ALFA ROMEO

Alfa Romeo GT Junior: a sports car that made history

Although it may seem like a makeshift solution given the controversy surrounding the presentation of the Alfa Romeo Junior, the choice of the name for the brand's new compact SUV is fully inscribed in the brand's DNA. For almost six decades, many iconic cars from the ‘Biscione’ have carried this name, following a tradition that began in 1966 with the Alfa Romeo GT Junior, a sports car based on the Giulia Sprint GT, aimed at a young clientele and which achieved great success, becoming the brand's best-selling model during its years on the market.

Presented at the Balocco Circuit, the Alfa Romeo GT 1300 Junior stood out for offering driving pleasure and high-level performance thanks to its compact 1,290 cm³ twin-cam engine, equipped with a single fuel supply line and a new distribution system. Its 89 hp of power transformed this car weighing just 1,020 kg into a true sports car, capable of reaching 170 km/h. These characteristics were accompanied by a well-tuned chassis, an excellent transmission for the standards of the time and precise steering.

The result of this combination was a success, with 92,000 units sold between 1966 and 1977. For several years, the first Junior was the brand's most commercially well-received model and a true status symbol in the 60s and 70s.

This first generation of the Junior also had a version designed for competitions, decorated with the legendary Quadrifoglio: the Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA Junior 1300 Corsa. It went in search of victories with a 96 hp engine. AutoDelta, then the brand's sports department, developed a 160 hp engine for this model. In turn, Zagato, one of Italy’s most prestigious coachbuilders, turned its attention to this model, creating its sportiest and most exclusive version, the 1300 Junior Zagato, designed by Ercole Spada. After its successful launch at the Turin Motor Show in 1969, this aerodynamic coupé, with a spectacular front end and a ‘coda tronca’ rear end, was marketed in two series, of which more than 1,500 units were sold in total.

However, these were not the only Juniors that Alfa Romeo had in its catalogue at the time. In 1968, the Alfa Romeo Spider 1300 Junior arrived on the market, which, together with the Spider 1600 Junior, became the entry-level, economical version of the Spider 1750 range.

From the mid-1970s, the term Junior remained in the brand's archives for over 20 years until, in 1998, it was revived to designate sporty versions of two ‘Biscione’ models: the Alfa Romeo 145 and the Alfa Romeo 146. In both cases, details and finishes from the Quadrifoglio model were adopted to reinforce their dynamic character.

In the 21st century, the compact Alfa Romeo MiTO Junior was added to the range in 2012, with a 78 hp engine and high-level equipment. In 2021, the special Junior edition was launched on the Giulia and Stelvio, featuring an Ocra Lipari body colour and exclusive leather upholstery with GT Junior embroidery on the front seat headrests.

The new Alfa Romeo Junior, launched a few months ago, is, for now, the latest appearance of this name. With a strong disruptive vocation, this model redefines the standards of its category, both in terms of aesthetics and in terms of technology and technical aspects, with its range of electrified engines, which offer the possibility of choosing between several hybrid or 100% electric options, all with the performance and sporty character that have always characterized Alfa Romeo.

Innovation and tradition come together in a model with ‘zero emissions’ Elettrica alternatives, equipped with the 156 hp engine that provides up to 410 km of autonomy, as well as the Ibrida versions with MHEV technology and 136 hp of power. They are the harbinger of a range to which, by the end of the year, a 240 hp ‘Veloce’ electric engine and a Q4 hybrid engine with all-wheel drive will be added.

Autonews