The GTC name harked back to Touringʼs concours-winning 6C-1750 cabriolet design from 1932, and was available in a wide range of special hues including metallics and a gorgeous bluette.
The car appeared as a prototype on Bertoneʼs stand at the 1963 Frankfurt motor show, but was officially launched at Geneva in 1965 on the Touring display.
Unlike the finger-pinching frames of British contemporaries, Alfa hoods are easy to operate and the GTC is no exception.
The boot space is compromised by an extra box-section for the folded top, and the rear is only practical for small children; Alfa Romeo must have pushed the front seats to their stops to accommodate adults for promotional photos.
The Alfa Romeo Giulia GTC’s flush doorhandle
Vision from the back is excellent, however, because the design incorporates wind-down rear windows, while the hood stows neatly below the bodyline.
“Itʼs fiddly around the windows, but there are only two clips to secure it to the ʼscreen,” says long-term GTC enthusiast Richard. “I think it looks better than the Spider, too.”
The interior was little changed, retaining the Sprint GTʼs dash, but the GTCʼs dials are almost unreadable when the top is down due to the bright reflections.
The roof conversion required extensive strengthening of the floorpan, including double-skinned sills and reinforcement under the rear seat, while fortified A-posts reduced space in the footwells.
The Alfa Romeo Giulia GTC’s classic grille is shared with the Sprint GT
Over rougher roads the car suffers slight scuttle shake, but itʼs nothing compared with the judder of more modern Alfa Romeo Spiders.
Weighing about the same as the GT, the short-lived 1570cc GTC would embarrass sportier machines despite its conservative cabriolet style.
The engine isnʼt the torquiest, yet it is remarkably flexible and sparkles when stirred by that sweet five-speed gearbox.
“Iʼve always been a 1600 fan,” enthuses Richard. “If properly tuned they go as well as a 1750, and I love the twin-headlight ʻstep-frontʼ look. John Surtees had one as a road car when at Ferrari.”
Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA-style steering wheel in the convertible GTC
The Giulia range upheld Alfa Romeoʼs long association with the great coachbuilders.
Most exotic of the family are the TZ and TZ2 racers by Zagato, so when the marketing team decided the range needed a dose of youth appeal in the late ʼ60s, they turned to the famous family firm.
At Turin in 1967, Alfa CEO Giovanni Luraghi visited the Zagato stand to discuss with Gianni and Elio the brief for a compact, lightweight coupé to stand apart from the Duetto and GT.
Early renderings of a long nose and clipped tail that followed the TZ racers were close to the finished design, and in early 1968 a Spider platform – chosen because it had the shortest Giulia wheelbase, at 225cm – was delivered to the Via Giorgini works.
The quirky Zagato-styled Alfa Romeo Junior Z with aerodynamic Kamm tail
Signature features of this taut, aerodynamic machine are the Perspex-covered headlights, slim bumpers and minimal chrome.
The prototype was delivered to Alfa Romeo in July and, after punishing testing at Balocco, the Junior Z went into production at Maggiora ahead of its public debut at the 1969 Turin motor show.
The complicated assembly process across three factories pushed up the price, making it the third costliest model in the range behind the 105-based Montreal and GTA.
The Lire3,000,000 tag was equivalent to Jaguar XJ6 money in the UK.
The Alfa Romeo Junior Z’s driving position is the best of the Giulia family
That exclusive image was boosted by the use of a Junior Z in Yves Saint Laurent advertising, yet, other than a few privateer rally outings, its competition career was limited.
The bold styling was too progressive for the market, but clearly influenced later generations including the Honda CR-X.
Just 1108 Junior Zs were built, the oddball never really embraced by factory marketeers – although it was boosted by the launch of the 1600Z in November ʼ72.
Still based on the Duetto floorpan, just 402 were built before Alfa called a halt in 1975.
The Alfa Romeo Junior Z’s vulnerable nose with slender bumpers and Perspex covers
An absence of rust protection meant that the steel body was prone to corrosion, and the limited supply of unique body and glass parts led to the Zagato suffering a poor reputation.
But, thanks to the dedication of enthusiasts such as Chris Adams, today they provide a welcome diversion among the ranks of GTs and Duettos at Alfa Romeo events.
Acquired in 2002, Chrisʼ car had been laid up since 1988 and was a challenge to restore.
“Iʼve fitted a 2-litre engine but kept the original 1300,” he says, “and upgraded the suspension with adjustable Konis. It took seven years, but has been well worth it.”
The Alfa Romeo Junior Z has a remote-release tailgate
“Iʼve had other Giulias including a 1750 GTV, but this is the best-handling,” he adds. “Itʼs lighter than a Duetto and the driving position is much better.”
The Junior Z is like no other production Alfa Romeo Giulia to drive.
Slip into the low seat, with legs and arms outstretched, and that MFI-style centre console makes it feel more like a product of Hethel than Arese.
The steering is heavy at low speeds but soon lightens, plus the lower weight and shorter wheelbase give the Junior a more nervous feel, the back end hopping about on bumpy surfaces.
The brilliant 105-series Alfa Romeo Giulia family stands comparison with far costlier machinery
But around Castle Combe it feels superbly balanced, the uprated 2-litre giving impressive punch out of corners.
After years in the shadows, the Junior Zʼs time is long overdue – particularly because its bold style now appeals to younger enthusiasts, just as the management had hoped back in 1968.
Alfa was purely Milanese during the Giuliaʼs genesis, but ironically its inspired direction came from a Turin-born engineer.
While the Giulietta brought the firm into the modern production age, the 105 family was the peak of Sattaʼs legacy.
No other era produced such a cohesive, attractive, great-driving range of cars with colourful competition pedigree, and it also embraced the swansong of the independent Italian coachbuilder.
For many enthusiasts, the Giulia is the root of their Alfa Romeo passion. Be warned: drive one, and your classic car aspirations could change for ever.
Images: Tony Baker
This was first in our August 2012 magazine; all information was correct at the date of original publication
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Mick Walsh
Mick Walsh is Classic & Sports Car’s International Editor