Autodelta’s 400bhp Alfa 147: beauty and the beast all-in-one

May 31, 2007 Hot hatches are a relatively new phenomena, at least in the context of the 120 year history of motoring. Alfa’s 147 has long been one of the most stylish of the smaller performance cars, and so we feel compelled to bring to your attention the efforts of London-based Autodelta in developing outrageous performance from the car. Determined to evolve its highly successful Autodelta 147 GTA AM (Autodelta Maggiorata), the company has gone a step further by producing an even more potent supercharged version - the Autodelta 147 GTA AM Super. The V6 engine is a bored-out version of the existing 3.2 litre Alfa 147 GTA unit, and sweeps an amazing 3,750 cc. On top of that, it has been fitted with a custom designed Rotrex supercharger and produces 400 bhp at 7,000 rpm, with a top speed in excess of 180 mph (288 km/h) and 0-60 mph (0-97 km/h) in 4.8 seconds.

New steel billet camshafts, a Ferrari-derived larger throttle and suitable re-mapping of the engine all quicken driving response and help achieve performance levels not found in any other current sports hatchback.

As with the Autodelta 147 GTA AM, major improvements to the transmission, suspension and brakes as well as a new aero kit and bigger wheels, greatly improve the 147 GTA's performance.

A bespoke stainless exhaust system, with new manifolds at the front and quadruple tailpipes at the back give the new engine a wide breathing range: 330 lb ft of torque is at the driver's disposal at 4,500 rpm, and the redline stops just short of 8,000 rpm.