Alfa Romeo Giulia 105/115 Super 1570 cc Twin-Cam Engine

The Super’s 1.6-litre twin-cam

This record covers the 1570 cc petrol engine as fitted to the Giulia Super of 1965–1972, within the 105/115 saloon generation. It is an application of Alfa Romeo’s twin-cam four-cylinder family, rather than a separate generation of the Giulia.

Introduced in 1965, the Super brought twin-carburettor induction to a road-going saloon. Alfa Romeo’s retrospective quotes 98 metric horsepower for the introductory Super. The Giulia saloon’s Italian production history centres on Arese, near Milan; this does not establish a separate manufacturing location or production total for the Super engine itself. Alfa Romeo’s historical account.

Architecture and induction

The underlying Giulia 1570 cc architecture used four cylinders in line, a light-alloy block and cylinder head, two valves per cylinder and twin overhead camshafts driven by chain. Bore and stroke were 78 × 82 mm. The engine sat longitudinally at the front, with drive reaching the rear wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox. The Alfa Romeo museum’s Giulia specification documents this basic architecture, although its single-carburettor specification must not be substituted for the Super’s induction or output.

For the Super, the distinguishing induction arrangement was two twin-choke carburettors. This configuration is central to its identity, but a particular carburettor make, calibration or replacement unit should not be assumed correct for every year. The FIA’s Super record lists subsequent engine and carburettor homologation extensions, showing why the original specification and later approved changes need to be read separately. FIA Giulia Super record.

Output must be dated

For the Super introduced in 1965, Alfa Romeo quotes 98 ch, meaning metric horsepower, approximately 72 kW. This figure describes the introductory version; it is not a blanket rating for every Super manufactured through 1972. Alfa Romeo, 2012 anniversary account.

The earlier TI Super was a distinct competition-oriented saloon. Its specifications should not be assigned to the road-going Super merely because the names and displacement overlap. Likewise, an export-market specification or a later Super 1.6 rating requires documentation for that particular application. A calendar-year introduction, a market’s model-year designation and a homologation date describe different events.

Development and application boundaries

The parent Super record covers 1965–1972. Alfa Romeo’s historical account identifies 1972 as the point at which the 1300 and 1600 ranges were unified, followed by the Nuova Super in 1974. Continued use of a 1570 cc engine in those later cars does not make their specifications interchangeable with the earlier Super application. Alfa Romeo’s production chronology.

The FIA catalogue identifies the Giulia Super as a four-cylinder, 1570 cc, rear-wheel-drive car under homologation number 5046. Its listed extensions include engine changes and alternative carburettors. These are evidence of documented homologation developments, not a complete calendar of retail specification changes in every country. The end of homologation must not be used as the engine’s production end date. FIA homologation catalogue.

Historical significance

The Super’s importance lies in the combination of a twin-cam engine and twin-carburettor induction with a practical saloon body. Within the Giulia model line, it illustrates how Alfa Romeo incorporated sporting engine characteristics into an everyday passenger car. Its place in that history is clearer when the ordinary Super, the TI Super and later 1.6-litre derivatives retain their separate identities. Alfa Romeo’s historical overview.

Sources

• Alfa Romeo — 1962–2012: L’Alfa Romeo Giulia fête ses 50 ans; introduction, output and range chronology.
• Museo Storico Alfa Romeo — Giulia; basic 1570 cc engine architecture, not the Super-specific induction or output.
• FIA Historic Database — Giulia Super, homologation 5046; displacement, cylinder count and extension catalogue.