Description
History of the Alfa Romeo Giulia SS 1963 was the most important year in the history of the automobile. Many automotive icons were introduced that year, such as the Porsche 901 (which later became the 911), the first Pagoda, the Aston Martin DB5, the first Lamborghini 350 GT, the Ford Mustang and, at Alfa Romeo, the Bertone Coupe, as well as the dazzling Giulia Sprint Speciale SS. The Giulia SS was the brainchild of Franco Scaglione - who worked for Carrozzeria Bertone - and set exceptional technical and aesthetic standards, even for a brand rich in tradition. This car is not just a car, it is an embodiment of speed, beauty and engineering, a true work of art on four wheels. While most cars on the road still had conservative, angular shapes, the Giulia SS appears to be a car of the future - flowing lines, an aerodynamic profile and a teardrop shape with an air resistance coefficient of just 0. 28 that almost seems to flatter the flow of air. Under the bonnet beats the typical heart of an Alfa sports car: the 1. 6-litre four-cylinder engine with twin overhead camshafts delivers 112 bhp at 6, 500 rpm. This power ensures impressive acceleration in such a lightweight vehicle and gives the driver a real sense of speed. Supple and easy to live with at low revs, the engine literally comes alive from 4, 000 rpm. But Alfa Romeo has never claimed to build only fast cars. They build cars that you drive, that you steer, that you chase around corners. And that's exactly what the Giulia Sprint Speciale does better than many of its competitors. Thanks to a well-tuned suspension and near-perfect weight distribution, it can be steered with precision and ease through bends. The rear axle remains composed even at high speeds, while the front axle responds wonderfully to steering inputs. The five-speed gearbox is a revelation. Gears are engaged nervously and with short throw, and the gearbox setting allows the driver to exploit the full potential of the engine - particularly on the winding country roads on which the Giulia SS is literally at home. The Giulia Sprint Speciale is an Italian sports car through and through, and this is also evident in the cabin. There are no unnecessary gadgets here, just what the driver really needs. The seats are narrow and offer excellent lateral support - which is important when you're moving the car as you should. The instruments are clear and well laid out: a large speedometer, an equally large rev counter and a few small displays for the most important information. The steering wheel is easy to grip and the chrome details give the cabin a wonderful elegance. In total, Alfa Romeo produced exactly 1, 400 examples of these breathtaking masterpieces. Vita of the Alfa Romeo Giulia SS - SSC597 offered here This Giulia SS was built on 18. 10. 1964 in dark green with a light brown interior and was sold on 26. 01. 1966 to Alfa Romeo Frankfurt. Probably thanks to an American soldier, this Alfa Romeo arrived in the United States where it was lost until it reappeared in early 2011 in red. An Italian-American Alfa specialist then took charge of this Giulia and restored it without worrying about costs. In 2013, the restored Giulia Sprint Speciale was bought at a Gooding auction in Scottsdale/ USA by an Alfa Romeo connoisseur and collector for a record price of US$198, 000. But the car wasn't good enough for him and he decided, with the help of the former Alfa Classic Center in Dortmund and the renowned GTA Furiani specialist, to build a one-off Giulia Sprint 'Super' Speciale. The bodywork was polished and glazed using the highly sophisticated Swissvax process. Next, the Giulia SS had to incorporate contemporary tuning measures, almost all taken from Alfa Romeo's 1965 technical kit. Chassis/ brakes: Red Koni with ACC 101 spring kit, reinforced front stabiliser bar, modified rear suspension, reinforced longitudinal arm bushes at the rear. Conversion to 105 2. 0L front brakes, servo brakes retrofitted, rear axle ratio: 8/ 43 with lock. Engine/ gearbox: a GTA engine was built on the basis of the original veloce engine. The engine body was retained and the cylinder head replaced with an original GTA cylinder head. All this with a sporty tuning for the road and a torque that starts as soon as possible. Addition of a...
