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In the realm of Alfa Romeo's storied history, where names like TZ2 and 33 Stradale echo as classics, there exists an outlier, a renegade, the 164 ProCar. This is not just any Alfa; it’s the most insane car every to come from the Italian manufacturer, a testament to what can happen when the boundary-pushing world of Formula One collides head-on with an unassuming sedan. Jup this rather un assuming body houses an f1 powerplant.
So lets talk about it.
The stage was set in the late 1980s, a time of revolutionary ideas in motorsport. Bernie Ecclestone, the brains behind Formula One Constructors Association (FOCA) and the owner of the Brabham racing team, was envisioning a new racing series. It would be called ProCar, inspired by a similar venture that had seen Formula One drivers battle it out in BMW M1 race cars in 1979 and 1980. Yet, this ProCar would follow a different script.
Gone was the concept of a one-make series; this ProCar aimed to entice major automakers into Formula One by employing cars that resembled production models but had F1-derived hearts. And This ambitious idea would give birth to an automotive marvel.
And this is where The Alfa Steps In with their 164
In 1987, Alfa Romeo unveiled its latest creation, the 164, a premium four-door sedan. And this rather normal sedan would be the canvas for Alfa's boldest project yet. Called The 164 ProCar. And just like that a monster was born.
To the untrained eye, the 164 ProCar appeared much like its production sibling, save for a rear spoiler to enhance aerodynamics. However, beneath the familiar exterior lurked an entirely reimagined structure.
This beast was crafted predominantly from a blend of carbon fiber, Kevlar, and Nomex. A fixed central section housed the front doors and windshield, serving as the anchor for this automotive marvel. Quick-release latches secured the removable front and rear ends, complete with faux rear doors and plexiglass windows.
Now While the external semblance of the 164 ProCar maintained ties to the stock 164, the underlying chassis was a breed apart. Designed by Brabham with inputs from Dallara, the carbon-Kevlar-Nomex monocoque chassis was fortified with aluminum. It sported an F1-style suspension and braking systems, akin to the elite race cars of the era.
This chassis bore resemblance to its Formula One counterparts, with the added intricacy of integrating the fixed body section, incorporating a bonded roll cage within the monocoque.
Nestled within this audacious chassis lay the soul of the 164 ProCar-a naturally aspirated V10 engine, known as the Tipo 1035. Derived from a ten-cylinder prototype engine crafted in 1985 for the Ligier Formula One team, this powerplant produced an astonishing 620 horsepower at a spine-tingling 13,300 RPM. Torque measured at 250 lb-ft (340 Nm) at 9,500 RPM.
This V10, while never making its debut in Formula One due to its weight, became the heart of the Alfa ProCar.
Then In 1988, during the Italian Grand Prix weekend, the 164 ProCar made its grand entrance. It was driven by none other than Riccardo Patrese, a luminary from Brabham's Formula One team. This 1,653-pound (750 kg) marvel treated the Monza crowd to a thunderous spectacle of high-revving, ten-cylinder music.
The 164 ProCar's performance was nothing short of stupefying. It could sprint to 60 mph (97 kph) in a hair over two seconds and reached a jaw-dropping top speed of 211 mph (340 kph). This monster conquered the quarter-mile in a mere 9.7 seconds. But unfortunately, its blistering pace was matched by its uncontrollable demeanor through high-speed corners.
Regrettably, the ProCar project, and its audacious vision, never reached its zenith. By late 1988, despite Ecclestone's best efforts, other manufacturers failed to pledge their commitment to the ProCar series. The grand idea fizzled into oblivion.
The fate of the first 164 ProCar chassis remains shrouded in mystery, while the second, which once roared around Monza, found a home in Alfa Romeo's museum.
The race-bred V10, which ignited the project's soul, later contributed to the early development stages of the Alfa Romeo SE 048SP Group C prototype, another venture halted in its tracks.
Though the ProCar never vied against its peers in silhouette racing, it etched an indelible mark in the hearts of die-hard alfa fans. Yet, beyond the realm of Alfa's ardent admirers, the 164 ProCar has slipped into relative obscurity.
#F1 #ProCar #Alfa
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