It was June 2018 when Alfa Romeo announced the triumphant return of the GTV and 8C, but both cars were sadly canceled shortly thereafter. If you remember, we even have some official teasers (attached here) and some interesting early technical specifications for both. The GTV is supposed to be a four-seater coupe with 50:50 weight distribution, all-wheel drive (with torque vectoring), and over 600 horsepower.
A more attractive two-seater 8C is touted as a mid-engined coupe with a carbon fiber monocoque chassis and an electric motor driving the front axle. At the time, Alfa Romeo said the supercar would have a combined output of over 700 hp to enable 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in under three seconds. However, both were discontinued before seeing the light of day, and we just got Giulia GTA/GTAm instead.
Before Alfa Romeo goes purely electric later this decade, the Italian brand will likely have a dedicated sports car. In an interview with AutocarThe automaker’s chief honcho, Jean-Philippe Imparato, said the bespoke performance engine was months away from being approved for production. In an ideal scenario, a public announcement could be made as early as March 2023. The British magazine speculated it could be a hypercar with a price tag that goes into six-figure territory.
The details about the vehicle are shrouded in mystery, so all we can do is make logical assumptions. It seems highly unlikely that Alfa Romeo’s parent company, Stellantis, will invest in a new large-capacity combustion engine for a model that will run on a limited basis. Instead, a twin-turbo 2.9-liter V6 from the Giulia and Stelvio Quadrifoglio can be used, and ideally, mounted behind the seat.
In a sedan bearing the GTA logo, power is good for 540 horsepower and 442 pound-feet (600 Newton-meters) of torque. It is unclear whether there is still room for more power and whether additional electric motors are being considered. The hybrid powertrain seems to be the ill-fated 8C revival plan, but that was a few years ago.
Regardless of what the power will be, fans will be happy to know Alfa Romeo is planning a swan song for the internal combustion engine. The new model has all the flair of instant classics as there will never be another car like it in the inevitable EV era.
