Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

BRM Alfa Romeo GTA
#1

The next addition to BRM's fabulous 1/24 scale Group-2 Mini-Saloon cars is the Alfa Romeo 1300 Junior GTA.

           

These images of the first pre-production model were released by BRM a couple of weeks ago. The first three cars are due to arrive with retailers next month (March 2020) and will be priced at £105 each in the UK.

I have to say that I am personally very excited by this release. One of my earliest memories is of accompanying my father to buy his 1970 Alfa GT 1300 Junior at a car dealer. It was his last chance to have a sports car before me and my sister would need a sensible family car to sit in the back of. The red Alfa had 'one careful lady owner', but got a good thrashing from my dad for the next three years. I remember the leather bucket seats in the back, the sensational noise from the 1300cc twin-cam engine and roadholding that scared the living daylights out of me along some of our local country lanes. Not that I ever turned down the offer to go for a ride in the Alfa and I always came back with a smile on my face and adrenaline pumping through my veins.

The BRM model is the GTA version of the Junior - with the lightened Alleggerita aluminium body panels and race prepared by Autodelta. The 1300cc engine in the GTA Junior was derived from the 1600cc GTA unit, but with a shorter stroke. With fuel injection, it produced 178 bhp and a top speed of 130mph. Both the 1600 GTA and 1300 GTA Junior were very successful on the track, including in North America. That success was matched by the slightly later GTAm cars.

The 1300 GTA Junior scored nine overall race wins and 54 class wins between 1968 and 1984 - the 1971-2 European Touring Car Championship Division 1 rules certainly favouring the Junior. Thanks to the Division 1 class wins, Alfa Romeo won the ETCC manufacturers' title in 1971 and 1972 - GTA Juniors taking a clean sweep of class wins in 1972.

From the first three BRM cars, the livery that jumps out at me is the 1300 GTA Junior that won its class (Division 1) at the 1972 Jarama 4 hours - round nine of the 1972 European Touring Car Championship. Driven by the Dutch pairing of Toine Hezemans and Gijs van Lennep, the car finished fourth overall...

   
   
   
BRM-105 BRM Alfa Romeo 1300 Junior No.33 4h Jarama 1972 Winner Div.1 - 1/24th Scale

Without the flared arches, a 1/24 scale GTA Junior should be around 66mm wide, which places the BRM model into their Mini-Saloon range that can race on the wider 1/32 scale sectional track systems (Ninco and Policar), but will be rather tight on Scalextric. The recent Opel Kadett GT/E came in at 72mm wide, so perhaps the slightly over-exaggerated  wheel-arch styling on the Alfa has pushed the width out to something similar? Underneath, I expect the Alfa's chassis and running gear to be very similar to the Kadette:  slotracer.online/community/showthread.php?tid=940

The other two liveries due next month are also rather nice. The first is the Alfa that came third in class at the 1972 Jarama 4 hours - driven by Luigi Colzani, "Pooky" (Vincenzo Cazzago) and Vittorio Venturi, three regular GTA Junior drivers through 1972...

   
BRM-107 BRM Alfa Romeo 1300 Junior No.35 4h Jarama 1972 3rd Div.1 - 1/24th Scale

The final car was the Division 1 class winner at the 1971 Paul Ricard 12 hours - round seven of the 1971 European Touring Car Championship. The race took place over two days, with one 6 hour race per day. The #40 Alfa was driven by Gianluigi Picci and Guy Chasseuil. Picci was another regular GTA Junior driver in 1971 and 72...

   
BRM-106 BRM Alfa Romeo 1300 Junior No.40 12h Paul Ricard 1971 Winner Div.1 - 1/24th Scale

A big thank you to Neil at Pendle Slot Racing for the pictures and release information. All three cars are available as pre-orders from Pendles: www.pendleslotracing.co.uk/brand/brm/group-2-cars
[+] 3 members Like woodcote's post
Quote
#2

I really hate them for doing this.

Amongst the many Alfas I have had over the years, the 1300 GT Junior remains my favourite, wonderful balance and handling and adequate performance.

I already have a 24th scale Junior but it is a standard bodied one and it's a bit narrow for a slot car. Oh how tempted I am!
[+] 1 member Likes Gordon Steadman's post
Quote
#3

My only reservation for not pre-ordering one (or two - or all three) of these cars was I wanted to see the finished product...

           

Okay, very nice job BRM. But which one to choose?

       

       

       

       

       

   

And just a reminder of what's underneath...

       

Time to start counting my pennies and checking down the back of the sofa to find the £105 that Pendles are asking. No time to dilly-dally, these are going to be very popular.
[+] 2 members Like woodcote's post
Quote
#4

I love the little Alfa and would buy one like a shot if it was 1/32nd scale which is used at the three clubs I race at.
[+] 2 members Like Ken Mason's post
Quote
#5

Will they do a white kit or body only I wonder!! I would prefer to paint it the colour that mine was. Verde Inglese! Much as Alfas should be red, nostalgia would demand.....

this colour    
[+] 3 members Like Gordon Steadman's post
Quote
#6

Gordon - I suspect they will. However, maybe not immediately. The Opel Kadett white kits have just been released and the first liveried cars appeared at the end of November 2019. Some of that gap was probably a Covid delay... so expect an Alfa kit by the end of the year?

Green, red, white, black, blue, yellow, silver or grey - an Alfa is beautiful in any colour* Heart


*except orange. Alfas really should not be allowed in orange.
[+] 1 member Likes woodcote's post
Quote


Possibly Related Threads...
Thread / Author Replies Views Last Post

Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)