The Alfa Romeo 147 GTA prepared by Autodelta: faster than a BMW M3 of the same era

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, mechanical nobility was all about the number of cylinders, engine speed and displacement. The BMW M3 E46 epitomized this philosophy with its 343 hp six-cylinder engine. At Alfa Romeothe answer was Busso. When the Italian brand unveiled the 147 GTA in 2002, it struck hard. Under the hood of this compact car is the 156 GTA's naturally-aspirated 3.2-liter V6, developing 250 hp. A heresy for some, a stroke of genius for others: a compact front-wheel drive car with a noble, sonorous and excessive engine. Even back then, many considered the 147 GTA too powerful for its chassis. Autodelta saw it as a starting point.

Autodelta, the heritage of racing

Autodelta is no ordinary tuner. Historically, the name comes from Alfa Romeo's racing department in the 1960s, which produced the legendary Giulia Sprint GTA. In the 1990s and 2000s, Autodelta became a British tuner specializing in Alfa Romeo, renowned for extracting every possible cubic centimeter from Italian engines. Faced with the 147 GTA, Autodelta decided to take the concept to the extreme. The Busso V6 was re-bored from 3.2 to 3.7 liters. The powertrain was extensively reworked, with revised cylinder heads, new camshafts, reprogrammed engine management, a specific intake system and a Ferrari-sourced butterfly valve. The result is spectacular: 328 hp and 352 Nm of torque, transmitted... to the front wheels alone.

An uncontrollable compact?

On paper, the idea seems absurd. A compact front-wheel drive with over 320 hp and no all-wheel drive is almost a provocation. Yet Autodelta didn't just increase power. The chassis has been modified with adjustable suspension, reinforced brakes, special wheels and, above all, a mechanical limited-slip differential, a key element in making the car driveable. Contrary to fears, the 147 GTA Autodelta is no more tractable than the original model. It remains demanding, of course, with pronounced understeer when you push the pace, but the extra power is surprisingly manageable. Top speed is well over 250 km/h, and 0 to 100 km/h takes around five seconds, a limit imposed less by the engine than by the driveability.

The litmus test: Top Gear and the Stig

The legend of the 147 GTA Autodelta was definitively forged during its appearance on Top Gear. In Dunsfold, on the show's track, the Italian compact faced up to far more prestigious references. Jeremy Clarkson and his team make no secret of their skepticism about this super-powered traction car, described as theoretically "unconducible".

It's clear from the very first bends: understeer is omnipresent and the car demands total commitment. But in the hands of the Stig, the 147 GTA Autodelta reveals unsuspected potential. Despite its shortcomings, it completed the lap in 1 minute 30 seconds. A resounding 1.8 seconds faster than the BMW M3 E46, a rear-wheel drive car and the absolute benchmark at the time. A slap in the face for technical certainties, and a demonstration that character and daring can sometimes beat logic.

Going even further: the 422 hp compressed version

For Autodelta, 328 hp was clearly not enough. The tuner went even further with a supercharged version equipped with a Rotrex C38-81 centrifugal compressor. Pressure climbs to 0.75 bar, the red zone is established at 8,000 rpm and power reaches 422 hp with 520 Nm of torque. Always on the front wheels. In this extreme configuration, the 147 GTA becomes one of the most powerful tractions ever produced. The performance is equal to the excess: 0 to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds and a top speed of almost 290 km/h. A car developed extensively on the racetrack, notably at Donington Park, Silverstone and the Nürburgring.

A rare collector's item

Produced in very small series, the 147 GTA Autodelta is today a true collector's item. The rare examples that have appeared on the market, such as the one sold at auction in 2020 for around €20,000 with 70,000 km, are a reminder of just how sought-after this model is. Beyond the numbers, it's above all its character that fascinates: a V6 Busso with an inimitable song, a compact and elegant body, and a radical approach that no manufacturer today would dare.

The 147 GTA Autodelta never claimed to be perfect. Too powerful, too extreme, sometimes overtaken by its own ambitions, it nevertheless embodies a bygone era when engineering was done with passion and daring. More than twenty years later, it remains one of the most striking symbols of what Alfa Romeo and its tuners could offer: a compact car capable of taking down a BMW M3 on the racetrack.