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Alfa Romeo's next GTV could arrive as an electric flagship sedan

Like every brand under the Stellantis umbrella, Alfa Romeo has until 2030 to prove it deserves to live. It's reportedly planning a major overhaul that could bring the well-known GTV nameplate back to the range on an electric sedan. Newly-minted company boss Jean-Philippe Imparato recently said he's "very interested" in making a modern-day GTV, though he significantly warned nothing was set in stone yet. British magazine Autocar understands that all options remain on the table, and one of them is putting the GTV emblem on a battery-powered sedan with a coupe-like roof line. Simultaneously GT and EV, it would be the Italian firm's answer to the BMW i4, among other sedans. It would slot at the very top of the lineup, at least in terms of price and probably in terms of performance. If the rumor is accurate, it would mark the first time the GTV nameplate appears on a four-door in the Alfa Romeo portfolio. It's been used on a number of models since its introduction on a gorgeous, Bertone-designed coupe in 1965, and they've all had two doors. Alfa Romeo came close to dusting off the GTV nameplate on a two-door version of the Giulia which would have been aimed at the BMW 4 Series and Audi's A5 line. While this strategy would have followed tradition (the original GTV was closely related to the original Giulia), the project was canned at an advanced stage due to a perceived lack of demand. Had it been launched, it would have offered a 50/50 weight distribution and about 600 horsepower. Alfisti who find the idea of an electric, four-door GTV unpalatable shouldn't worry yet. Insiders told Autocar that the nameplate might alternatively make a comeback on hybrid coupe; its fate hasn't been decided yet. Of course, it could also not return and remain in the history book, where it's been since the last GTV retired in 2004. What's seemingly certain is that new Alfa Romeo models are around the corner. One is the production version of the Tonale concept, which was reportedly delayed by Imparato earlier in 2021 due to issues with the hybrid system that will be available at launch. Replacements for the Giulia and the Stelvio are said to be in the pipeline, too.  Related Video: Green Alfa Romeo Electric Future Vehicles Performance Sedan

These 'blind' automotive world record stunts have to stop

Drivers setting world records "blind" – wearing a blindfold or with something obscuring the windshield – is the new thing for some reason. First it was an Alfa Romeo Giulia setting a blind lap at Silverstone with help from a spotter trailing behind, and now this: a stunt man doing a J-turn within a narrow path with nothing but a Nissan Juke's cameras guiding him. He matched the "sighted" J-turn record, flipping the car around in a space about 7 inches longer than the car. I have two issues with these stunts. First, there are just too many world records. Yeah, I said it. Are these meaningful? Is someone else likely to ever attempt this feat? No, because it's just marketing, both for the manufacturer and whoever's still trying to sell those annual books. Stuff like the fastest production car is fine with me. Heck, I'll even take unofficial Nurburgring times – the kind where the drivers can actually see. Second, I'm all for stunts, but do something cool! And preferably something that could only be performed with that particular car, if you're going to make an ad out of it. Yes, the Juke has an Around View Monitor system, which stitches together feeds from four cameras to make it look like the car is being filmed by a drone hovering overhead. I happen to love 360-degree cameras – they let you see things that are just not visible from the driver's seat and make parking and low-speed maneuvering really easy. But the Juke isn't the first car to offer one, and the feature isn't even new to the car. Nissan was at least forthright enough to admit that this professional driver (on a closed course!) had a bunch of practice. But this really says more about his precision driving skills than about the car, or the camera. And just so we're clear, you really shouldn't try to park a car without looking out the windows, even if you have fancy cameras. So what's next? Pretty soon there will be a record for blindest blind stunt. Let me know when someone actually does something interesting. Related Video:

The Effeffe Berlinetta is a brand new 1960s Italian GT

You're looking at a brand new car, not one that has spent 50 years under a tarp in some barn in the Italian countryside. The vintage-looking Berlinetta, dreamed up by the brothers Frigorio, has been in the works for a number of years now. It was initially unveiled at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este two years ago, and the official introduction will be held at the Top Marques show in Monaco next week. As it stands, it offers a fascinating glimpse into the way sports cars used to be built, with virtually nothing to let a casual observer know that it's factory fresh. The drivetrain on the two-seater Berlinetta is classic Italian, using a front-mid-mounted Alfa Romeo Twin Cam four-cylinder, which originally dates back to 1971 in design. Naturally, the two-liter unit is coupled to a five-speed manual gearbox, and the two Weber DCOE carburetors finish off the power figures at 180 horsepower at 6,500 rpm. The car follows classic Alfa Romeo lines, but isn't a direct replica, rather a tribute to Italian GT car building half a century ago – the chassis is a handmade tubular spaceframe and the entire Berlinetta will weigh less than 1,760 lbs. There are disc brakes front and rear, and while the front suspension is independent, the rear relies on a solid live axle complete with a Watt's linkage setup. And – of course – it sits on wire wheels with center knock-off lugs. As for the interior, it will all be custom-made and tailored to the buyer's taste, and each car will be unique. The full Matteograssi leather interior includes a matching luggage set, too, and the driver will be holding a wooden Nardi steering wheel. What kind of price would you expect for something like this? The Frigerio brothers have priced their small-series creation at nearly $320,000. That includes some track time to get to grips with one's new 1960s sportscar, and the chassis settings will be fine-tuned to one's personal preferences. There are plans to widen the portfolio with another model, and we're hoping that will be a drop-top Spider made in the same style. Related Video: Featured Gallery Effeffe Berlinetta View 9 Photos Alfa Romeo Automakers Coupe Special and Limited Editions Classics top marques monaco