Alfa Romeo GTAm (1750/2000)
The GTAm was Autodelta's Group 2 sledgehammer: the fuel-injected, wide-arched 2-litre evolution of the GTA line that won the 1970 European Touring Car Championship and defined the flared silhouette every Alfa racer since has quoted.
History
When Group 2 rules for 1970 rewarded production-based engines over the GTA's twin-plug exotica, Autodelta rebuilt the formula around the 1750 GTV's injected engine: the GTAm ('Am' variously read as 'America' — the US-spec injection base — or 'maggiorata') ran SPICA-derived injection stretched to 1985 cc and ~220 hp, steel shell with riveted wide arches over fat slicks, the aluminium-panel subtlety of the GTA replaced by open aggression.
Toine Hezemans' 1970 European Touring Car Championship crowned the concept — GTAms winning outright against bigger machinery — with Zandvoort, Budapest and class sweeps through 1971 as the model fought the emerging BMW CSL threat. Production estimates run to roughly 40 genuine cars, Autodelta-built or -supplied, before the 3.0 CSL era closed the window.
Historic racing treasures the survivors: Peter Auto's Heritage Touring Cup, Goodwood's touring races and continental Appendix K grids feature GTAms as headline entries, while the tribute-build industry (on GTV shells) serves those priced out of six-figure originals. The flared-arch look remains Alfa competition's visual shorthand — resurrected by name on the modern Giulia GTAm.
Palmarès
European Touring Car Champion 1970 (Hezemans) with outright wins including the Zandvoort Trophy rounds; ETCC race and class wins through 1971; Dutch, Belgian and Italian national touring titles of the period — the record that closed the classic GTA family's championship era at its loudest.
What to check before you buy
Originals are forensic territory: roughly 40 genuine GTAms exist, Autodelta build traits (injection system, arch construction, lightweight details) are documented by the marque historians, and GTV-based tributes outnumber them heavily — entry-list provenance decides everything at original money. Check shell identity and period repair history, SPICA/injection system completeness (correct hardware is scarce and priced accordingly), and twin-plug head legitimacy where fitted. For historic racing, HTP-papered cars — original or honest tribute openly sold as such — are the usable tier; the price gap between the two is an order of magnitude, as it should be.
Did you know
- The 'Am' suffix's meaning is still argued — America (US injection donor cars) versus 'alleggerita maggiorata' — and the marque historians enjoy not settling it.
- GTAm arches were riveted steel, not the GTA's aluminium — Autodelta chose visible brutality once homologation no longer rewarded subtlety.
- Hezemans' 1970 ETCC campaign beat 5-litre opposition outright with 2 litres — the GTAm's giant-killing run remains Autodelta's favourite statistic.
