GTV6 Designer

[ChrisP]

I keep seeing conflicting attributions for the design of the GTV6. I've seen both Giugiaro and Bertone credited for the design. Can someone confirm who did the design work? I was convinced it was Giugiaro based on a few sources and then I just picked up a copy of a Jeremy Clarkson book where he gives Bertone credit. Did Giugiaro design the Alfetta and Bertone the GTV6?

Either way, it's a beautiful car!

[SimonDB]

Giugiaro designed the Alfetta GT but Alfa made some detail changes after a wind tunnel session. Result was that Giugiaro refused permission for Alfa to use his name in connection with the car. I think the GTV6 revisions were done in-house at Alfa Romeo but can't confirm this.

[Gabor K.]

Read the same story, that Guigiaro´s Ital design designed the first suggestion for the new GTV116. It was later modified by the factory design center. Then Giugiaro did not approve of the changes, so they went separate ways and the factory produced their own style.

Further:
The GTV 6 bonnet/hood had several (5-6) versions before the stylists of Alfa Romeo decided for the final version with the plastic plate in the middle. Have not seen why the plate was the chosen one. The South African limited 3L production had a hood with a NACA air inlet(non funtional) which had similarities with the GTV8 hood(functional).

[Zinhead]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gabor K. Read the same story, that Guigiaro´s Ital design designed the first suggestion for the new GTV116. It was later modified by the factory design center. Then Giugiaro did not approve of the changes, so they went separate ways and the factory produced their own style. The GTV 6 bonnet/hood had several (5-6) versions before the stylists of Alfa Romeo decided for the final version with the plastic plate in the middle. Have not seen why the plate was the chosen one. The South African limited 3L production had a hood with a NACA air inlet(non funtional) which had similarities with the GTV8 hood(functional).

[Gabor K.]

OK I rephrased as it seems I have been misunderstood.

Then actually the V6 engine was ready, but put on the shelf when production of the 116 GTV started in 1974. There was a long wait for 1980 when they eventually understood that they needed the V6 in that body.

Actually the greatest miss they did, in my opinion, is that they never produced the GTV8 in a limited production run. That would have been a real collectors car today!

Here a photo of the Guigiaro suggestion. Its so like the end product form that one would wonder what the fuss was all about..

[Matthew K]

Italdesign has the Alfetta GT listed on their website:

Italdesign - Giugiaro

[TorW]

The 1750 Berlinetta design proposal from 1968 was in some ways the forerunner of the Alfetta GT design-wise. Other than being a 105 series car underneath, it is more or less an early 116 coupé in the looks department. Centrol Stile Alfa Romeo was behind the 1750 Berlinetta.

The Montreal inspiration is evident, as it is on the Alfetta Coupé, albeit less so.

[TorW]

Here's a couple more design proposals from Italdesign for the Alfetta GT. The pictures are from Automobilismo Epoca, February 2006.

[planetmojo]

Hi, I studied car design at Art Center, and got to shake Giorgetto Giugiaro's hand on my way across the stage to accept my diploma. Didn't wash my right hand for a week. And went out and bought my first Alfetta Coupe just a few weeks later. No real connection, BTW. Just coincidence.

Since the added-on hood bulge was a necessity for the larger V6, and was done in-house... someone lost the thread to the fabric that Giugiaro had started weaving. Look at the GTV6 from the side: all curves. Now, look at it from the front view: all crisp creases. The hood bulge follows the theme in front view, but totally disregards it in the side view... by including a crisp fold where the bulge dives back down to the base plane of the hood.

In addition, they added the 'tea tray'... and painted it a contrasting color... on a contrasting textured surface... then added 5 grooves down the tea tray... then decided those grooves should be asymmetrically offset... and then decided the bulge also required that non-functional recess just behind the tea tray! Any one, or even two, of these accents should have been more than enough. In design school, they taught us to be aware of when it's time to put your pencil down.

Or perhaps better expressed, by a friend: "Know when it's time to declare victory, and just walk away."

Regardless, it's still a beautiful shape. And I've even become numb to my complaints above, over the years. The way a GTV6 makes me giggle like a little girl in the corners, more than makes up for any criticisms I might have on the hood detailing !!

[ChrisP]

Fantastic! Really appreciate the response here. No wonder different sources give different attributions.

[Gabor K.]

The GTV6 prototype. It was observed on german Autobahns late 1979. Reportedly it looked very much like the 2L GTV, but this time it could outrun the previously equally fast transaxle Porsches. So this was the first sign that a new GTV was on the way from A.R.

[wonderbrad]

It is also worth mentioning that Giugiaro was head designer at Bertone for a number of years before founding Italdesign. During his tenure there he authored a number of Alfas. But this is probably the reason, if any, that Bertone would be erroneously credited for the design when it is definitely Giugiaro's brainchild. If there was any doubt at all, the drawings TorW posted above clearly show the genesis of the design for the Alfetta GT. It has Giugiaro's fingerprints all over it. Look at it next to a VW Rabbit and you'll see what I mean.

[planetmojo]

You guys have all added some great insights... Thanks. I believe Giugiaro started at Bertone when he was only 16 years old. Any confirmation on that?

Last year I was in an underground parking lot, waiting in a long line of traffic, after a hockey game. I was in my GTV6. A couple of dudes came up to my window and started chatting about my car... What year is it? Haven't seen one of these in ages. It must really scoot. Etc. After about 5 minutes of thinking they knew this design, one said, "You have one of the nicer Sciroccos I've seen in a while!"

I politely explained that it was an ALFA, not a VW. They looked a little puzzled, and then said, "Very nice... really?"

Two seconds after they walked away, it occurred to me what I should have said:
"Easy mistake. Both were designed by the same Italian gentleman, about the same period of time... and that I had dusted a couple of Sciroccos earlier in the day!!"

[Alleggerita]

The only piece on why the ugly plastic tray that I came across: supposedly had to do with snow on the hood and temperature affecting fuel injection sensors. Not sure whether it is true or not. Can't remember where I got it from. Have never spent any time to check out if it actually might make sense. Fact is that it is not an exactly attractive solution.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gabor K. Further: The GTV 6 bonnet/hood had several (5-6) versions before the stylists of Alfa Romeo decided for the final version with the plastic plate in the middle. Have not seen why the plate was the chosen one. The South African limited 3L production had a hood with a NACA air inlet(non funtional) which had similarities with the GTV8 hood(functional).

[alfavirusnz]

I have read regarding the original 116 GT design that Giugiaro became unhappy when after wind tunnel testing by Alfa they changed the angle of the windscren and altered the way the wipers were set at the base of the windscreen.
That photo of the pre production test model GTV6 shows ideally how the GTV6 should have looked and how I`d like mine to look -a logical evolution of the 1st series 116 coupe with stainless bumpers, those nice GTV inserts on the C pillar and the nicer tail lights.
Regarding the V8 from the Montreal would it have been any faster than the V6 engined car, after all when the GTV6 was released the publicity said it was the fastest accelerating road going Alfa, certainly quicker than the Montreals which they compared it to.