disc retro-fit is a must-have if you’re a GTA owner: they
just work much better.
You know I said earlier that the supercharger adds
torque everywhere? Well, that includes the steering. If
you’ve got any lock on the steering wheel at all when
you press the accelerator, you’ll know all about it,
because the front end leaps wildly in that direction.
Modern high-power front-drive hatchbacks have
uniformly dialled out this effect, through the extensive
use of electronic diffs, ingenious suspension knuckle
joints and all sorts of electronic aids. Not so the GTA,
which predated all such interventions. It’s just you, your
hands and your right foot.
OK, not quite just you; this car has an Alfa Q2 limited
slip differential fitted. The Q2 is pretty much the first
port of call for any GTA owner, because the original Alfa
diff not only suffers torque steer and feels somewhat
‘numb’, but it also has a worrying propensity to
explode. The Q2 diff lets you put the power down more
easily and more reliably, increasing grip levels on corner
exits, and also improving turn-in. Not that torque steer
is by any means eliminated, you understand.
The suspension on this car is completely standard.
It’s better than some GTAs I’ve driven but it’s not as
incisive as a car fitted with coilover suspension, which
a lot of GTA owners do opt for. It’s not hard to see
why: the standard GTA’s set-up can feel compromised
on UK roads. The considerable weight over the front
end means Alfa chose damper and spring settings
that seem at odds with a car of this performance
level. The main issues are crashiness over bumpy
surfaces and a sense of ‘float’ over undulating roads –
added to which the GTA bottoms out even more
willingly than regular 156s. On standard-size (225/45
R17) Goodyear Eagles, there’s plenty of grip but the
handling sometimes has an edge to it. As we’ve seen
in several articles in Auto Italiaover the years, there
are ways of sorting out the GTA’s handling, and I’d
definitely want to have a crack with this car.
To sum up this beast of a car, adding a
supercharger feels like an absolutely natural move for
the GTA’s 3.2-litre Busso V6. It pulls like a mad dentist
on steroids, making driving quickly on A-roads utterly
effortless. As for B-roads, well, you need quite a bit
more concentration! III156 GTA PRODUCTION NUMBERS
156 GTA: 2625
156 GTA Selespeed: 348
156 GTA SW: 1174
156 GTA SW Selespeed: 504
TOTAL: 4651UK imports: Approx 350This supercharged 156 GTA
is currently up for sale at
the Alfa Workshop, priced
at £12,950 ono. For more
information, contact the
company at Unit 15
Orchard Road Industrial
Estate, Royston, SG8 5HD.
Tel: 01763 244441.
http://www.alfaworkshop.co.uk