Italy is well known for it’s artistic creations. The opera, listen to Pavarotti and visit the Sistine Chapel…just a few of the popular creations that came out of Italy. Another popular Italian creation is the Alfa Romeo automobile. In this article we feature the 1974 Alfa Romeo GTV 2000. The GTV stands for ” Gran Turismo Veloce“. The car was considered a reasonably priced coupe with a style seen in more costly automobiles. These cars also had the performance to match the looks.
Alfa Romeo was imported to the United States by Max Hoffman beginning in the mid-1950s. The automobile brand ceased exporting cars to the U.S. in 1995 but began selling cars in the U.S. again in 2008.
The Alfa Romeo GTV was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, who at the time was working for Bertone. The styling and coachbuilding company is also known as Gruppo Bertone. The GTV is considered by many as being one of the most beautiful cars Bertone ever designed. Bertone which as founded in 1912 has also designed cars for Fiat, Citroen, Astin Martin, Mercedes Benz, Abarth and others.
The GTV sports coupe was an elegant automobile with sporty lines. The car is a popular collector automobile with it’s Italian craftsmanship.
The Start Was 1963
The very first GTV chassis was introduced in 1963 with the Giulia Sprint GT. They were the successors to the very popular Giulietta Sprint coupé and used a shortened floorpan from the Giulia Berlina car. These sporty good looking automobiles were made in a wide variety of models over a period of 13 years.
All versions of the car’s engine fitted to the 105 series coupes featured twin carburetors. The competition models had cylinder heads with twin spark plugs.
That car delivered 92 horsepower from a 1,570cc engine. In 1965 that model then turned into the Sprint GT “Veloce” (GTV). In 1967 Alfa Romeo released the GTV 1750 with a 1,779cc engine delivering 122 horsepower.
Four years later in 1971 Alfa made small changes to the body and upgraded the engine to a 1962cc delivering 132 horsepower. This car was the GTV 2000. With its more powerful engine, few other cars could compete with it’s handling experience. The chassis was balanced and the non-powered steering made the driver one with the road.
The 1974 Alfa Romeo GTV 2000 was the last and most capable version of the popular 105 series. As mentioned above the GTV 2000 came equipped with a 2.0 liter engine with 132hp.
It’s been said that If ever there was an Italian cousin to the legendary BMW 2002, it would be the Alfa Romeo GTV Coupe. The GTV 2000 was introduced in 1971.
The coupe styled GTV weighed only 2,260 lbs. It was a sports car that did the zero to 60 mph in under nine seconds and had a top speed of 120 MPH. High performance and with such special styling, made the GTV 2000 an instant classic. The car was sold in the United States only from 1973 to 1974 which makes it a rare find as well.
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1974 Alfa Romeo GTV 2000 Specifications
As mentioned above the 1974 Alfa GTV 2000 came with a twin cam 1962cc 2.0 liter engine delivering 132 horsepower. The 2.0 liter cars are distinguished by a grille that houses several horizontal bars with a recessed centerpiece.
The car’s transmission was a five speed manual with an aluminum flywheel.
Brakes were four wheel disc.
The 1974 GTV 2000 had an overall length of 161.4 inches, the wheelbase 92.5 inches, the width 62.2 inches and a height of 51.8 inches.
A total of 37,459 GTV 2000’s were produced.
The Alfa Romeo GTV 2000 Collector Car
All Alfa Romeo GTV’s from the 1970’s are very collectible. They are becoming increasingly sought after. The Alfa Romeo brand has a strong following in North America. GTVs in outstanding condition can reach into the $30,000 range. All of course depends on condition, mileage and originality. You’ll likely find a few handsomely restored 1974 models.
Rust is an issue with Alfa Romeos, and every car should be carefully inspected for rust. Areas of rust can include the rocker panels although you’ll likely be able to find models for sale or at auction which are rust free.
(Article and photos copyright 2014 AutoMuseumOnline)
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