Almost 60 years after it first tore across the finish line at Monza, the Alfa Romeo GTA is still turning heads and winning hearts. Voted the top “Italian Classic” in the 2025 Motor Klassik Awards, the GTA has once again reminded us why it’s one of the most iconic and beloved touring cars of all time. Lightweight, loud, and built for racing glory, this car wasn’t just fast—it was a revolution on wheels. And it still holds a special place in the garage of automotive history.
The Readers Have Spoken: GTA Takes the Crown
More than 17,000 classic car enthusiasts cast their votes in this year’s Motor Klassik Awards, and the Alfa Romeo GTA came out on top of the “Italian Classics” category, beating out giants like Ferrari, Maserati, and Lamborghini. Not bad for a car first introduced in 1965. It’s not the first time Alfa has taken home this honor; the GTV6 won in 2023, proving this brand still lives rent-free in the minds of classic car lovers.
What makes the GTA stand out even now? Simplicity, smarts, and a stubborn refusal to compromise on speed. This is a car that doesn’t just look the part — it earned its place on the podium.
Light as a Feather, Fast as a Fox
The GTA, short for Gran Turismo Alleggerita (literally, “lightened grand tourer”), was more than a stripped-down street car; it was a carefully crafted weapon for the racetrack. By swapping heavy steel for aluminum alloys and Plexiglas, Alfa’s engineers brought the weight down to just 745 kg. That’s over 200 kg lighter than a standard Giulia Sprint GT.
Its 1.6-liter engine packed a punch too, with dual overhead cams, dual ignition, and an unmistakable twin-cam roar. Everything on the GTA was about performance, down to the magnesium wheels and minimalist aluminum door handles.
From Formula 1 to Touring Car Domination
After clinching two F1 championships in the early 1950s, Alfa Romeo took a bold turn: shifting its focus from open-wheel racing to mass-production touring cars. The result was the GTA, and its impact was immediate. It won the European Touring Car Championship in 1966, 1967, and 1969, with factory drivers like Andrea de Adamich and future F1 legend Jochen Rindt behind the wheel.
With upgraded fuel tanks, stripped-down interiors, and 170-hp race-tuned engines, the GTA wasn’t just built to win — it was built to outlast. And win it did, everywhere from Nürburgring to Zandvoort to local hill climbs.
A Classic That Still Commands Attention (and a Price Tag)
Today, the GTA is a unicorn among collectors. Sports Car Market estimates that fewer than 500 units of the 1600 version were made, and prices regularly exceed €100,000. It’s not just about rarity — it’s about legacy. The GTA isn’t just a classic Alfa. It’s the Alfa that changed everything.
And this 2025 win? It’s just the latest reminder that some legends never fade—they just get better with time.