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Autodelta Brera J5 3.2 C Review

September 2006
Filed under: DELTA Car News | DELTA Headlines
Autodelta is proud to introduce the Autodelta Brera J5 3.2 C, the newest bespoke model created by the world-renown aftermarket Alfa Romeo design and tuning house; their first exclusive model based on the “new breed” of Alfa Romeo models; and a car that leads a new generation for the London-based firm.

The new Autodelta Brera J5 3.2 C (C stands for “Compressore”) redefines Autodelta’s never-ending pursuit of the maximum performance and driving pleasure to be drawn from Alfa Romeo’s production models, and is the culmination of more than a year’s intense research and development as well as hard work and innovative thinking put into application.

The stunning Giorgetto Giugiaro-styled Alfa Romeo Brera sportscar arrived in the showrooms in January, almost four years after it stunned the world when it first appeared as a concept at the Geneva Motor Show in 2002. It heralded a bright new dawn for the Milanese marque as – along with its sister Alfa 159 saloon – it represented the debut of a “new breed” of truly captivating sporty models that encompassed everything that the famous automotive name stands for.

True to their traditions, this was a car that Autodelta had to turn their attention to with renewed vigour; the application of fresh lateral thinking, technical innovation and unsurpassed attention to detail. As a new dawn was ushered in at Alfa Romeo so a new dawn arrived for Autodelta, an opportunity which was grasped with both hands. Pushing out the all-round performance and dynamic envelope of the Alfa Brera was the immediate task for their engineering team.

Autodelta firmly believe that with the arrival of the Autodelta Brera J5 3.2 C they have developed a high-performance sports car that is true to the Autodelta brand values: practical and user-friendly as well as being blisteringly quick and boasting agile handling. A car embedded truly with Autodelta’s DNA.

The Autodelta J5 3.2 C has received the firm’s famous “J-series” designation. The first time it has been designated on an Autodelta model in five years, this individual tag was previously applied to the GTV / Spider (J10), 156 (J11) and 147 (J12). The “J” (referring to the company’s founder, Jano Djelalian) denotes that this is a highly-exclusive, hand-built, bespoke Autodelta model; a car that presents the driver with sheer exhilaration at the wheel while at the same cosseting him in comfortable, prestigious surroundings, and – so important at Autodelta where high performance is always coupled to genuine practicality – adhering the historic motto of the world-famous Alfa Romeo performance division: “A victory a day with the everyday car.”

Meanwhile, the “C” designation stands for “Compressore”. Announcing that this new car is supercharged brings another strong Autodelta tradition into the equation, one that has become very central to their engineering philosophy in recent years. With a huge wealth of experience in supercharging – including its application on the famous ‘Arese V6’ with a 400bhp step arriving in final stages of its development, as well as on the direct-injection JTS engine, where Autodelta is the only company worldwide to offer forced induction on this Alfa Romeo unit (and in fact of all the major carmakers only VW have a production supercharged direct-injection engine) – it was logical that Autodelta would turn to this tradition as they looked to raise the Brera’s bite in the power stakes. The Brera J5 3.2 C’s dedicated supercharger unit is supplied by Rotrex to Autodelta; in fact the Rotrex C30-94 is considered to be the most compact supercharging unit available today noted for its durability, light inherent weight and compact form; Rotrex superchargers were also chosen by Koenigsegg to power their CCX supercar, which set the record for the fastest production car in the world. The Rotrex C30-94 properties make it perfect for installation in the Brera’s engine bay which offers little excess room, its installation and that of its dedicated oil cooler being positioned in an optimum manner to allow maximum air flow via the new Autodelta-designed front bumper.

The Autodelta Brera offers 348 bhp and 430 Nm torque, the additional 88 bhp over the standard model turning this into a powerful four wheel drive 2+2 sportscar easily capable of fulfilling its driver’s innermost demands and desires. 0-100 km/h is achieved in 5.3 seconds while top speed is 260 km/h.

However an Autodelta model is always an all-round player, and the Brera J5 3.2 C is the complete package, fully developed in every area, the result of much of hard work which focused in detail on every aspect of the sports car. The Brera’s engine electronics have been significantly re-mapped to make sure that power is put down in an optimum manner, with smooth delivery and in perfect synergy with the car’s capabilities. A brand new stainless-steel exhaust system, created in conjunction with Autodelta’s exhaust development partner Ragazzon, offers optimum gasflow properties as well as a distinct Alfa Romeo exhaust “note”, and is immediately recognisable by its quad-oval tail pipes which are each engraved with the Autodelta legend. The suspension has been re-worked with new Autodelta Sport Line Dampers with Coil Over springs being specially developed for the car; while an upgraded braking system perfectly manages the additional requirements demanded of it by all the extra power.

Autodelta is also about style, and this area of the car has not been neglected by our experienced design team. A typical Alfa Romeo driver demands performance with inherent Italian styling; understated but individual. An Autodelta driver also makes these demands, but pushed to a further level; understated charms combined with aggression, sleek yet with the exclusive handcrafted Autodelta tradition instantly recognisable. To achieve these core requirements Autodelta’s designers have evolved the “F1 look” that they first introduced on the Autodelta GT Super in 2004 and then the Autodelta 147 GTA AM Super (2005). With this dashing styling treatment, the front bumper arches upwards to meet the traditional “heart” grille, that most famous of all Alfa Romeo symbols, and one which sets an Alfa Romeo apart from the crowd.

This remains the most distinctive feature of the car that Autodelta’s designers seek to amplify, but never challenge. The new front bumper at the same time has been optimised to provide maximum delivery of air to the new supercharger oil cooler via the introduction of extra cooling slots on the bumper’s flanks. At the rear, the customary Autodelta splitter enhances the curving rump of the Brera. The subtle but distinctive looks of the Brera J5 3.2 C are finally completed by 19-inch OZ Racing Ultraleggera wheels and Dunlop SP Sport Maxx tyres; OZ Racing and Dunlop tyres are also development partners in the Brera J5 3.2 C project.

As Autodelta rapidly approach their 20th Anniversary in 2007, and rise to the exciting opportunities and challenges that the new breed of Alfa Romeo models provides them, this new bespoke model truly heralds the arrival of a new era for the performance house. Autodelta would like to thank its technical development partners in the Autodelta J5 3.2 C project: Dunlop, OZ Racing, Rotrex and Ragazzon.

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