The early 2000s was the era of the hot hatch. Forget the 1980s. Peugeot 205s and VW Golf GTIs are great, some might even say brilliant. But, what they’re truly lacking, is a whopping great V6. There were several options for V6-powered hot hatches though, the ludicrous Clio V6 or the comparatively tame R32 Golf, but none compare to the Penne Arrabiata of Hot Hatches. The Alfa Romeo 147 GTA.

Unsurprisingly, the GTA was built off the basic 147 platform, a car that in 2001 was voted European Car of the Year. Gone, however, was the base twin-spark 4-cylinder engine, in its place, a 3.2-litre variant of the sonorous Busso V6, if Pavarotti was an engine, he’d have been a Busso-V6.

This particular 2005 147 GTA is finished in Alfa Red, an iconic shade for an iconic car. The paintwork is in excellent condition, a particularly strong red that accents the GTA’s bulges and muscles perfectly. The basic 147 is a very pretty car, but with the GTA accoutrements, it’s elevated to a higher level.

The red coachwork is contrasted perfectly by 17” Teledial style wheels, recently refurbished to the original specification of satin-silver, they are free from any nasty marks. The wheels are wrapped in a matching set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres. Tucked behind the wheels is another trademark GTA touch, the red 4-piston brake calipers, branded with the Alfa Romeo script.

Step inside and you’re greeted by a typically Italian interior, envious style and luxury ensue. Black leather heated bucket seats hug you, whilst horizontal stitching offers a nod to Alfa’s heritage back catalogue. The 3-spoke multi-function steering wheel is leather bound and shows minimal signs of wear. In part thanks to the car’s low mileage of just over 71,000 miles. The dashboard is free from any cracks and all of the gauges and dials work as they should.

Under the bonnet you’ll find the aforementioned 3.2-litre Busso V6, producing 247bhp and 221lb-ft of torque. The power is driven through a six-speed manual gearbox, which thanks to an upgrade by Veloces of London in 2009 is fitted with the optional Q2 limited-slip diff. The engine bay is clean and tidy, and free from any signs of damage, a clearly incredibly well looked after example reinforced by an extensive service record with no less than three-cambelt services.

The service records include:

03/01/06 - 11,500 miles - Service at Main Dealer

27/10/09 - 32,000 miles - Q2 Differential upgrade at Veloces of London

09/12/09 - 39,000 miles - Cambelt & waterpump at Alfa Aid

18/09/10 - 46,000 miles - Service at EMC Racing

23/03/12 - 50,000 miles - Service at EMC Racing

26/02/13 - 53,000 miles - Service at EMC Racing

25/04/14 - 58,000 miles - Service at EMC Racing

18/04/15 - 60,100 miles - Service & replacement top arms at EMC Racing

26/10/17 - 68,700 miles - Cambelt & waterpump at AHM Alfa Care

12/09/22 - 70,600 miles - Camblet & waterpump at CRG Automotive

10/05/23 - 71,000 miles - Replacement steering rack & tracking at Alfanet Auto Services

14/11/23 - 71,300 miles - Replacement power steering pipe

The 147 GTA will be one of those cars that we look back on and say, hang on a minute, they sold that? It’s a relic of an era gone by, but thankfully they’re still here to be enjoyed. If you have this parked on your driveway, your neighbours might well think you’re mad, but they’ll be jealous and you’ll be giddy with excitement every time you fire it up.

As with all our vehicles, a full digital folder is available on request containing more images, walk-around videos, and scans of the service history. The car can also be viewed by appointment at our West London showroom.

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