Emilia GT Veloce: Retro-Power | STERN.de

Retro electric cars like Renault 5 or the planned Lancia Delta are currently very much in fashion. But how about transplanting a brutal six-cylinder with over 500 hp into a classic? The Hamburg classic specialists from Emilia Motors do just that: They take the 375 kW / 510 PS steam hammer of the current Alfa Rome Giulia Quadrifoglio and transplant the engine into the engine compartment of the classic Alfa Romeo Giulia GT, fans of the traditional Italian brand simply “Bertone” “and your eyes light up.

That sounds wonderful, but a biturbo monster that hits the drive shaft with 600 Newton meters of torque tears up the body of its automotive ancestor. “We have to adjust the car a bit, of course,” says Dr. Ralf-Hendrik Steinkühler, one of the initiators of the unusual project and understates something typically Hanseatic. The modifications involve a lot more than just a little flanging. Basically, the Giulia gets a new chassis on which the classic hat is put on. But there is also a lot of handwork. “Basically, we have to cut away everything in front of the windshield,” says Ralf-Hendrik Steinkühler. In other words, the engine compartment is being modified to accommodate the modern engine. Above all, the cooling package of the turbocharged six-cylinder takes up space.

In order to adapt the chassis of the Retromod Giulia to the performance, the Hamburg classic car specialists have brought a suitable partner on board with Velo Performance. The tuning specialists have already helped to develop the reputation of CTR and so they know how to get a lot of horsepower on the road without the fenders flying over your ears. It goes without saying that the new substructure will be significantly stiffer than before. Parts of the current Giulia can still be used, including parts of the axles and the ZF eight-speed transmission. So the hand-torn purism of the Emilia GT Veloce won’t work. There are shift paddles on the steering wheel so that the driver can concentrate fully on the road. The light is also adapted to the current status. Instead of the Alfa sparkles, LED lights shine in the front and the driver sits enthroned in a modern Recaro sports seat.

That is also necessary. With a weight of only 1,250 kilograms, this Giulia is significantly lighter than the current model and does not have an ESP lifeline, but only ABS and traction control. KW contributes the coilover kit. Dekra keeps a watchful eye on the construction of the Italo legend with new technology so that approval goes smoothly. Since there will only be 22 numbered copies of the Emilia GT Veloce, the retro racer is considered a small series for which special provisions apply.

The model for the Emilia GT Veloce is what the US boys from Singer do with Porsche. So as much as possible of the original Alfa Romeo should be preserved. In the past, such a modernization as Emilia Auto is planning with the Giulia was considered a sacrilege by real Alfisti. “But the scene changed and the response to our car was 95 percent positive,” says Ralf-Hendrik Steinkühler happily, adding: “It was important for me that the project was done with respect for the original.” It was therefore an irrefutable premise that the original design should be retained as far as possible. The decision of the original car was made between a Lancia Delta and the Alfa Romeo “Bertone”. Another decisive factor was that Lancia currently only builds comparatively few cars, and it is important for Emilia Motors that as many parts of the same brand as possible are built into the vehicle.

For Steinkühler, who had the idea for such a car two years ago, the Giulia is also an affair of the heart. With a doctorate in business, he has been infected with the Italian carmaker’s virus since his first car, an Alfa Romeo Sud. The love for beautiful cars remained and so the businessman was able to build a dense network in the youngtimer scene. He’s benefiting from that now. Because Steinkühler and his team get to the donor Giulia GTs in a very classic way, by browsing through offers in the well-known portals. Of course, the base has to be in good condition. Rust arbors are not an option and since around 220,000 cars of the Giulia GT were built in the 1960s and 1970s, the selection of parts is still quite large. The Hamburgers do not buy very rare specimens. You can tell that Ralf-Hendrik Steinkühler and his team have an eye for good cars if you look around the headquarters of Emilia Autos. Here you can find precious automobiles like a classic Maserati Ghibli or a Ferrari Testarossa.

People who can afford such cars are the clientele for the Emilia GT Veloce. “This is a niche car for customers who drive electrically during the week and want to do something special at the weekend,” explains Steinkühler. The classic with modern technology will cost between 400,000 and 450,000 euros. The car should be presented in the second quarter of next year. Some can’t wait. There are already many reservations, especially from the USA.