Two times AR 213 equals what exactly?

Marking progress on the GTV with a short review. 

I was able at last to park the two Alfas side by side and consider the formal relationship between the generations. Italian styling DNA is evident as both designs are the work of Giorgetto Giugiaro, one a piece of juvenilia for Bertone when barely out of his teens and the other from his Ital Design high period during the mid-1970s.  So do they have anything in common?

The prominent belt line gives drama to both forms. In a strong metallic colour such as AR 213, this divides the car into unequal sections and minimises the height that comes from the saloon underpinnings.  This line blends into the nose in a similar way although the Alfetta's is disrupted by the flared front wheel arches, fading but then returning strongly as it approaches the tail. Early press pictures of the car accentuated this effect and the panels looked like folded paper although there is pronounced curvature in the form.

The older Bertone coupe performs wonders with its flat side glass, the body blending around the glasshouse with carefully detailed steps and flats. The Alfetta is more sophisticated with complex curved glass divided by black painted strips. Contemporary criticism was directed towards the side profile where the length of the glazed area seemed to overbalance the car. Viewed directly from the side this seems to be so but the earlier coupe was also long in the passenger cabin compared to the long nose, short tail profile preferred by contemporary British and American stylists.

 I realised while painting the car that the panel joins were a critical part of the way the visual effects worked. The major difference between the two cars is the way that the panels are blended in the older car and divided into separate planes on the other. The wide gaps around doors and rear hatch are also deliberate and less to do with sloppy production tolerances than Giugiaro's desire to show the graphics of the shell rather than sculpt it as with the earlier car, once memorably described as Baroque by Marcello Gandini.

While contemplating these details, I also attempted to decide which version of AR 213 Verde olivia metallizzato that I preferred. The colour on the Bertone car was clearly mixed with less black, appearing brighter and closer to the warmer end of the spectrum. It is cheerful and enhances the prettiness of the older coupe form. The more correct AR 213 on the Alfetta is almost military in its dullness and far less sparkly. This may be in the application but I doubt it.  I would have to say that a reversal of the two hues would not flatter either car and I am happy to live with the difference. Has a Brera ever been painted this colour, I wonder? If so, I must arrange another photo shoot in better surroundings.

Driving the two cars also accentuates the age gap between them, Although the Alfetta is dogged by a driveshaft that rattles your teeth and a gear lever like a bent coat hanger, the rest of the car is highly refined. The Bertone car bobs and weaves entertainingly and feels like it is going faster than it is while the more scientific GTV impresses with its precise placement on the road. The lengths the engineers at Arese went to in pursuit of 50/50 weight distribution is the root cause of the drive shaft problem as the clutch is housed in the rear axle and the long shaft rotates constantly at engine speed.  Engine noise levels are lower in the Alfetta that has an electric radiator fan. There is a similar Italian exhaust cackle that encourages lifting off on the over run and induction roar from the twin Dellortos is set at matching levels. The architecture of both engines is identical and the use of the old Alfa Romeo script on the cam covers reminds us that the design is now sixty years old. Both produce low range torque for confident getaways while enthusiastically exceeding their modest rev limitations.

The hooded instruments of the Bertone GTV are sublime compared to the slightly mad layout of the newer car although the 1970s decor is beginning to grow on me. It is tempting to replace the awful plastic wood of the Alfetta's modular dash that has all the charm of an MDF wall unit. At least the speedo has made its way in front of the driver rather than the first version of the car that flattered racing driver sensibilities by giving centre stage to the rev counter. There is height adjustment on the Alfetta driver's seat which is fortunate as the wheel is in your lap wherever you have it. The taller scuttle of the Bertone car leaves the wheel in a higher and more comfortable position while the more upright and curvaceous screen does not crowd the cabin even though the glass area is far less in the older car. The Alfetta's front seats are less orthopedic than the rigid Bertone items that offer great lumbar support but feel thin and under padded. Few passengers are ever happy in the rear of a GTV, whatever the model. The Alfetta offers a little more room and the seats are shapely enough for a short ride. Both sets of front seats feature the charming wind up headrest feature that enables rear seat travellers to fiddle with something on the trip. The segmented side glass is also more fun than the Bertone coupe's side hinged version. One of the pleasures of the Alfetta is the smooth action of the rear hatch that rises on a big central strut. The groom at last week's wedding hunted futilely for the Bertone boot release and looked at me like I was mad when I told him it was hidden in the left door pillar.

Now that I have the choice, I would use the Alfetta for long trips where the better ride and quieter cabin would win favour from driver and passenger. For a quick solo run up the North Road and over Mt Cargill, however, nothing but a 105 GTV would do.