FACTfile - Alfa GT – Page 2

The legendary 3.2 litre V6 engine

The Alfa Romeo V6 engine, from its birth has developed a legendary status for everything from its performance, through the sound it makes to its under bonnet appearance with its polished chrome inlet manifold, aluminium head covers and red badging. It is a race-track power unit that provides every Alfa Romeo to which it is fitted with a heart of unmatched strength and passion. Evolved into the 3.2 litre version for the GTA versions of the 156 and 147, it gathered even more acclaim at its launch.

The engineers changed the crankshaft and pistons to increase the cylinder capacity to 3.2 litres and lengthened the stroke to 78 millimetres. This change speaks volumes about the type of performance required because the power could simply have been increased by adjusting the timing, fuel system and electronics. The fact that cylinder capacity has been increased by lengthening the stroke means that the aim was not simply to obtain out-and-out performance coupled with high power and torque peaks but also an even, gradual power delivery from the lowest speeds - as befits a car capable of thrilling performance that is suited for driving on ordinary roads as well as on the track.

The increase in cylinder capacity is naturally accompanied by a whole set of changes. The intake and exhaust ports have been tuned by applying a new timing pattern, the control unit software has been rewritten and the cooling system has been upgraded with the addition of an engine oil radiator. For the Alfa GT, the engine has once again evolved to match the smooth character of the GT. The result? Power output is 176 kW at 6200 rpm with a maximum torque of no less than 300 Nm at 4800 rpm. These figures are all it takes to achieve exciting performance and are complemented by a torque curve that provides instant response at low speeds. The car can also travel in sixth gear at less than 2000 rpm and unleash speed without changing gear. Extremely satisfying behaviour, therefore, even during daily use.

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Comfort

Driving exitement but without stress

The Alfa GT provides a welcoming, well-lit environment that offers much more comfort than would be expected from a sports coupé in terms of space available to the driver and passengers. The new model now also offers all the extra systems and devices made available by contemporary technological advances: bi-zone automatic climate control system, Cruise Control, multifunction display, radio with steering wheel controls and a sophisticated Hi-Fi system by Bose®, the US company that leads the world in this sector. Automatic dual zone climate control system Interior climate is one of the main comfort factors during a trip and is also very important for interior safety because temperature, humidity and ventilation affect the driver's well-being and thus his or her level of alertness and, of course, the heating and ventilation system is also responsible for demisting the windscreen and side windows.

For this reason, the Alfa GT comes with a sophisticated climate control system that automatically controls temperature, air flow, air distribution, compressor activation and recirculation by means of an electronic control unit. It also acts as a dual zone climate control system, to ensure two different temperatures simultaneously: one in the right part of the passenger compartment and the other in the left. The Alfa GT also implements an equivalent temperature climate control strategy. It records internal and external temperature by means of sensors and assesses the sensation of thermal well-being experienced by passengers, the energy exchange between human body and passenger compartment that is affected by humidity, temperature and treated air flow. Another sensor located in a central position at the windscreen base records solar radiation on the car and the angle at which the rays strike the passenger compartment. This allows the system to prevent an excessive increase in temperature inside the car caused by the sun and thus to inform the climate control system in time.

All these parameters are monitored continuously and used to update the distribution, ventilation and mixing automatically. Air temperature at the outlets and fan speed are therefore adjusted to ensure passengers experience the desired temperature. The result is a constant climate, even with significant changes in external conditions. The system may be adjusted to one of seven set combinations to allow air taken into the car to reach all areas of the passenger compartment. The system also offers three possible temperature settings: 'LO' (maximum cooling), 'HI' (maximum heating) and 'MAX DEF' (fast defrost). The possibility of altering interior temperature gradually, half a degree at a time, makes for outstanding climatic comfort.

The system may be used to bring about a temperature change of 16°C, with a maximum temperature difference of 7 degrees between the left and right areas. Manual adjustment is used for: setting the interior temperature to the right and left, manual air flow distribution changes, fan speed and fan deactivation, compressor deactivation (in practice, the system works in the same way as an automatic heater), recirculation control and the 'MAX DEF' function for fast defrosting. Manual choices always over-ride automatic settings. They are also indicated by deactivation of the Full Auto. Each time the system is turned on, it returns to the conditions saved upon deactivation, except for the 'MAX DEF' function, which is zeroed. The entire system can also be turned off manually to deactivate the air conditioning system fully.

Cruise Control - all Alfa GTs are fitted as standard with Cruise Control, a system that helps motorists to manage vehicle speed and improve travelling comfort. The device allows a cruising speed set by the driver to be maintained automatically by governing the engine throttle directly. The device is controlled by means of a lever on the column switch. The first is turned to ON to activate the system while the second must be moved to the plus or minus sign to achieve the required speed. When the control is released, the car continues to travel at the saved speed without the driver pressing the accelerator pedal. The Cruise Control system can work within the entire range of rpm levels allowed by the engine, but only at speeds over 30 kmh. It is therefore advisable to turn it on only if road conditions allow the set value to be maintained in safety.

When the accelerator pedal is pressed during overtaking, for example, the Cruise Control system is temporarily disabled even though the system stays on. The car therefore accelerates as required, but the system automatically restores the car to the stored speed as soon as the pedal is released. For obvious safety reasons, the device is released automatically when the driver presses the brake or clutch pedal. In this case, the preset speed may be returned to by pressing the RECALL button at the end of the Cruise Control stalk. A warning light on the display indicates system operation or deactivation status.

Multifunctional display - a revolutionary multifunctional display in the middle of the Alfa GT fascia performs the twofold function of providing the driver with information on the main trip parameters - a trip computer - and providing instant feedback on car faults and action required. The device provides access to several menus with submenus that speak the motorist's language (the choice is between Italian, English, Spanish, Portuguese, French, German and Dutch) and offer the benefits of a host of functions and information. For example: date, outdoor temperature, engine oil temperature speed limit setting, and fault display.

The driver can also use the trip computer to find out a set of data on previous trips or the current journey: fuel consumption (instantaneous and average), average speed, remaining range, journey time (since the trip started) and kilometres covered.

Radio with integral steering wheel controls - the Alfa GT offers a radio with CD player and MP3 player. The sound system is designed and adjusted to suit the passenger compartment that comprises eight speakers and offers a power output of 4 x 40 Watts. The radio is integral with the dashboard design and located in the middle of the fascia in a position that is convenient for both driver and passenger. It can store up to 30 stations. It offers RDS (Radio Data System),TA (Traffic Announcement) and PTY (programme choice option) for when these services become fully available in Australia from broadcasters, in addition to an automatic device that adjusts the volume to the car speed and also a large alphanumerical digital display. Each time the radio is turned on, the volume is the same as when the set was turned off. The set is also controls an external CD stacker with a capacity of 10 CDs. The radio with CD player is also equipped with a 7 band graphic equaliser. This device offers a choice of four equalisation settings: the default setting and also Jazz, Rock and Classic. The driver can choose special effects, adjust and save the sound parameters. Many of these features can be operated from the controls on the steering wheel. Bose® sound system The Bose® Sound System is produced for Alfa Romeo by the US company Bose, a leader in the Hi-Fi sound sector, offers each passenger exceptional listening quality under all driving conditions. The audio system is complemented by a sound system consisting of eight speakers (six plus two full-range speakers) and a subwoofer with a 5-channel analogue amplifier (200 Watts of power) that reproduces the lower frequencies and is built into the luggage compartment.

The Bose® Sound System arouses the same emotions as you feel when you listen to a live concert. The system offers realistic reproduction with crystal clear high notes and full, rich bass tones. It does not fall into the trap of creating unnatural sounds that are initially appealing but are tiresome for the listener in the long run. The sound also wraps around all the occupants and gives them the sensation that it is travelling through a much larger environment, because the sound system and the passenger compartment have been designed together to ensure perfect harmony between the technical specifications of both.

To achieve this result, the Bose® engineers carefully chose all the parts of the stereo system and established the best possible speaker position in relation to the listeners with the aid of advanced design software. An integrated signal processor automatically adjusts bass tones so that they are always perfect at any volume. The device is more sophisticated than ordinary volume controls on conventional devices and ensures a high-quality sound that is always natural. An active equalisation circuit ensures an excellent automatic electronic balance of all output frequencies, great stability and clarity of tone throughout the audio range. All this means that you can enjoy impeccable music reproduction under all driving conditions without having to fiddle with the controls. Sound clarity is also aided by active compressor circuits that ensure the system does not display any distortion, even when the volume is turned up high. The interaction between all these sophisticated components gives rise to the extraordinary sound that has made the Bose® brand famous throughout the world.

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