- It was once one of the most desirable Alfa Romeos, but this 2000 GTV has also been completely overhauled by UK specialist Alfaholics.
- Its fuel-injected engine produces 230 horsepower, mated to a five-speed manual transmission, lightweight suspension and bodywork, and upgraded brakes.
- Nearly $240,000 was spent by the previous owner to create one of the best driving restoration cars available and some lucky auctioneer was able to auction it off from Bring an intro.
In the old days, chronographs made the rule: the fastest sports car at 60 mph or around a lap was best. QED. Even in that time, however, many enthusiasts have romanticized the appeal of an Alfa Romeo, not just for performance but also for experience. In an age where dollars equal speed, that allure hasn’t disappeared. If anything, as in the case of this particular little Alfa, the romance is even more focused.
Put up for auction on the Bring Trailer site—like car and driver, is part of Hearst Autos—is this beautiful confection of driving cheat. Based on the 1974 Alfa Romeo GTV 2000, one of the most beautiful coupes ever produced from a factory in Milan, this one has been completely handled by UK-based Alfaholics. There’s only a week left until the auction closes on Wednesday, November 30, with the bid price of $110,000.
If paying for a new 911 for an old Alfa sounds crazy, it doesn’t.
First, get the GTV 2000. 1974 was the last year these cars were available for the US market, and they had everything needed to deliver exceptional driving pleasure. With a 130-horsepower twin-cam engine, a versatile chassis that weighs just over 2200 pounds, and stunning styling, the Gran Turismo Veloce is everything an Alfisti could want. If internal combustion doesn’t always happen inside, it’s just a bit of Alfa’s zest. A life without even a little drama isn’t worth living, is it?
In 1977, Richard Banks purchased the first Alfa Romeo Alfetta 2.0L GTV in the UK to compete in the British Production Saloon Car Championship. The car is very competitive. To help pay for the race, he bought and renewed a used 2000 GTV. It went on sale the same day as his ad in the local newspaper.
Art and Science
More than four decades later, Banks and his two sons—both trained as lawyers but also involved in racing—run a family company that makes the best Alfa Romeos around. There’s a temptation here to compare Alfaholics to California-based Singer and that company’s reimagined 911s, but there are differences. Much of Singer’s work is pure art, but the cars that emerge from the Alfaholics workshop are the organic result of a family’s Alfa racing obsession.
However, a 911 restored by Singer and a machine built by Alfaholics are both idealized experiences of what you would expect a Porsche or Alfa Romeo to be. Both are the quintessential distillation of the brand, your moment of meeting your heroes does not disappoint.
This 1974 GTV2000 was purchased through Bring a Trailer two years ago and promptly sent to Somerset to be treated fully by Alfaholics with the company’s GTA-R Upgrade package. The list of modifications is too exhaustive to pass on in its entirety, but highlights include a hand-built dual-cam 2.1L four-cylinder for around 230hp, a 5-speed manual transmission. close proportions, all-round light weight from lighter glass to carbon -fiber bodywork, six-piston front brakes and suspension that holds more titanium than your average space rocket.
And, because this car is headed for Texas, it’s also air-conditioned. Although born from lessons learned on the track, this GTV is for drivers. Indeed, a close-up examination of the underbody revealed some oxidized titanium and the paintwork on the underbody had a stain or two.
All of which underlines that this is a car that is orientation. Regardless of the final hammer price, it will probably suffice to buy a seat in some pretty highly tested modern machinery, but that shouldn’t be a problem. Alfaholics GTA-R offers a drive type that surpasses the chronograph and skidpad. For a very lucky auctioneer, it was a bucket list driving experience.
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