Roaring Busso
A compact Alfa Romeo with the famous Busso V6, then we are talking about the 147 GTA. Tom Mars and his father Marco searched for a good example for a long time, found it in Germany and are now very curious whether the characterful six-cylinder still has all the prancing horses.
‘We wanted an Alfa Romeo 147 GTA for a long time’
Ideal if you, as father and son, share the same passion for cars, because then you can split the costs nicely. For both men the 147 is a hobby car; for the daily kilometers there is more rational transport at your doorstep. Tom: “I inherited my love for Alfa Romeo from home. Our previous hobby project was a GT with a two-liter JTS, but we had wanted a 147 GTA for a long time. A hatchback with a 250 hp V6, that’s really crazy.”
Search abroad
Father and son did not rush into the search for a GTA that fit the bill. Very many are not for sale and often the history is unknown. “We wanted a car that was at least very good mechanically, because we are not tinkerers ourselves,” says Tom. “We looked at several copies in the Netherlands and there was not the right one among them. We then also started looking abroad and saw a 147 in Germany from a private individual that matched our wishes in terms of price and story. After some initial contact by email and telephone, we started looking. There we met an enthusiast who had done a lot of work on the car. The engine has been overhauled, complete with a photo report, and the owner knew a lot about his GTA. We immediately had a good feeling about it.”
Felt faster
Two years later we are looking at a GTA that is ready to attack the asset bank in The Hague. Here and there some changes have been made to the original, such as the wheels that have a slightly darker color, the dark rear lights, it has been lowered a bit and the exhaust system has been adjusted to make that Italian opera sound fuller and more intense. “What struck us during the first test drive is that it felt faster than the other GTAs we had driven,” says Tom. “We did not doubt the owner’s story for a moment and had complete confidence in the technology. We won’t be surprised if it produces slightly more power than normal. Thanks to the short shift, it also shifts nice and directly. That also made an immediate impression.”
Sardinia and Zandvoort
Immediately after purchase, Tom had the timing belt replaced. Alfa Romeo prescribes a three-year term and you better stick to it. It won’t surprise you that a car like this gives dynamometer manager Ghisbert van Ginhoven a more than big grin on his face. He lashes the thoroughbred firmly, calibrates the equipment and treats us to a great radio play. De Busso roars and screams and shows that he is still in perfect health. “This result confirms our suspicions, great,” says a beaming Tom. “We really bought the right car. Last summer I went to Sardinia more, where I even came across another GTA. We have also driven it twice on the Zandvoort circuit, hence the semi-slicks, stronger brakes and brake fluid that can withstand high temperatures. Yes, it meets and even exceeds all expectations.”