Alfa Romeo 155 V6 Engstler 1994

Alfa Romeo 155 V6 Engstler

Colour: Bianco with Azzurro interior

5-speed manual, cooler, ABE bucket seats, power windows

This car was produced in Germany in 1993 as a limited edition “Engstler” to commemorate Alfa Romeo’s long-cherished victory over Mercedes in the DTM (German Touring Car Championship).

Unsurprisingly, Alfa had a strong fan base in Germany, and the car was produced by Franz Engstler, a famous DTM driver at the time, and was produced and sold under Alfa’s approval at Engstler Racing, which was managed by him. The interior is numbered to indicate that it is a limited edition car.

The DTM championship was at an extraordinary height at this time, with every race attracting a large number of spectators. Factory teams from manufacturers such as Mercedes, BMW, and Opel, with top-notch drivers, were engaged in fierce battles in every race, and the race victories were directly linked to the sales of production cars, which is unthinkable today.

However, although Alfa Romeo’s sales performance in Germany was supported by some fans, it was still not as good as BMW, Mercedes, and others, so the success in the DTM was very important for Alfa Romeo, which wanted to show its appeal through racing activities.

In 1993, the regulations were changed to allow the use of a 2.5-liter engine, giving Alfa Romeo a chance. The 155 bodywork, which by all accounts was still old-fashioned, was given a 2.5-litre/V6 engine. With F1 driver Nicola Larini in the team, the Alfa team was fully prepared for the race, and after a tremendous dead heat in every race, they finally won the championship, beating their arch-rivals Mercedes and Opel. The joy of the Alfa team at that moment must have been immeasurable.

The ferocious drive of the Alfa 155/V6 in its old-fashioned, angular design had the desired impact on race fans not only in Germany, but all over Europe. This was probably the reason why this special, limited edition model was only sold in Germany.

Three cars were probably imported into Japan by the authorized dealer Osawa Shokai. There is no doubt that they were official imports, as the model number is properly recorded on the vehicle inspection certificate.
Two of these cars were equipped with four-cylinder engines, so this is of course the only model with a V6 engine and manual transmission still existing in Japan. The Martini colours are lettering on the white bodywork and are an exact replica of the works cars of the period.

If you look closely at the Alfa badge on the front grille, you can see that the snake in the middle is eating a Mercedes, which is a mischievous and humorous Italian design.

The interior, steering wheel, seats, and instrument panel have all been specially designed. The suspension and engine management have also been modified. Of course, the exhaust has also been specially ordered, and the high-pitched V6 sound is reminiscent of a DTM car.

Most cars built by Engstler Racing are said to have had a four-cylinder twin-spark engine, so this 2.5 V6 with a V6 engine, just like the champion car, is a highly valuable specification.