Test Drive Alfa Romeo GTV 2003 - 2005 coupe
Where the sky met with earth ...
The coupe from the pininfarina passed a course of rejuvenation and got a new heart. Road under the clouds
The air pressed by six cylinder sawed behind a thin glass, three hundred meters of concrete rushed under the wheels. The gaze narrowed into the pipe, at the end of which the raised cloth tracks by inclined arc leaves left. Five seconds, push the horizon moved the side and sailed somewhere aside. On the right of the bombard, the sky and thirty meters to the ground. The pulsating roar of the motor beats in the ears, the steering wheel rifles from the hands, the overload presses on the shoulders. Alpha Romeo-GTV flies a circle for the circle on the legendary Top Linotto, located on the roof of the former FATA factory building in Turin ...
The body is tightly fixed in the profiled chair, it only has two adjustments, but they are enough and, which is noteworthy, does not arise the temptation to constantly correct something. Landing deep, window at the shoulder level. The hand with the accuracy of the metronome declines the transfer: the third-take off, the fourth-decrease and the third-fourth, third-fourth. The main thing is to have time to overload again clinging to the steering wheel, otherwise the left hand poured into the side to the side. And the steering wheel here is very sharp, less than three revolutions from the stop until it stops, so that at the speed of movement should be extremely accurate. Until V and VI gears, the case does not reach, to accelerate to the corresponding speeds simply lacks the place. The tachometer arrow rushes from five to seven thousand, speedometry according to nods somewhere in two hundred. Third-fourth
However, in a calm mode, it is quite possible to go to the VI transmission at a speed of 50 km / h and even enough to quickly accelerate without unnecessary switches. The huge torque of the new 3.2-liter six is \u200b\u200ballowed to do this. But if you need all 240 liters. s., There's already twist to the ring, driving the tachometer arrow to the most edge of the scale. In this mode, Alpha Romeo GTV exchanges a hundred in 6.5 seconds and reaches a maximum speed of 255 km / h. The roof of one!
In addition to the compartment with the GTV index Alpha Romeo, there is a double roadster spider with a soft folding riding. Along with the 3.2-liter six, both cars are equipped with 4-cylinder 2 l motorcycle. This is a 150-strong twin Spark with two candles on a cylinder and a new JTS unit with a capacity of 165 liters. With. With direct fuel injection.
Makeup and not only Short pit stop to breathe and bring thoughts in order. The sports coupe and Roger Alpha Romeo were developed in Atelier Pinin Farina and are produced since 1994. It cannot be said that the works of Italian automakers go brilliantly, changing the model of the future, so far it is decided to update the already manufactured GTV and Spider.
The most noticeable change in appearance is a new nose with an integral grille of the radiator cladding in the form of a traditional alfov shield, which now pulls out almost lower spoiler.
Updated and interior: stylish central console under matte aluminum, on it three deep tubes with clock, pointers of the amount of fuel and temperature. Just below the three original climate control regulators. There is an audio system with a CD player, four speakers and a subwoofer. And even the navigation system is a pity, it will be useless in Russia, where the car should appear in the fall-winter.
By layout, sports alpha Romeo is quite typical for our day: the engine is located in front, the front-wheel drive, the suspension is independent Mac-Fernson in front and a five-point rear. Upgraded cars, except for new motor and gearbox, received other chassis settings. The emphasis was placed on improving the reliability of management and sustainability at high-speed modes, as well as a reduction in noise and vibrations, improving comfort with conventional city ride.
For the most powerful version, an inch increased the size of the wheels. Now the tires 225/45 ZR17 are installed on it. Naturally, the gentleman's security set: ABS, EBD brake force distribution system, ASR anti-test system and two frontal pillows.
Ride and not carry The coupe fully corresponds to the passenger complex formula 2 + 2 two full-fledged places in front and two children's rear. In the case of extreme need ago, a couple of adults can be squeezed, however, they will not suffer for a long time. In the stern coupe there is even a trunk, but since the space between the wheels is occupied by the elements of the suspension and the gas tank, the volume turned out to be completely tiny 110 liters. You can, of course, sacrifice the spare wheel-torsion and carry a repair kit, then the capacity of the luggage compartment will increase to 147 liters.
However, we are objective of cars like alpha-romeo-GTV, buy not to carry something. They are bought to ride them. Ride how to fly. On the border of the earth and the sky
Yuri Niley, Photo by
A source: Limousine magazine [08/03]
