One-off Alfa Romeo 155 GTA Stradale to auction

Bonhams is set to auction a one-off 1993 Alfa Romeo 155 GTA Stradale at its upcoming Padua sale in Italy, near Venice.

The car, built for the Bologna Motor Show, is actually a prototype of a car which Alfa Romeo originally intended to produce.

It was to be a celebration of the 155’s motorsport success, and an apparent rival to the likes of the E30 M3 and Benz’s W201-generation 190E 2.5-16V.

But, as Bonhams points out, there were a couple of restricting factors which ultimately meant the 155 GTA Stradale never saw production.

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“The Fiat bosses saw two major problems: one was that they would have preferred a more powerful six-cylinder engine, which would not have fitted the compact Delta Integrale drivetrain, and the second was the relatively prohibitive cost, as a separate production line would be needed. Hence the project was abandoned and the car we are proud to offer is the only one ever built.”

Bonhams estimates the car is likely to sell for somewhere between AUD$290,000 and $360,000, putting it in a stratospheric price range compared to any regular 155.

The differences between the GTA Stradale and the 155 Q4 it’s based on are primarily aesthetic, as the only major mechanical change was to replace the differential casing with cast iron to make it heavier and shift weight to the rear. The 2.0-litre inline four would have produced around 137kW and 291Nm if left untuned from its ‘Q4’ state.

The current owner is unnamed by Bonhams, though the auction house does say it was recently owned by ‘an Alfa Romeo engine preparation specialist and enthusiast’.

It’s possible this owner is the one who allowed YouTuber Davide Cironi to have a look at the GTA Stradale while it was in its shed.

Bonhams’ Padua auction takes place on October 27th, or next weekend at time of publishing.