Alfa Romeo GT coupe is an eye-catching V6 racer

By DAVID LINKLATER

The Alfa Romeo New Zealand range will have a sporting flagship with real sex appeal in August, with the arrival of the GT coupe.

The GT name refers mainly to the coupe body shape, but for the Kiwi model it will also become synonymous with extreme performance: local importer Ateco Automotive has eschewed the 2.0-litre JTS and 1.9-litre JTD turbo diesel versions available in Europe to concentrate on the flagship 3.2-litre V6.

With 176kW, 300Nm of torque and a six-speed manual gearbox, the GT V6 hits 100km/h in 6.7 seconds and is capable of reaching a top speed of 243km/h.

The GT is based on the 156 platform and uses the 156 GTA's engine and suspension setup, including revisions to spring, damper and anti-roll bar settings.

It also fills a hole in the local lineup, since the GTA four-door was dropped in September last year (it did not receive the facelift given to the rest of the 156 range) and is now only available on special order via Australia.

However, Ateco strongly denies that the new coupe is a replacement for the previous sedan, saying that the GT "is not a two-door version of an existing sedan, but a unique model in its own right". Which is at least half-right, since the coupe certainly has a visual style all its own.

Pricing won't be confirmed until closer to the GT's August launch, but expect a window sticker commensurate with the car's looks and flagship status. The 156 GTA sedan last sold for $96,990.