The Alfa Romeo engineering team has just completed an intense test session on the “00 prototype” of the new 33 Stradale at the Nardò circuit, to test its driving dynamics and performance in extreme conditions at very high speed. Specifically, the test team monitored and validated dynamic parameters such as aerodynamics, top speed, maximum temperatures, propulsive cooling systems, and cabin soundproofing. All this ahead of the first delivery, scheduled to take place in Italy in late December.
For the type of high-speed tests to be conducted, it was clear Alfa Romeo had to choose the Nardò Technical Center (NTC), one of the most advanced testing and experimentation centers in the world, located in Salento, where the most famous car brands run their testing. Built in 1975 by FIAT, the Puglia ‘proving ground’ covers an area of 700 hectares, dotted with woods and Mediterranean scrub, and boasts 20 test tracks for experimentation and development activities at any level.
Of these tracks, the famous Nardò Ring stands out for high-speed tests of cars and motorcycles, with its diameter of 4 km and length of 12.6 km. Considered the fastest circular car track in the world, the circuit offers different inclines and relative compensation speeds on each of its four lanes. Thanks to its low parabolic profile, when driving on every lane at the compensating speed that balances centrifugal force, drivers feel like they are on an endless straight.
It was on this ring track that the Alfa Romeo team ran high-speed testing on the developmental 33 Stradale, validating the target top speed of 333 km/h and the acceleration, which goes from 0 to 100 km/h in under three seconds. All made possible by the meticulous work Alfa Romeo technicians have done on the aerodynamics, where every line of the car’s sculptural volume is functional to obtaining the best aerodynamic performance, to raise the performance of the 3.0-liter V6 twin-turbo engine delivering over 620 hp, with an 8-speed DCT gearbox, rear-wheel drive and electronic limited-slip differential. An evolution of the V6 that already featured in the Italian brand’s highest-performance cars, the new engine is mounted longitudinally in the center and provides exceptional performance, all fully confirmed at Nardò.
The dynamic testing at the Nardò Technical Center follow a session held a few weeks ago at the Balocco Proving Ground in Vercelli province, on the iconic Alfa Romeo track that since 1962 has hosted the development and preparation of the highest-performance racing cars (Autodelta) that ran in international F1, DTM and Super Turismo competitions. In this historic location, the same team of Alfa Romeo engineers focused the entire session on specific medium- and high-speed tests, with a focus on balance, braking system and road handling. On the other hand, the dynamic goal of the project has always been extremely ambitious, to offer the best driving experience in the category.
At Balocco, the first test was conducted at moderate speed, to evaluate the precision of the steering system and the response of the braking system, as well as the characteristic handling guaranteed by the system made up of the aluminum H-frame, the carbon-fiber monocoque, and the refined configuration of the suspension. Plus, as everything is designed and aimed at the utmost human-machine involvement, the car offers two drive modes, which can be activated from the switches on the central tunnel: “Strada” (‘Road’) and “Pista” (‘Track’). The former, engaged when the car is started, ensures comfort and driving pleasure: smooth power delivery, usual pedal sensitivity, soft suspension, fluid transmission, and active exhaust valves open only above 4,000 rpm. Alternatively, in Pista mode, the driver chooses an adrenaline-fueled drive: the power is at its peak, the pedals are even more responsive, and the suspension is rigid, as well as offering rapid gearshift and active exhaust valves that are always open. One of the most exciting performance controls in this configuration is the “Partenza Veloce” (‘Quick Start’) procedure: by pressing the “Quadrifoglio” button on the central tunnel, it acts on the gearbox, traction control and power to maximize acceleration by avoiding wheel slippage.
On some sections of the circuit, the Alfa Romeo testers also disengaged traction control (ESC OFF), taking the car close to its top speed to confirm that the 33 Stradale manages to combine supercar performance with surprising ease of driving, even for non-professional drivers. All this is made even more evocative by the sound of the twin-turbo V6, an authentic ‘mechanical symphony’ that wraps around the passenger compartment and conveys unique emotions with every acceleration. The active suspension system also played a key role in the test, offering a perfect combination of comfort and performance. Specifically, the new custom-built car adopts a 100% Alfa Romeo dual-arm suspension scheme with active shock absorbers and semi-virtual steering on both the front and rear axles, which provides optimum control of the steering wheel and the highest degree of steering precision, as well as providing great lateral acceleration to ensure the best handling in all driving conditions.
Finally, the Balocco session highlighted the precision and capacity of the brakes to adapt to different drive modes, ensuring excellent control, so much so that the new 33 Stradale brakes from 100 km/h to 0 in under 33 meters. All made possible by the built-in Alfa Romeo Brake-By-Wire braking system, which both controls braking pressure and ensures stability in the feeling of the pedal. Produced by Brembo for Alfa Romeo, carbon-ceramic brakes guarantee high performance and ensure reactive braking with a reduced fading effect at high temperatures. In the front and rear, the discs are ventilated and perforated, with a six-piston monobloc caliper in aluminum in the front and a four-piston system in the rear.
