Grand touring in a veloce style...

Pretty funny - Michael Schumacher in the Suzuki Liana

2009-06-23T06:15:00.001Z

Watch it before the BBC finds it and removes it...

Waiting waiting waiting...

2009-04-07T05:24:00.001Z

Can't say I'd actually spend this much on a car, any car - even an Alfa. But it's small. And I like small. And it's feisty.

Boasting pearlescent white paintwork with a contrasting bodykit complete with a front splitter, mesh air intakes, plastic side skirts and a power bulge on the bonnet, it really looks the part. Power comes from an all-new 1,750cc four-cylinder turbo engine with 237bhp - all of which is sent to the front wheels. Expect a 0-60mph time of around six seconds and a top speed of 150mph. The newcomer is set to have a price tag of around £18,000, and UK sales will start in early 2010.

But I'm actually happy with my '82 GTV, thanks.

Alpine Classic Ride Report 2009

2009-03-09T04:58:00.001Z

Golf Mk1 rally car circa '79

2008-11-25T04:57:00.001Z

Golf Mk1 rally car CT 1979_582
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

Pretty sure this was the roof-top car park of the Bankstown Square shopping centre - if I'm wrong then it's Roselands!

Point is, if I must make this point, I can't imagine a shopping centre in Sydney opening up its car park to the start of a car rally these days... first, the traffic issue. Second, the inconvenience to shoppers. Third, where would the rally cars go next? Onto a neutral, untimed stage until they leave the Sydney basin?

Top Gear Ford Focus ST - and it comes in blue

2008-10-12T22:12:00.001Z

I don't always agree with the damn-the-torpedoes pro-auto bravado but it's always well filmed, articulate and funny...

Catalina Park - western side

2008-07-21T06:48:00.001Z

Catalina Park_0056
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

This would be sooo fast... and so demanding to drive on at speed...

Catalina Park repairs?

2008-07-21T06:37:00.001Z

Catalina Park repairs_0047
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

Recent repairs suggest some plans are afoot... but a report to council in 2005 suggested otherwise, including dismantling the wooden race fencing.

Catalina Park Katoomba

2008-07-21T06:36:00.001Z

Catalina Park lake_0045
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

Would you believe this was originallly a privately-funded amusement park with an ornamental (and actual bathing) lake? Later to include a Catalina flying boat (in the centre of the lake, hence the name) that was presumably trucked in?

Later still (around 1950) a motor racing circuit was built around the edge of what was known as "the Gully", north and west of this shot, to the dismay of residents, many indigenous. Thousands of years of aboriginal Australian culture was disturbed or destroyed in the process of creating a track for car racing.

A shale and coal railway line also passed on the western edge of the park, providing a link from the main railway down to the mines in the valley..

Alfa Giulietta 2 Oran Pk 82

2008-06-14T04:27:00.001Z

Alfa Giulietta 2 Oran Pk 82
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

My 2nd-most popular image on Flickr. Probably because it's a car on a race track, and a race track that has been closed for redevelopment as housing. It's also an Alfa Romeo, an iconic car brand if ever there was one. And a Giulietta, possibly the nicest of the Alfetta line, outside of the GTV.

FWIW it's me in my Giulietta at Oran Park, NSW, Australia in 1982. Nice understeer... It's an Alfa Romeo Owners' Club event, probably a lap dash. If you don't know BP corner then you haven't lived. Basically you come hurtling out of some fast bends, go down into a ditch, come up and go hard left into a long straight. So you've picked up some speed, bottomed and released the suspension and then chucked it left into understeer territory. You can see how the rear wheels remain planted square to the road by the deDion tube and the fronts are trying v. hard to get the car around the bend... and not into the wall.

Mini magic

2008-06-07T08:58:00.001Z

Can't beat a short wheelbase, FWD and a handbrake...

On VW Golfs, windscreens and cables

2008-06-04T02:55:00.001Z

Golf no windscreen 80
Originally uploaded by gtveloce

Not an Alfa, but a VW Golf. I like the Series 1, I had 2 of 'em myself, but this one is not one of those. It's seen here somewhere outside of Lithgow, NSW, Australia. Without a windscreen - it wasn't as laminated as we thought. The moral of this story is 'be careful what you wish for'... we (my then girlfriend and I back in 1980 - she owned and was driving the car) were behind a truck on a good road. I said to her something along the lines of 'maybe we shouldn't be so close, it could kick up a stone' just moments before exactly that happened. Ooops. And yes, Golf windscreens were quite difficult to find in 1980, especially in country NSW, but we found one after a bit of a search.

As a postscript, a few months later the Golf broke a throttle cable (it was simply a wire to the carby that passed through a rubber grommet in the firewall and eventually wore down to the metal). Not dramatic, the car just failed to accelerate as desired. (OTOH there's also a throttle return spring that broke on a separate occasion, resulting in the sudden application of full throttle.) Anyway, as the car sat in a driveway I wondered aloud how long clutch cables lasted, given that throttle cables break after a couple of years. Sure enough, the clutch cable broke the next time it was used. So be careful what you say aloud, it may actually happen...

Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA Junior Gr.5 Racing

2008-05-31T08:32:00.001Z

It starts slow but ends up fast and well done. Shame about the exhaust gases and all but oh well...

BMEP or Weight Transfer, anyone?

2008-04-23T03:51:00.004Z

I've just put my Brake Mean Effective Pressure calculator online at Google Docs... http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pJDQWs1Qj-Gq7HgSBoeH3Rg

It includes my Weight Transfer calculator as well, but here it is on its own:
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pJDQWs1Qj-GqNBA_KCIsydg

Plus I have a Simple Diesel vs Petrol calculator, so you can make sense of why diesel will take you further: http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pJDQWs1Qj-GqOX1xloHwzPw

My Energy Mustknows... collected from all over, these energy facts are as correct as I can make them and are as objective as we can be in comparing different energy sources. Attributed where I can, please let me know if you see better figures. The conclusions you draw are of course your own... http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pJDQWs1Qj-GraqesgS5tfTQ

And of course my 'Energy to make a car' calculation, back-calculated from the retail price in Australia: http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=pJDQWs1Qj-GofPn1flSH-bA

Please use with caution, these are not guaranteed to be 100% correct in every way, nor have they been tested by teams of chimps. Anything incorrect or plain silly, let me know...!

Is this the Top Gear test track?

2008-04-18T07:46:00.002Z

Well, reputedly so. It looks like a classic WWII triangled runway layout to me. Check it out.

Alfa Mi.To: are you ready to play?

2008-04-04T06:23:00.001Z

The Mi.To - it moves!

Accidents happen

2008-04-02T02:01:00.001Z

Shame to lose someone who has seemingly had a positive influence lately.. but there you go: Frank Stephenson, 49, the multicultural American who has guided Alfa Romeo's styling department to the triumphs of the 8C Competizione and the Mi.To hatchback, has parted ways with the company.

Top Gear Alfa 147 GTA vs Golf R32 vs Focus RS

2008-03-28T05:20:00.001Z

Well it's a bit of fun, isn't it?

Interesting look at Notes 8

2008-03-28T01:10:00.001Z

8 Reasons You'll Love Using IBM Lotus Notes 8

From: elsua, 7 months ago

| View | Upload your own

This is a presentation that details some of the new features from the latest release of Lotus Notes, Notes 8, and which clearly details that it is so much more than just another e-mail client.

SlideShare Link

Probably not the Alfa 159 GTA

2008-03-28T00:19:00.001Z

But a nice getaway anyway...

Alfa Romeo MI.To

2008-03-19T11:08:00.001Z

It's small, it's got Italian styling, it's got the Alfa badge. I want one, but please change the "me-too" name!

Alfa 33 vs Alfasud at Pukekohe, NZ

2008-01-24T07:12:00.001Z

Sud attack in NZ! Close and furious...

RACING ALFA Romeo VELOCE IN CAR.!!! HILL CLIMB RITSONA 2007

2008-01-24T07:05:00.001Z

What a fine car for a hillclimb...

VW Golf GTI W12-650

2007-08-09T22:58:00.001Z

Yes, yes, utter waste of resources, time and money. Does nothing to help global warming. Still, kooky fun to watch. It's certainly not new or innovative in concept, either, although the engineer explaining how journalists rather than customers or simple logic could help it into production is a trifle revealing...

1o. Alfa Romeo Road Trip - GTV Autodelta

2007-04-27T08:48:00.001Z

Yep, that's an engine...

Alfa Romeo 8c Competizione Promo Video

2007-04-27T08:42:00.001Z

Can't resist... a bit of style, some history... sure, it's an advert (and I'm not even in the market!) and it's a global resource-hogger, but it's also art on wheels. I'm torn between supporting classic design and a strong feeling of environmental doom. Not good.

New word formations from evo mag

2007-04-02T04:25:00.000Z

OK, I've had enough. Firstly it's "organic" grip vs "mechanical" grip.... huh? Now it's (from evo mag) The new Clio would feel more involving if it had some of the old car’s organic mechanical weighting.

OK, I think when a car mag says "organic" anything they mean "we really don't know what the heck it is but we believe it's different somehow". So despite the fact that tyres sit squarely (or not) upon the road purely by mechanical means, and derive grip by mechanical action between rubber and road, they mean to say that somehow something else is going on that they can't figure out. That somehow the tyres are better than the car's suspension and are providing extra grip that the suspension alone couldn't provide. Of course a suspension in isolation produces no grip at all, as it only does so through the tyres... yet somehow they need to say that some of this grip is being delivered generously by the tyres alone, despite the car's best intentions. So they call this magical mystical extra quality "organic". The car's crap, but the tyres are great. Why don't they say that instead?

And now evo has evolved "organic mechanical weighting". Hmmm. So what, I ask, could "in-organic" mechanical weighting be?? Why not just "weighting" or steering feel?

More on the 8C

2007-03-07T00:10:00.000Z

Some pics and words on the top-of-the-range-and-then-some Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione from evo mag. OK, it's fast, it's beautiful and it will do the job of luring eyes to the marque. Will it lead you to buy a 159? I guess it won't hurt, but it's a long way from an Alfasud. Personally I'd be more excited - and happier to own - a nuovo Alfa 1.5 Sprint. Pleeeeease!

Top 10 engines? All gasoline? Wha??

2007-01-23T21:31:00.000Z

It's silly, but here it is: Ward's Top 10 engines of 2007. Of course they mean power, smoothness, technical prowess, advancement of the art... but they do seem stuck on petrol as a fuel source. Electric motors produce more torque, instantly, but they don't look as fancy or sound so nice, do they? Or is that something we've only learned to like in the last 100 years or so? Anyway the "rules" preclude anything not installed in a US-spec car, blah blah blah.

The legal lemon meter

2006-12-28T02:55:00.000Z

For you US citizens with an unreliable car that is driving you nuts.. but you aren't sure where you stand legally - well the Lemon Justice lemon meter is a for-profit site that offers a free "not yet" or "yes" action appraisal under each state's lemon law. I can't - and won't - vouch for its accuracy but I have tried it and it seems to be offering a useful inital service. Check it out yourself. Interesting idea, anyway!

The Ugly Stick hits hard

2006-12-12T23:07:00.000Z

Boy, aren't some show cars ugly. Whilst I can see what they are getting at, this Hyundai Hellion is Hell on wheels, surely?

Taking the Alfa for a spin

2006-11-22T12:28:00.000Z

Well not literally. I mean go for a drive. It needs a run, an Italian tune. To be honest I'd enjoy it - the musical sound of it, the harsh ride of those Bilsteins and the general 'drive me' feel that comes over me when I sit in that Italian wood, leather and plastic cockpit. But I do fuss about and worry about greenhouse gases. It's our modern struggle. Do I lash out and enjoy what we (as a society) have earned by our earnest endeavours, or do I walk to the shops instead?

Maybe I'll do both - and then plant a tree just in case.

Alfa 8c at Paris Show

2006-10-03T00:22:00.000Z

It's beautiful, if wrong. What can we do? The Alfa 8c won't make the world a better, cleaner or safer place but I still admire it. From the carconnection.com:
Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione 2008 Alfa Romeo 8C CompetizioneBig news! Alfa Romeo is returning to the USA. Well, sort of. The Italian firm used the Paris Motor Show to unveil the production version of its 8C Competizione, an ultra-exclusive supercar limited to just 500 units globally. A handful of those are expected to find their way to America. The 8C first debuted as a concept car in 2003, and road-ready trim features a 4.7-liter V-8 delivering 450 hp. Production starts next summer at stablemate Maserati's new factory in Modena, and the first cars will delivered in the autumn. It will cost around $150,000, is only available in left-hand drive and orders will be handled centrally by Alfa HQ. "The 8C is being offered in limited numbers to encourage buyers to personalize their vehicles," said a spokesman. "This is a trend which harks back to Alfa's heritage as a fledgling company nearly 100 years ago. Then it just sold rolling chassis, allowing customers to create their own body styles with the help of bespoke coachbuilders." Interior detailing is one area where owners can make their car unique. However, the spokesman hinted the 500-car limit might be flexible. "I see no reason why more might not be offered if there's demand," he added.

The 116 GTV

2006-09-20T23:32:00.000Z

Well, it's still starting. As you'd hope. It's been registered for its 24th consecutive year; and as the weather warms up it starts without choke. Just 2 pumps of the pedal to prime the twin carbies and off she goes, first turn of the key. A bit rich, but that's OK. Too lean can burn the valves, although those sodium filled valves can take a bit of heat. Nothing to report. I looked underneath - thought I saw a drip the other day but it hasn't dripped again. So how's your Alfa?

As an Alfa owner, Suzukis I could own

2006-09-14T04:38:00.000Z

OK, I've owned 3 Alfas... my current GTV, a 33ti and a Giulietta 1.8. The GTV is the most fun you can have in a 24 year old car. But I have also had 2 Suzuki Swift Gtis... the first series and the 2nd. The 1st handled like a go-kart and the 2nd was prettier but softer.

Anyway, here are 2 Suzis I'd consider owning... the lowered, souped up turbo SX4 and and the 1.6 Swift Sport. If we are going to exploit the world's resources and risk catastrophic climate change let's do it in small cars, manage the risk, and make them fun to drive.

GTV6 at Spa

2006-09-07T22:41:00.000Z

OK, can't resist mentioning this video of an Alfa GTV6 on the track at Spa...

Alfa 75 V6. 5 laps on Laguna Seca

2006-08-25T06:13:00.000Z

Alfa 75 V6. 5 laps on Laguna Seca

Can't resist... in car at Laguna Seca... V6 75 catches NSX and 2 WRXes

Top Gear Alfa 147 GTA Autodelta

2006-08-25T03:17:00.000Z

Top Gear Alfa 147 GTA Autodelta

Speaking of 147s, how about a GTA?

147 replacement in 2008?

2006-08-25T01:32:00.000Z

It's suggested that the 147 hatch will be replaced by the 149 in 2008... the initial photoshopped images look smoother, rounder than the 147. It is also said to be a 'MINI-killer'. We shall see.

Alfa reflections

2006-08-18T01:08:00.000Z

I always wanted an Alfa GTV so it's no surprise that I have one now in my garage. When I say 'always' I mean from about the age of 17 or so, when the Alfetta GT grew into the 2.0 GTV. I still prefer the 1.8 GT's chrome over the later model GTV's plastic but I found NWV714, a low miles example in 1990 and swapped a turbo 4wd Ford Laser for it and some cash.

Yes folks I preferred a 10 year old Alfa to a new Ford. The Ford was built by Mazda and had lots of Mazda design in it. That's not to say Mazda is bad, but it's bland. Even now I have a Mazda Premacy in the driveway to get the family around. It's safe, reliable and does the job without fuss. That's a Mazda. The Premacy is no sports car to drive or to look at, whereas the Laser Turbo 4wd was both a prettier coupe and quicker than the standard hatch. It made a nice whistle as it spooled up and launched without wheelspin. However it was not that fast (just 160bhp, or 30 more than the GTV). And it was twitchy on the limit. It wasn't as chuckable as other cars and the central diff - a fluid type unit - seemed to muck up the handling somewhat when on the edge of adhesion.

Rather than muck around trying to fix the Mazda/Ford, I went back to Alfa. No more broad expanses of dull grey plastic. No more simply functional controls and seats; instead I fancied faux-Recaro, some fake wood (maybe it's a real veneer?) and a Momo wheel that looked right at home, rather than an afterthought.

The pluses go on and on. Ride - firm but supple. Handling - absolutely balanced. Traction - magnificent, especially on tight twisty stuff where the turbo had traction but fell out of the power band. Maybe a WRX is better but we didn't have WRXes in Oz back when I bought the MazFord. They were coming, but I didn't wanna wait. And when the turbo 4wd thrill was found wanting I found myself reverting to a dream that I had been having since the 1970s - to own an Alfa coupe.

Seems silly now, with climate change and what have you, but I still get a kick out of older Alfas. Just standing next to the GTV is a thrill - it's so low. Getting in is an experience. Sitting inside you feel the history and the barking, vibrating cough of starting that timeless carbie 4 is unforgettable. Do you get that kind of kick out of any modern cars?

Driving and all that

2006-08-08T03:19:00.000Z

I am getting more depressed. Cars are looking and feeling more like appliances every day; they get fatter, taller and more unloveable by the minute and worst of all they consume fossil fuels in their manufacture, distribution and even - would you believe - when driven!

How do we break this pattern? Electric cars? Still need to make the car, and the electricity too. Hydrogen cars - well ditto, basically. But it's worse... you need to make the car, plus you need to make the hydrogen! How do you make hydrogen? You split water apart into its constituent atoms. How do you do that, with a hammer??

See why I'm depressed?

Registering the Tipo 116

2006-07-26T07:56:00.000Z

It's not as easy as it sounds, this annual registration process. Not when your car is 24 years old, anyway. Especially so when it has a gearbox at the rear and an engine at the front. And brakes at the rear that are hugging the transaxle, not the wheels. We are talking 80's Alfetta coupe, not your average Japanese box y'know.

So my annual pre-check checks are (a) does that multipurpose light switch work today? Yes! (b) do all lights light up in the right order on command? Yes! (c) do the wipers work and in particular do the washer jets spray at the windscreen, not dribble out pathetically? Yes!

This is all good, so let's book 'er in for the check!

At which point one nervously fumbles with the keys... will she start? Yes! Oh joy! And wouldn't you know it, it's raining! Of course she passes all tests with flying colours and another year of registration tension is relieved. Phew.

Nuovo Giulietta pic... because it looks cool

2006-06-23T00:04:00.000Z

More pics here.

Alfa stuff, not just car stuff... the 159

2006-06-22T23:19:00.000Z

Here's a local (Aussie) review of the Alfa 159 from CarsGuide.com.au

It seems a pretty fair review. Whilst it disses the 2.2 petrol engine as 'flat' it mostly praises the car itself and the common-rail direct injection diesel.

Car stuff, not just Alfa stuff

2006-06-10T05:16:00.000Z

Setting aside the fossil fuel debate for a moment (and only a moment as it's too important to ignore) there are some aspects of driving that you should know about... here are a few to start with:
Get a life! Or one person's diatribe on staying alive...
Handling 101 - What's handling good for?
Handling 102 - Let's get technical about handling
Handling 103 - Adjusting your car's handling characteristics
Tyre pressures matter
Camber plays a part
Sometimes you must Toe the line!
Caster look over 'ere, mate!
Having a Polar Moment
Roll Over Beethoven
Oversteer
Understeer
Weight transfer explained
Shuffle off this mortal Coil
Tyres and Wheels can do more than just look good
Pitching a fast ball
Other stuff people often don't understand
Heel and Toe
Double declutch
Wheel offset
Rollbars
CVT - Constantly variable transmission
Twin camshaft motors
GTV - Grand Touring Veloce
GTi - Grand Touring Injection
GTam - Grand Touring America or maybe Allegerita Modificato
RS - Rally Sport or Renn Sport
GTO - Grand Touring Omologato

Welcome to the new GTVeloce.com

2006-06-04T01:43:00.000Z

The Alfa content starts here !

Hydrogen and realism

2006-05-30T13:10:00.000Z

The carconnection.com has run an interesting and balanced article on hydrogen-power in Iceland. In part it says, "The Shell station uses a process known as electrolysis to produce its fuel, electric current splitting water into its basic components: two parts hydrogen, one part oxygen, the latter vented into the atmosphere."

Interesting indeed that they are producing the hydrogen onsite. Better, cheaper and safer than trying to transport it. The hydrogen is for a small H-dedicated bus fleet, by the way. The article admits "Electrolysis is an energy-intensive process, in itself, and if you were to follow the wires leading out from the back of the station, they'd connect to the big towers snaking east, nearly 30 kilometers into the country's rugged interior...As they approach the source, one can spot steam pluming into the sky. Some are natural vents, hinting at the violence roiling deep beneath the rocky soil." It's geo-thermal, folks.

So hydrogen is do-able, despite lower energy density and higher volatility. Especially so if you have locally renewable energy such as hydro or geothermal sources to tap into. In most countries you just don't have that sort of energy locally available, of course. So we resort to oil or coal. Which defeats the benefits of using H in the first place. Of course there is also Nuclear power but again the production of the right blend of uranium isotopes is energy intensive. So you end up spending energy to make energy. Are we ever to get out of this cycle of fossil-fuel dependence? What will it take?

More auto art...

2006-05-30T12:51:00.000Z

1981 model Alfa Giulietta

Automobile art

2006-05-16T06:31:00.000Z

Welcome to the new GTVeloce.com

2006-05-12T13:42:00.000Z

The Alfa content starts here !

Grand touring in a veloce style...

Pretty funny - Michael Schumacher in the Suzuki Liana

Waiting waiting waiting...

Alpine Classic Ride Report 2009

Golf Mk1 rally car circa '79

Top Gear Ford Focus ST - and it comes in blue

Catalina Park - western side

Catalina Park repairs?

Catalina Park Katoomba

Alfa Giulietta 2 Oran Pk 82

Mini magic

On VW Golfs, windscreens and cables

Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA Junior Gr.5 Racing

BMEP or Weight Transfer, anyone?

Is this the Top Gear test track?

Alfa Mi.To: are you ready to play?

Accidents happen

Top Gear Alfa 147 GTA vs Golf R32 vs Focus RS

Interesting look at Notes 8

8 Reasons You'll Love Using IBM Lotus Notes 8

Probably not the Alfa 159 GTA

Alfa Romeo MI.To

Alfa 33 vs Alfasud at Pukekohe, NZ

RACING ALFA Romeo VELOCE IN CAR.!!! HILL CLIMB RITSONA 2007

VW Golf GTI W12-650

1o. Alfa Romeo Road Trip - GTV Autodelta

Alfa Romeo 8c Competizione Promo Video

New word formations from evo mag

More on the 8C

Top 10 engines? All gasoline? Wha??

The legal lemon meter

The Ugly Stick hits hard

Taking the Alfa for a spin

Alfa 8c at Paris Show

The 116 GTV

As an Alfa owner, Suzukis I could own

GTV6 at Spa

Alfa 75 V6. 5 laps on Laguna Seca

Top Gear Alfa 147 GTA Autodelta

147 replacement in 2008?

Alfa reflections

Driving and all that

Registering the Tipo 116

Nuovo Giulietta pic... because it looks cool

Alfa stuff, not just car stuff... the 159

Car stuff, not just Alfa stuff

Welcome to the new GTVeloce.com

Hydrogen and realism

More auto art...

Recent posts from GTVeloce

Recent posts - a summary

Automobile art

Welcome to the new GTVeloce.com