Alfa Romeo 156 GTA | Spotted

Right colour, right mods and only 65,000 miles on the clock. Is this what a sensible Alfa looks like?

All things that come under the Stellantis umbrella will soon fall silent as, one by one, each of its umpteen brands switch from piston to electric power. So excited is the group about its wholesale transition that, a few years ago, it came up with a bunch of EV-friendly slogans to pass that excitement onto you. Want to hear some? They include some proper eye-rollers, like Abarth’s “heating up people, but not the planet”, Dodge’s “heating up the streets, not the planet” and, my personal favourite, Vauxhall/Opel’s “green is the new cool”. Shudder. And then there’s Alfa Romeo, which took a more matter-of-fact approach with “from 2024, Alfa becomes Alfa e-Romeo.”

Not especially catchy, is it? Nor has it panned out that way. But it has finally launched its first EV with the new Junior SUV, with an eye on switching its entire range over to battery power by 2027. Barring any major legislation changes (or a change of heart - which, in the light of recent rumblings, you wouldn't bet against) that’ll mean the V6 Giulia Quadrifoglio will be on the chopping block, or any V6 Alfa for that matter. Good job the saloon was given a thorough update for 2024, though a £78,195 starting price is a near-30 per cent increase over the 2017 model. Those can be had for peanuts today, with this 29,000-mile Misano Blue example up for £39,990. Or, if you discount the Giulia entirely, you could nab this slice of V6 Alfa saloonery for less than half the price of the older Quad.

Admittedly, all that’s shared between the 156 GTA and its Quadrifoglio spiritual successor is a body style, badge and six-cylinders arranged in a V. Unlike the Giulia, which was hailed as a return to form, especially after the pretty-but-lacklustre 159, the GTA wasn’t quite as successful at winning the critics over. Mainly because it was a front-wheel drive performance saloon going up rear- and all-wheel drive rivals from Germany that, come the early '00s, had the then-booming corner of the market all to itself. Where its rivals were selling in the tens of thousands, Alfa shifted fewer than 4,000 156 GTAs, and less than 400 of those would come to the UK.

Fast forward 20-odd years and the GTA’s outlook is far more favourable. How could it not be? Here’s a lovely little saloon powered by the legendary 3.2-litre V6 ‘Busso’ engine, channelling 250hp to the front axle. A recipe for torque steer on standard cars, truth be told, but an attentive aftermarket swiftly came to the rescue to make the most of all that grunt. Namely, with Quaife’s Q2 limited-slip differential, which proved a game-changer for the GTA and is a hugely popular mod as a result. You’re more likely to find one with an LSD than without, and that’s the case with the car we have here.

What’s harder to find is a GTA that isn’t dogeared with a patchwork of faded paint. It wasn’t that long ago when a decent 156 GTA could be had for under £10k, and as such there are a fair few that don’t get the love and attention they deserve (or require). Which is what makes this example a breath of fresh air, as the seller claims it’s been kept in a garage its whole life and, therefore, the paintwork is said to be ‘uniform’ from every angle. Which, as the ad says, is ‘a rare find in itself!’

Such a find does carry a fair old premium, however. The asking price is £18,000, which gets you all sorts of newer, more powerful German sports saloon. Mind you, the vendor says a timing belt service will be carried out prior to sale, and the it'll also get new spark plugs, which are said to be properly fiddly on these old Busso V6s. Cheaper examples may be around the corner, but ones as tidy as this come once in a blue moon. And who knows, these old V6 Alfas may command serious money when the electric revolution finally does overtakes combustion.

SPECIFICATION | ALFA ROMEO 156 GTA

Engine: 3,179cc V6
Transmission: six-speed manual, front-wheel drive
Power (hp): 250@6,200rpm
Torque (lb ft): 221@4,800rpm
MPG: 23.3
CO2: 287g/km
Year registered: 2002
Recorded mileage: 65,000
Price new: N/A
Yours for: £18,000

See the original advert here

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Dombilano

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