AWARD FOR 60-YEAR-OLD ALFA ROMEO GTA EVOKES FOND MEMORIES FOR ARNOLD CHATZ
The recognition given by the highly rated Motor Klassik magazine from Germany to the Alfa Romeo GTA as readers’ favourite in the Italian Classics category of the 2025 Motor Klassik awards evoked fond memories of this car for Arnold Chatz, who raced one of them successfully in South Africa from 1969.
The Alfa Romeo GTA was launched in Italy in 1965 and remains a standout model among classic cars 60 years later. It attracted 37.6% of the votes by 17 000 Motor Klassik readers in the Italian Classics category of the competition, putting it ahead of renowned, iconic models from the likes of Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Maserati.
The GTA was developed by Autodelta, Alfa Romeo’s racing department. It was based on the coupe version of the Giulia, known as the Sprint GT, but instead of the normal steel body this special derivative had light alloy bodywork and weighed just 745 kg, which was 200 kg lighter than the standard Sprint GT. (The “A” in the model name was derived from the Italian word “alleggerita” which means “lightened.”)
Its 1.6 litre four-cylinder engine, with twin overhead camshafts and dual spark ignition, was one of the most advanced power units of its era. The standard engine was then modified for racing by Autodelta and produced 170 horsepower in its final iteration.
The GTA was available only in red or white and was distinguished by Quadrifoglio Verde (four leaf clover) stickers on the front bodywork as a traditional Alfa Romeo lucky charm. Only 500 of these 1.6 litre models were produced, together with the same number of 1.3-litre models.
The Alfa GTA was an immediate success in motor racing and genuine examples are nowadays highly sought after by classic car collectors, fetching prices well over R2 million, while cars with a documented racing history are worth as much as three times this amount.
Now back to the South African connection.
Arnold Chatz, a leading saloon car racer from the 1960’s to 1980’s, says: “I was indeed privileged to begin my wonderful 16-year racing involvement with Alfa Romeo in the GTA when I took over the factory car from my friend, Basil van Rooyen, in 1969. The engine in this car had been ‘stretched’ from 1600 cc to 1833 cc by Basil, with complex engineering changes including some external piping for the cooling system which could not be incorporated into the cylinder block with its enlarged cylinder bores.
“I enjoyed immediate success with it and over the years we improved performance further after I paid several visits to Carlo Chiti, the head of Autodelta, in Italy. On one of the trips, I visited Zandvoort to watch one of these cars win a round of the European Touring Car Championship.”
“A few years later the South African modified car regulations were changed and imported, limited production models such as the GTA were no longer eligible to contest the national championship.
The incredibly special GTA was then converted to GTAm specification with steel panels replacing all the light alloy ones that were part of the GTA’s original specification. The GTAm was also distinguished by prominent wheel arches to take wider wheels and tyres. The standard engine in this model was a 2-litre that produced over 240 horsepower.
This was another successful car with Chatz at the wheel, including finishing second to a sports car in an international race at the Luanda track in Angola. It was them sold in Angola as the South African regulations had been changed and the GTAm was non-compliant.
Some of the GTAm components, such as the suspension were then fitted to a Berlina 2000 sedan and Chatz won the 1972 SA Saloon Car Championship in this car. This car was followed by a series of 2000 GTVs which enabled Chatz to take the 1975 title. He then switched to Alfetta GTVs with the 2-litre engine and took the 1979 and 1980 saloon car titles.
He ended his career racing Alfa Romeos when the Alfetta GTV received a V6 engine, first a 2,5 litre and later a unique 3.0 litre version was developed in South Africa as an international homologation special with only 212 made.
Arnold Chatz was not only a successful racing driver, but also a shrewd businessman. He began his successful motor retailing career with a Datsun dealership in Krugersdorp which was also awarded the Alfa Romeo franchise in 1962. This was the beginning of a long love affair between Arnold and Alfa.
Danny Alderton, who was also a prominent racing driver, held the Alfa Romeo franchise for large parts of Johannesburg and after he left the country suddenly in 1969 Arnold was offered Alderton’s four outlets in Johannesburg. They were run alongside the main dealership in Craighall, which, at its peak, sold as many as 100 new Alfa Romeos a month.
However, Arnold was struck a low blow in 1985 when Alfa Romeo withdrew from South Africa. He was immediately offered several other franchises but decided to stay with Nissan (Datsun had been renamed) as he says he understood this franchise so well. The Nissan deal gave Arnold the Fiat Uno franchise too. It proved a popular small car. Alfa Romeo returned to South Africa in 2004 to make life for this dealership even better.
In the interim Arnold and his associates had sold the business to Super Group in 1996 and Arnold joined Basil Green in the Super Group automotive division.
Arnold retired in 2001 and is enjoying his retirement with time split between his homes in Johannesburg and Cape Town as well as enjoying a game lodge near Hoedspruit which he had built in 1990. He nevertheless keeps his finger on the pulse of the motor industry, local and international, and retains a great love for motorsport and Alfa Romeo!
By Roger Houghton
