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Alfa Romeo has revealed what could be the next stage in the Alfa Romeo GTA family with a proposed 222 kW Alfa 156 GTA-m set to join the 184 kW Alfa 156 and 147 GTA models.
Developed with the Alfa Romeo motor sport team that has dominated the European Touring Car Championship, the Alfa Romeo 156 GTA-m has taken what is already acclaimed as one of the best performance engines in the world, the Alfa Romeo 3.2 litre 184 kW V6 engine, and boosted capacity to 3.5 litres and an impressive 222 kW. The power is transmitted to the drive wheels via a six speed manual gearbox and a new self locking viscous coupling differential.
Changes to the exterior are limited to new, larger guards to allow 8 x 19 inch alloy wheels with 235/35ZR 19 tyres to be fitted as well as deeper front and rear splitters for increased downforce and wider sill extensions to join the new, flared wheel arches. But while they may look only slightly changed, the bonnet, guards and splitters are now all made from carbon fibre composite with a 30 kg weight saving over the standard car, despite being larger, in the case of the guards and the splitters.
The suspension set-up is also new and has been developed with a view to the lighter body and applications for both on road use and providing a race track response that is strictly comparable to the handling of the 156 racing car. Hence height-adjustable oleopneumatic shock absorbers by Bilstein with Eibach springs. Compared to the 156 GTA, the front brakes on the 156 GTA-m come with bigger Brembo calipers and discs with a diameter of 330 mm.
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