An Alfa Romeo GT Junior has marketed for £50,000, smashing the auction globe history for this product.
The elegant traditional coupe, originally exported to Australia in 1971, captivated 261 bids throughout a 7-day online sale.
The document cost is even more proof of a robust collector car or truck marketplace, which has so much resisted the creeping Covid malaise. On the net auctions in unique are booming, as our interview with Vehicle & Classic CEO Tom Wooden unveiled final month.
More cost-effective thrills
Ironically, the GT Junior was conceived as a less costly route into Alfa Romeo possession. Launched in 1965, it traded the 109hp 1.6-litre engine of the Giulia Sprint Veloce for a 90hp 1.3 with twin carbs and twin cams.
It was specially well-known in Italy, the place the tax routine penalised larger sized engines (therefore other ‘downsized’ classics, this sort of as the Ferrari 208 GTB).
Performance was steady (-60mph in 12.6 seconds), but the GT Junior’s gutsy willingness to rev – coupled with a sweet gearshift and well balanced, rear-driven chassis – created it splendidly engaging to drive. You’ll be outgunned by a family-spec Ford Aim, but who cares?
Flavor of Italy
Then there is how the GT Junior seems: pert, pretty and brimful of Italian brio. Frankly, it could generate like a Routemaster bus and we’d nonetheless want one.
The most exclusive aspect of early 105-sequence coupes was the scalino ‘step front’, wherever the major edge of the bonnet sits 10mm very pleased of the bodywork. Afterwards cars and trucks, this kind of as this 1, have a flush front end.
Flared wheelarches, a flowing roofline and a chopped Kamm tail also trace at refined sportiness, even though the period of time-seem 15-inch Alfaholics alloys equipped right here are just stunning.
Far better than new
Other modifications for this particular GT Junior contain fitment of the 1,750cc engine (utilized in the normal GT Veloce from 1967) with new Weber carbs, Pipercross filters and electronic ignition.
The uprated suspension works by using Koni dampers and 40mm decreasing springs, and the brakes have been bolstered with a dual-circuit equilibrium box.
The car is or else common, but restored to near-concours condition. Pursuing a bare-shell respray with Glasurit paints, each chrome portion has been re-plated or changed, with every rubber seal also new. Safe to say, this Alfa Romeo is smarter than when it remaining the manufacturing unit (and absolutely a lot less likely to rust).
Alfa bravo
The GT Junior has induced a stir amongst Alfisti (Alfa Romeo’s fanatical fans) and much exceeded Hagerty’s market value for a equivalent design in ideal condition, which stands at £30,900.
It also amazed Chris Pollitt, head of editorial at Car & Basic. “I’ve hardly ever noticed a restoration that had been carried out with this sort of care and remarkable awareness to element,” he claimed.
“Going up and down the region to photograph automobiles for our auction system implies I get to see some remarkable automobiles. Even so, this Alfa Romeo remains firmly at the top rated of the checklist.”
ALSO Read:
Inside the amazing Alfa Romeo museum
Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce (2020) review
Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio (2020) evaluate