Alfa Romeo 147: the servant of three "gentlemen"
Our acquaintance with the best automobile of the first year of new century took place on the historical native land of hero - in Italy. Acquaintance came out very unexpected both for me and for my Italian friend, who during that day returned his Alfa Romeo 156 sport Wagon to the current maintenance, and on day in exchange for obtained from its dealer "podmenku" - silvery three-door khetchbek of series 147 with the inscription "TEST" on the doors and the casting a spell unit plate Selespeed on the rear door, which means that any mortal, after proving to be after the control of this automobile, it can for the limbering-up poshchelkat' by outdoor joystick, then, without tearing off hands from the control, to perceive itself with the pilot of formula 1, but after tiring from the game, to transmit control of box to complete automaton.
Machine appeared it very effectively and straight-away shed fluids, zavorazhivayushche acted on all, who in this misty morning passed or passed past the place of our survey. And the naipopulyarneyshiy in Italy silvery color "argento", which aggravated perception and that emphasized skul'pturnost' of basic forms and smallest nuances of body surface, and the 16- one inch light-alloy wheels, put on shoes into the low-profile casings, clearly hinted at the "charge" of version. Machine indeed proved to be topovoy for family 147, since it was equipped with the most powerful two-liter engine Twin Spark and by the automated mechanical transmission Selespeed, which makes possible for driver to select one of three methods of including the transfers: traditional ("automaton"), regime, which resembles the algorithm of work "tiptronika", and "formula" - desired for all is sanitary F1 game by fingers on two keys, which are been seen after the knitting needles of control and designated by marks "+" (under the right hand) and "-" (under the leftist).
So detailed a description of the technical special
features of machine in the material, dedicated to design, at first
glance can seem by inappropriate. But only not when the
discussion deals with Alfa Romeo.
Exists the opinion that the large part of their 90- summer history automobiles with the coat of arms of Milan on to "nose" they had bright and very original design, but they were completely fitted out for the comfortable and daily ride. In Italy this no one confused, and ride even on that crowned by all royal regalias Ferrari in terms of convenience did not differ. But style! The sport and sharply characterized image of stamp assigned on the work on bodies Alfa Romeo of the most distinguished designers, and as a result practically each article, or more precisely, the creation of firm could be boldly advanced on the artistic exhibition. But piece production does not make money, and at the end of the 60th it is annual with the design of the front-wheel-drive automobile Alfasud firm it undertakes the attempt to begin "new life". Automobile was clearly "sharpened" under the mass buyer, and the judges of stamp began to in earnest disturb the prospect for the loss of bylogo spirit. In some of the degree of fear they was founded upon soil, since, for example, sedan 164, although had the very stylish design from Pininfarina, it moved by no means in the manner that it appeared, but Alfasud and appear- that somehow is too ordinary.
Radical changes in the style of mass production were outlined at the firm with the arrival to the post of chief designer Walter by de sil'vy (Walter de Silva), who preserved the individuality of production, and created the unique foundation of the style "neoretro". The very same placed into the design the principle of the succession of the most successful and characteristic solutions. Model 156, whose four-door body appeared as if two-door sleeping compartment, became the cornerstone of new strategy, and the design of "face" of automobile had straight adoptions from the past "gold" years of the sport victories Alfa Romeo. However, 156, and appeared later than 166 were too elite and could not be considered as the production, accessible for all worshippers of firm. Thus was borne the idea to create the small, but very bright automobile, whose each detail would be associated with the richest heritage Alfa Romeo.
At this time the post of the chapter of the design of firm engaged Andreas zapatinas (Andreas Zapatinas), to whom belongs the authorship of the finishing of the final version of 147 models to a series. In the style of new automobile clearly oshchushchayetsya the succession with the past, but in this case there are no explicit adoptions, and previous machines although are learned, the searches for similarity resemble razgadyvaniye of the unique crosswords, comprised by stylists for the most thinned judges of species Alfa Romeo. Thus, the basic proportions of body with the characteristically overstated window stool line blow nostal'gicheskiye recollections about the the famous Giulietta Sprint from studio Bertone 1954. The plastic nature of sidewall - it is clear from model 156, and V- descriptive of glass- rear door is borrowed from previous series 145. From the front automobile is most historical because of the revived firm revetment of radiator in the form of the panel strongly extended in the vertical plane. Such "noses" decorated piece Alfa Romeo series of 'S 2500 in the first postwar years, when Italy completed the stage of body handicraft and entered into the phase of industrial design. And in this sense style Alfa Romeo - the explicit return to the sources. However, from the nostal'gicheskikh moods it does not remain and track, it is worthwhile only to stretch for the become firm accessory silvery door knob and, after opening slightly door, to glance into the salon...
Judging by characteristically far the circular
dials of speedometer and tachometer diverse along the sides of the
combination of instruments, out of any doubt before us alfa Romeo, but
finishing! Before similar of izysk and wealth used, perhaps,
only the designers of firm Lancia... You judge themselves:
three different invoices, which lustrously imitate the skin of
different preparation, plus is the buklirovannaya woolen or finest
leather upholstering of seats. But metal? Its
nenavyazchivye flashes decorate central console, and the panel of
doors, introducing into style and wealth of the dorogushchikh road
trunks from Louis vitton (Luis Vuitton), and the functionality of the
racing Alfa Romeo with their roughly shlifovannymi metallic details of
different mechanisms.
On ergonomics the conversation is special, and it outside criticism, but only, where this concerns sport and active driving. Here ergonomics explicit assistant, but it becomes completely neutral, as soon as after the control occurs the amateur of passive ride on the traditional "automaton". The button "city", which includes this regime, is negligently hidden between seats as specially. And actually, why it, when there are such "delicacies" as manual key-actuated regime from formula 1? But to what me elbow-rest, in the discarded position the completely overlapping lever of hand brake? However, for sure will be located the one who after finding knopochku "city", will delight in by unhurried drayvom of evening graph, and someone third, which prefers to interfere in the work of the automated mechanical box by the easy rocking of outdoor joystick.
P.S. Newly acquired instinct
However I try, but I cannot be held from not share with sensations from the driving, indeed the designer also of men... Many will agree with me that, after a certain time, the manipulations by the usual lever of mechanical gearbox become for the driver so customary, that to in time make level them with the actions instinctive, true, not innate, but acquired. This according to academician Pavlov. However, 4 in the short time, that "transposed" the automobile before the photographer, it had time to be dismantled only at the manual control of the box and of new instinct it did not acquire. But as it wanted! As not to try the regime, originally created for control of bolide F1! All, no longer I can, now to hard drinking... The future resembled the known television advertising roller, where under the istoshnye howls of the operator: "driver, you will stop! Where you?!!", machine dashingly hides itself from the place of survey. I made so... As a result I will regret only about the fact that kvartal'chik, around which I had time "to cut" two circles, was too small. There 4 it recalled Pavlov, since toward the end of the second circle it acted almost instinctively and it knew how with the aid of the left key with the mark "-" dashingly to stop by engine and to taxi to the stand...
