Spotted: a 1977 original Dutch Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV
The spotted specimen
During the winter, many hobby cars are stored inside. Therefore, for this week’s Gespot we look back to last late summer, when in the beautiful evening sun we spotted this classic Alfa Romeo in Hedel in the province of Gelderland. To be precise, it is an original Dutch Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV from 1977. Officially, the car is apparently blue. It is clearly well taken care of, because despite the exemption due to its age, it is still being inspected for its MOT. Incidentally, the spotted example is no longer completely original, given the various modifications for use in rallies.
The Alfa Romeo 105/115 series coupes
The Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV was part of what is collectively called the Alfa Romeo 105/115 series. That was a series of coupes produced from 1963 to 1977 on the (technical) basis of the Alfa Romeo Giulia sedan. This made it the successor to the Giulietta Sprint coupes. There were quite a few variants of the Alfa Romeo 105/115 series, so it is going a bit too far to discuss all models here. Therefore, we focus specifically on the spotted 2000 GTV.
The Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV
The 2000 GTV appeared in 1971 as a further developed successor to the 1750 GTV. As the type name suggests, the engine capacity had been increased to 2.0 liters. Power increased to 97 kW (132 hp). Copies for the American market received modern fuel injection, but for other markets Alfa Romeo kept to traditional carburetors. At least according to official specifications, both versions had equal power. Like all other coupe models, the 2000 GTV had a five-speed manual transmission and – modern for the time – disc brakes all around.
Visual characteristics Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV
Visually, the 2000 GTV was easily identified by the new grille, although it was also used for other versions starting in 1974. Another feature were the smaller hubcaps with visible bolts (or the optional magnesium rims). Finally, the taillights were slightly larger, although this was already the case in America. Changes in the interior from earlier models was the somewhat more “detached” instrument cluster, rather than the more integrated counters of before.
Due to stricter safety and emissions requirements, the Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV disappeared from American offerings after 1974. Internationally, the model lasted through 1976, or 1977 if you include local South African production.
