Around and about, December 1977

Alfa announcements

The Italian taxpayer’s view may be very different, hut from where we sit Alfa Romeo is doing a grand job for Italy. The range is now one of the freshest in Europe and contains some interesting engineering at a time when conforming seems to be the key to survival. In Britain the Alfasud Sprint coupe has been introduced to the market at virtually £4,000, while in Europe the latest model is the Giulietta.

Reviving a name introduced in 1955 the new Giulietta combines the familiar 1,570 c.c. d.o.h.c. four with De Dion rear suspension and striking bodywork featuring a sharply truncated tail. Although the body is new to look at, the wheelbase and front and rear track dimensions are practically the same as the Alfetta saloon, from which it would make sense to draw that rear suspension/transmission layout.

In this capacity the famous twin-cam engine has a slightly long stroke (87 mm. by 82 mm.) and produces 109 b.h.p. That is enough, say the makers, to allow 108 m.p.h. Although the car looks a lot less bulky than the Alfetta, a glance at the dry kerb weight of that saloon (1,060 kg.) and the Giulietta, albeit a Giulietta fuelled and ready to run at 1,070 kg., would suggest very similar performance.

With the five-speed gearbox, the clutch and final drive, all encased at the rear, Alfa Romeo again expect 50 per cent weight distribution front to rear. Disc brakes (inboard at the back) are fitted for all four wheels and other excellent chassis features include rack and pinion steering and double wishbone front suspension. Price of the Giulietta is not known at present, for the car does not come on sale in Britain until the middle of next year. Presumably it will fit in between the Alfasud and Alfetta lines. Now all that remains to be seen on the Alfa front is whether the V18engine they used in the ill-starred Montreal is likely to re-emerge in a new luxury car to sit on top of the range. At present neither Fiat, nor Alfa Romeo offer a 2-litre-plus mass-production saloon. Perhaps the Government have dictated that luxury is to be left to Lancia’s bold (but apparently pathetically received) Gamma models?

DTV 1978

Rather surprisingly Dealer Team Vauxhall have said that they are to dispense with circuit racing, in which Blydenstein’s men at Shepreth were largely so expert just two seasons ago. This has also meant dispensing with Gerry Marshall, the pillar of DTV for many seasons and one of the main reasons for the team’s existence today. Gerry is to be offered a consultancy, but his driving talents are not included.

On the ill-important rallying front the Chevettes will roam a bit further next year. Pentti Airikkala has signed a contract for another season (reputedly for £50,000, though this is strongly denied by the team) and will contest all the rounds of the British Championship, plus the Swedish, Arctic and 1,000 Lakes internationals. Joining him on some foreign dates will be Chris Selater, who is moved from his permanent number two slot in Britain to drive for a newly-created General Motors Continental team as part of a Vauxhall marketing drive in Europe.

The successful Group 1 Vauxhall Magnum campaigner Jimmy McRae will move into the Sclater position on the home team, but will be very busy as there is an interesting plan for McRae to contest a major British rally series with a Chevette powered by the rather cheaper s.o.h.c. engine: shades of a car for rally privateers that could be as popular as the Escort?

Other international events may be announced later. Meanwhile urv seem to be sorted out for the coming year well in advance; it could well be an advantage they hold onto in competition as well.

New team at DoT

Dealer Opel team have had a pretty quiet time since Tony Fall left Britain to manage the West German-based Euro Handlet Team for Opel at Russelsheim. Shortly before the RAC Rally it was announced that well-known saloon car driver John Handley had bought the Yorkshire Opel team and that it would be managed by Brian Gillibrand.

Since its inception in Britain, Opel’s dealer team has had a stormier time than most. At one time both the RAC saloon car and rallying championships were undertaken. On the circuit the Commodore was very competitive against both Ford and BMW until the Opel factory failed to keep up in the homologation race off the track.

On the rallying side Fall found Tony Pond very quickly and Pond put in some memorable performances before his departure for Leyland two seasons ago, having driven both Ascona and Kadett with distinction. Fall himself landed top three placings on home international rallies with the Kadett, but as with the main factory effort the frustrating thing is to unlock reliable power to keep up with other international rival marques: a task Fall is engaged upon in Germany at present.

As the 1968 European Touring Car Champion (in a British Vita Mini managed by Gillibrand: small World) and a somewhat irregular but nevertheless fast circuit racer in recent Seasons, Handley might well be expected to incline Opel a little more toward racing once more. Against that we have the fact, undisputed if you Iook at overseas entry lists, that the Group 1 Opel Kadett is the most popular privateer choice in rallying today.

Gillibrand comes to DoT from Roger Clark Cars, where he was a sales manager, but draws on years Of experience fielding cars for both Leyland and Ford in rallying and racing.

One marque rallying

Both Mazda and Ford are represented in recently announced schemes to operate one model in a “championship within a championship” next year. The Mazda series seems the more attractive with a bigger prize fund and a better-known Championship to compete within.

Mazda were also the first to announce their ideas (though Ford have done such things before, but for road rallying) which include £100 to the Mazda winner of each round, an £1,800 special price tag for their little 1300 hatchback and a basic kit of parts to convert the cars for competition. In rally trim, with Weslake’s help on the head, carburation, camshaft and exhaust, the little cars should boast 90 b.h.p. Langrop Engineering, Anstey Garage, Cropston Road, Anstey, Leicester, will be the central point for all parts. Further information about the series can be obtained from David Palmer, Public Relations Manager, Mazda Car Imports Ltd., Longfield Road, North Farm Industrial Estate, Tunbridge Wells, Kent, TN2 3EY.

The Ford Escort Championship is for cars to 1300 Sport specification (though there’s no reason why you should not convert a cheaper model) but all must be the later Mk. 2 type. Whereas the Mazda series runs within the Castrol/Autosport Championship, Ford’s Escorts will he part of the Esso-BTRDA title hunt, a more club level affair over 10 rounds, the same as the Mazdas will cover. First prize is £60, plus a free course of rally instruction.