an art form. To get in, you kind of have to fall in while you push your left leg under the steering wheel. Getting out, you have to curl yourself up and turn outwards, then stagger out and drag your left leg with you. Best to do all of this while no ones watching. Its all part of the experience, of course. Hey, a true sports car does not have easy access for the driver!

The paintwork quality and finish is not great on the GTV, never has been in fact on any Alfa, so don't expect it to be perfect.

[Sasha]

Which one?

There are now three series to the GTV V6:

Series 1 - The first V6's came out in June 1996 and continued until around March 1998. Limited production.

Series 2 - In May 1998, the GTV V6 was cosmetically revised. It is easily identifed externally by the colour coded side skirts, colour coded bumpers, chromed surround grille, and 5 hole 'teardrop' alloys. Inside, the centre console is aluminium grey, as well as the two main cowlings. And the kick-plates under both doors are black scored with the 'Alfa Romeo' name in aluminium grey.

- In May 1999, the 6-speed V6 was released. This car is identical to the series 2 V6 except for the extra gear and some changes to the exterior. Most 6 speeds were offered with larger 17" telephone dial alloys and a small wing on the rear.

- In September 2001, a special edition GTV Cup was launched to commemorate the GTV racing series in Italy. Only available in red, each one has a numbered plaque on the console, more supportive seats and wet look 17" telephone dial alloys. Very limited edition. Definitely the most collectable.

Series 3 - Launched in summer 2003, the phase III GTV has had some significant modifications made to it. The front has been completely restyled a la 147. They've also dropped the 3.2L V6 engine into it as used on the 156GTA and 147GTA. Interior is a little different but not by much.

How much to pay

Depreciation seems to have steadied on the GTV for now. There are few cars on the road that can offer so much in terms of performance for so little a price. Expect to pay ?8-9k for a good 1998 V6 from a dealer (as of June 2004). A more recent V6 (2001/02) can be had for ?11-12k. Expect to pay ?1000 less for a similar car privately. Check autotrader website for a more precise guide.

Running Costs

The V6 is rated group 19 by Britsh Insurers. Thats one below a Porsche or Ferrari so insurance can be expensive. However, it all depends on your age, where you live and how you use the car. I recommend going for a limited mileage policy if your situation can allow it. The V6 comes with a Thatcham 2 rated alarm & immobiliser so be sure to mention this to the insurer. Uprating to a Thatcham 1, fitting a Tracker and garaging it at night will reduce your premium significantly.

The cost of running a V6 all depends on your lifestyle. Insurance can be a big expense but if you intend using the car for commuting to work, your fuel bill will be even bigger! Of course, how you drive you V6 will also dictate how much you pay for fuel. Working the gears and flooring the throttle will do you bank balance no favours. However, if you buy a V6, you will find it hard to control the temptation. I use super-unleaded petrol as its higher octane value gives slightly better performance, and this adds to the fuel expense. Premium unleaded is also acceptable.

Yearly maintenance costs can vary considerably depending on the history of the car and its mileage. Some owners pay no more than ?300-?400 a year. Many pay between ?400 and ?600 a year. However, this can go up to around ?1000 a year if a major problem is encountered. So when buying, you really need to have a good few hundred extra in the bank to cover maintenance costs. Choose your GTV carefully. What you save on buying, you may later pay out getting it up to scratch!

So thats it! Follow the advice above and you won't go too far wrong. If you are still not convinced, take a look around the more mainstream car websites. I have yet to find a review that advises against buying this car. In fact, almost every review I have read cannot praise this car enough. The critics, who have been hard on numerous Alfa Romeos over the years, have made room in their hearts for this car. They all agree that this is a sports coupe of the purist kind. Yes, there can be some problems but it all comes down to the cars history. If it has been looked after properly, you have little to worry about. If you are really keen to buy a V6, don't buy the first one you see. Have a look at a few before making a decision on one. Also, talk to other GTV owners on here and on other sites (see links section). Alfa owners are a good bunch and will be happy to give you all the advice you need. Good luck!

[Sasha]

Tuning
Evo kako je jedan Norvezanin odradio tuning,

Alloy Wheels
Living in Norway, you have to keep two sets of wheels, one for the winter and one for the summer. For the winter, I use a set of 17" GTV Cup wheels with 225/45-17 Pirelli Winter Sport. AFAIK, these tyres were targeted for the middle European market, so they are best on dry and wet roads. They are not that good on icy and snowy roads, as the ranking from last year's ice track driving with the Alfa club tells me. As usual, I finished last. Not a big problem, since I mostly drive around in "Salt Lake City" during the winter (Oslo).

The summer setup is a bit more agressive. A set of 18"x8" OZ Racing Superleggera does the job, with 225/40-18 Pirelli P-Zero Nero tires. The wheels match the car well, since they're also pretty dark. Putting a set of Sienas or the like on the car could have been a bit flashy. Tire performance is ok, but the next time I guess I'll go for Bridgestone S-03 or something like that.

Opinion: Well, there is no choice. If you're running around on the standard 16" wheels, it's like trying to run a marathon on stilts! I was a bit hesitant to put on 18" wheels at first but they're not a big problem. Makes the car a bit stiffer too. 17" wheels will get you most for the money though.

Brake Discs

The front discs were replaced with a set of Tarox G88 slotted and ventilated discs, after the original setup had served their time (actually, I recall melting the front brake pads, but let's not get into that!). They look extremely nice and make a comforting sound when braking. There's no real big change from the original setup, except that the brake pads didn't melt the last time I went to the track :-). As for build quality, I'm not sure. The first pair of discs quickly warped, but were replaced free of charge.

Opinion: If you are going for looks, then there is no question. But there's no point in replacing the discs with these if you do not drive on tracks and the like.

Exhaust

I fitted a Supersprint exhaust, just replacing everything from the cat and backwards. According to my source, it's about 8-10 kilos lighter than the original setup. If you have seen the original, you know what I am talking about. Sound was of course improved, with a much deeper rumble. Supersprint claims a +2.5% bhp increase with this setup, and I guess they're not wrong. With the kompressor added, the exhaust literally knocks people standing behind the car over!
Opinion: A pretty standard mod, I guess. I wanted something discrete that was better than the original, and the Supersprint kit does that nicely.

[Sasha]

Dampers

The standard GTV damper setup is wrong. Period. Nothing more to say about that. The Bilsteins are the right way to go. If your track times suck because of the extreme nosediving that takes place when braking, replacing the dampers will easily solve that problem. Ride is a bit harder, but I can live with that.

Opinion: Should really have been the first mod, since it improves driveability a lot.

Kompressor/Supercharger

A kompressor ?? Yep, it's one of the easiest ways to improve performance without changing everything else on the car. Power is supposed to come on gradually, meaning that you don't have to change too much of the rest of the car. Compare this to a turbo setup - much more plumbing, and lag. A kompressor runs directly off the engine. Of course, there are some catches. Since it runs off the engine, it will steal power and increase gas usage, while a turbo is mostly "free" power.

So how does it perform? If you check the graphs, power comes on gradually until 4200 rpm. Then, like a stock V6, the timing is changed a bit, and all hell is let loose! 0-100 km/h should be below 5.5 seconds. There is a top of 350 Nm at 5580 rpm and 293 bhp at 6200 rpm. Note that these measurements were made with 35 deg C air temperature, so performance should be better in a colder climate.

There is currently no intercooler installed. I haven't really felt the need for it yet, but I guess it would be a pretty simple job to install one. The
kompressor runs max 0.5 bar boost, which is not a lot, but more than enough for normal driving. And if it were any higher, you probably would have to do something about the 10:1 compression in the engine.

You can take rpms down to around 1000 before you have to shift down, meaning you get a lot lazier when passing other cars. I seldom bother to shift down anymore, since there is little need for it. And that's the way it should be. When you have a 3.0 base engine that is not maxed out in any way, a kompressor will perform very well. Compare this to the kit for the Honda S2000, it doesn't produce any usable power before 4-5000 rpms and are probably hard to drive on lower rpms.

Gas usage is increased quite a bit. 1.4-1.5 litres of 98 octane/10 kilometers is what I get when filling the tank these days. And it doesn't change that much when driving long distances either. So, it's not very economical, but I don't mind :-).

The sound from the setup is extreme. It's kinda quiet when idling, but when you press the pedal, it actually screams! The deep V6 rumble is increased to something like a thunderstorm, and the gases from the exhaust will literally knock people over. Giving full pedal makes people turn their heads everywhere. I actually got an award at the last track meeting for the best sounding car, they were not referring to the stereo...

But, the install was a 4 month long project, thanks to the incompetent gnomes at Z-Engineering. If it hadn't been for the excellent guys at the shop - http://www.carrozzeria-alfa.no - the project would have failed completely. Z-Enginerring doesn't know a lot about Alfas, so I would stay well clear of them and instead go for Engstler if I were to do it again **. Most of the install is hand built by the shop, including the nice plumbing on the pictures, the injection system, the mounting bracket, almost everything. The first kompressor even melted (!), because Z-Engineering sent one with the wrong cooling. Jeez.

Opinion: Yep, a kompressor is pretty close to the ultimate performance upgrade, as long as you avoid Z-Engineering.

[Sasha]

Autodelta GTV J10


The Alfa Romeo GTV and Spider have been lauded with praise ever since they were revealed to the expectant press some nine years ago. Their aesthetic beauty and styling married to an on-the-road balance that was unrivalled, the GTV and Spider were the most complete cars for many years to bear the emotive Alfa badge on it's grill.

However, there were two areas that stirred conflicting emotions; one was lack of real, neck-cracking power, the other - it's brakes which tended to fade after some serious use. Enter Autodelta.

With an estimable reputation that started in 1987 for servicing and modifying Alfa's, Autodelta set upon the GTV and Spider shortly after their debut and created the highly coveted and praised J10.

Engines


Finely engineered tweaks to the four pot engine increased power from 150 bhp to an impressive 180 bhp.

Not satisfied to rest on its laurels, Autodelta then launched their J10 EVO.

Boasting 220 bhp and 218 lb ft @ 4,000 rpm from its turbocharged engine, the J10 EVO has a revised front splitter with additional air ducts to not only cool the engine, but direct clean air onto the new 6 pot caliper brakes. Capable of sprinting 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h) in just under 6.2 seconds, with a top speed of 152 mph (246 km/h).