Driver’s cars have gotten too big, complicated, and heavy. Since when does driving pleasure involve a hundred different driving modes, a hundred different traction control settings, and about as many adjustments for steering and throttle inputs? Also, why are modern-day driver’s cars larger than ever while the roads we drive them on still remain the same? Oh, and most importantly – why is what seems like a bare minimum of 500 horsepower necessary in every new performance vehicle when the second you stomp on that accelerator pedal you will be doing speeds that will send you to jail? New sports cars are getting it wrong. However, there is no need to worry – the Alfaholics GTA-R is here to satisfy all your driving needs. Although, it may drain your wallet.
What is the Alfaholics GTA-R?
Afaholics is to Alfa Romeo what Singer is to Porsche. The GTA-R is an exclusive restoration that represents the ultimate evolution of the Alfa Romeo 105 series. It is available as a GTA-R Coupe, a Ti-R saloon, or a Spider-R convertible. Each one of these examples is built with fastidious attention to detail using the finest materials and components available. Once delivered to the customer, these vehicles will have received an excess of 3,000 hours of handcrafted love and attention. Each R-type vehicle is tailored to match the customer’s needs. While the vehicle is built, the team works closely with the owner through every stage of the process to ensure that the final product is on par with the buyer's dream, just like purchasing a new vehicle. Alfaholics provides the ability to select options, but in this case, they are slightly different from the conventional process, and perhaps better. The option boxes one can tick are related to engines, gear ratios, suspension packages, damper valving, power steering, and in-car entertainment.
Alfaholics GTA-R Features
A great example of an Alfaholics build involves a 7,200 rpm 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine that works with individual throttle bodies to produce 240 horsepower. It is worth mentioning that the whole car weighs 1,830 pounds (830kg); therefore, the power available is more than enough. As you would imagine, an old Alfa Romeo shell would never be up to the task of coping with the capabilities of such a build. To address this, the original 1300 GT Junior body gets strengthened and seam welded, while also receiving carbon doors and hood for weight-saving purposes. Underneath, the GTA-R features a locking rear differential that aids in cornering performance, titanium top wishbones, and further suspension strengthening. By the end of the build process, the only reminder of the original donor vehicle is the looks.
The Exterior
We can all agree that this thing looks great. The retro Alfa Romeo looks are preserved and improved thanks to wide arches, the lack of a front and rear bumper, and 15-inch wheels. The original vehicles came with 14-inch wheels but the team at Alfaholics took the same design and implemented it on a 15-inch unit. This is both for looks and for fitting larger non-servo-aided brakes. This looks like a small car in photos and video, but one can only understand its real dimensions when seeing it in metal. These things are small – really small. However, that is the appeal, suddenly a single-lane B-road or a tight mountain pass becomes easy to navigate and have fun on. This is not the case with the insanely wide cars of today.
As the GTA-R does not look like a supercar it does not draw the negative attention that is sometimes associated with cars of such price (more details on that later). Its retro looks attract positive interactions which makes people want to stop by and ask what it is. It is safe to say that this is a car that will win the hearts of people in every car event.
The Interior
Inside, the GTA-R is simple – just like it should be. There is a roll cage, an instrument cluster, a gear knob, and some A/C controls (if you tick the option for it). This is how driver’s cars should be. The cabin is solely focused on doing one job – driving. In fact, the experience is so raw that you can even get rid of power steering which gives the driver an exceptional steering feel. While driving, it is loud, but you shouldn’t care. This isn’t a car to relax in, this is a car to have fun in and in most cases, fun is noisy.
Why the GTA-R is Such a Great Experience
Vehicle manufacturers nowadays are trapped in the notion that a car should be good at everything. It should be fast, comfortable, spacious, and economical all at the same time. The problem with this is that no matter the technology available a car focused on all of the above may be able to do everything, but it will excel at nothing. It won’t be good enough to drive because it is large and heavy, it won’t be comfortable enough because the suspension will be stiff and low, and it won’t be economical enough because it needs to be powerful. So, rather than buying a vehicle that can do every task at a mediocre level, we would suggest you get a GTA-R for a weekend toy and a second vehicle to get around. That is if you have roughly $315,000 to spend on the GTA-R and a good sum to spare for the second vehicle. A bit expensive, so the Camry will do as the second car for now, right?