33 S 16V QV Permanent 4 — Sales Brochure

The Alfa Romeo 33 S 16V Cloverleaf Permanent 4 introduces a new, higher quality of motoring, rising to new heights even for an Alfa Romeo - a range already renowned in these areas. The Permanent 4 is thrilling, reassuring and safe, even in difficult road conditions. The innovative technology makes this vehicle a worthy flagship, because it ensures maximum roadholding reliability and the best transfer of power between the wheels and the road in every situation.

Permanent four-wheel-drive gives as close to perfect control , even in particularly difficult road conditions, as modern technology allows. The refined four-wheel-drive system provides the ideal division of torque between front and rear axles at all times, because it is constantly and infinitely variable. The system reacts according to the demands of acceleration and roadholding automatically and swiftly, giving maximum security at any one moment and allowing full exploitation of the exceptional power of the 16-valve boxer engine.

The light and precise steering is power assisted, Alfa Romeo handling precision is, of course implicit, and the Permanent 4 gives power, driveability and predictably safe handling in every situation.

With plenty of style as well as performance features, the Alfa Romeo 33 Permanent 4 puts the accent on sportiness and exclusivity.

The sleek design shows evidence of its wind-tunnel heritage; wraparound front bumpers with an integral spoiler help eliminate turbulence and optimise aerodynamic efficiency to the advantage of both performance and fuel consumption. The low-profile headlamps blend with the wraparound nose and are aligned with the rear lights to give the car an air of balance and harmony.

Aerodynamics benefit from the side skirts and bottled spoiler while adding to the design flavour; a protective moulding along the side protects the bodywork and forms a visual alliance between front and rear; visual continuity and poise are once again the beneficiaries.

The radiator grille, bumpers and door mirrors are all colour-keyed to add to the effect, while the rear pillars have been given a little extra flair, setting off the look and stance of the whole car. Its attractive appearance is enhanced by the curved, wraparound rear window, with a large glass area for good visibility.

The neat, sporting alloy wheels have an attractiveness of their own - and they aid ventilation of the front disc brakes to improve braking efficiency.

And at the rear, the distinctive Alfa Romeo signature confirms that the 33 Permanent 4 possesses all the characteristics and qualities of a genuine, full-blooded thoroughbred.

The sophisticated mechanics of the remarkable 16 valve boxer engine give performances at the top of the class; it’s the most advanced development of this unit, a 1712cc powerhouse with four valves per cylinder and a free-revving ability to deliver power on demand.

The virtues of a multi-valve engine are mainly those associated with faster and more efficient cylinder filling and emptying thanks to the increased valve area. This in turn means greater efficiency from the engine - more power, and better fuel consumption.

Even this is improved in the Alfa Romeo engine; uniquely, the two inlet valves open at different times, increasing turbulence inside the cylinder; the engine burns fuel more efficiently, producing yet more gains in power and economy.

Another significant advantage is that with two inlet valves and two exhaust valves, each valve is smaller and lighter than if there were only one of each to do the same job. That reduces valve train inertia, allowing the engine to rev highly in safety. And engine response to throttle input is faster too.

The fuel is delivered by a multipoint electronic injection system, with each of the four injector nozzles placed in the inlet duct - that means better combustion yet again, translating into more power, less fuel consumption and less harmful exhaust emissions.

Detail of the cylinder head of the 1.7 16V engine

Furthermore, engine operation is controlled by a Bosch Motronic engine management computer, increasing performance and efficiency still further. The engine develops maximum power of 137 bhp DIN, giving the car a potential maximum speed 125 mph, and it reaches 60 mph in 8.6 seconds from stand-still. With maximum torque of 16.4 kg.m at 4600 rpm, its flexible and tractable too.

Perspective view of the vehicle

The philosophy behind the design of the Permanent 4 and its drivetrain is one of maximum safety with maximum sporting pleasure.

Within this context, permanent four-wheel drive has a precise role: to transfer all the engine power to the road at all times. In addition, the high level of grip it provides in bends and on slippery surfaces, its high-speed stability and excellent road-: permit the resources of that engine to be fully exploited.

This is made possible by a four-wheel drive system which constantly divides available torque between front and rear wheels according to their need, the amount of traction available and the demands being made by the driver. In normal acceleration, the car begins from rest with the bulk of torque being delivered to the front wheels, and as the torque builds there is a progressive transfer to the rear to provide full 4-wheel drive. All of this is an automatic occurrence, requiring no action whatever by the driver.

The device which makes all this possible is a viscous coupling, which is installed in the driveline between front and rear wheels. Its a cylindrical device filled with a silicon fluid and contra-rotating discs. Each disc is connected to either the incoming power from the engine or to the driveshaft taking power to the rear wheels, on an alternating basis. A difference in rotational speed between input and output shafts causes the silicon fluid to thicken progressively, effectively "joining" the two sets of discs together and gradually transferring drive to the rear wheels.

The system is smooth and unobtrusive, gives comfortable driving precision and good fuel efficiency. When the rood surface is slippery, torque is, for the most part, transferred to the rear wheels. For example, on a snow-covered hill, if the front wheels begin to spin, most of the torque is transferred to the rear axle.

Diagram of the 4-wheel drive with viscous coupling

Diagram of the distribution of drive with:

• fast acceleration on dry surface
• pulling away with front wheels on slippery surface

In bends, where all four wheels necessarily cover different distances, safety is enhanced as a higher deflecting torque is transmitted to the rear. This transfer is smooth, progressive and all but instantaneous, happening in fractions of a second.

There is an additional control system which disconnects the four-wheel drive system during sharp braking, which prevents wheel-lock in poor conditions.

Detail of the transmission with viscous coupling and release unit

The front suspension is by independent MacPherson strut, giving superb directional stability - aided by a stabilizing bar. Independent rear suspension uses trailing arms in a parallelogram layout for good grip with a smooth ride.

Power steering is standard and takes all the effort out of parking while remaining precise and sensitive at speed.

Diagram of automatic drive release on rear wheels in cases of sharp braking)

Driver and passenger comfort was a top priority in the seating, but driver comfort through good design of the dashboard was also vital.

The leather steering wheel is height adjustable; combined with long seat travel and the adjustable back-rest, finding a comfortable driving position is quick and easy.

The main controls are grouped together close to the steering wheel, so they can be reached quickly and operated positively. Instrumentation is comprehensive and all the instruments can be read swiftly. Speedome-ter and electronic rev counter are flanked by fuel and temperature gauges, and they are protected by an anti-dazzle shield which helps reduce stray reflections. There are warning lights for four-wheel drive, brake disc wear and brake fluid level.

The centre console contains all the secondary controls and instruments - the adjustable air vents and the heater, for example, as well as the clock, the radio re-cess and a useful storage compartment.

Controls for the electric windows are mounted in the armrests and the driver has twin controls to operate both front windows.

Other standard features include a lights-on warning buzzer, electric central door locking, rear screen wiper and passenger door mirror.

There’s plenty of room to spare inside - in large part due to the compact dimensions of the boxer engine. And the smooth running of engine and four-wheel drive system give a relaxing environment for passengers, exceptionally so for a vehicle with such obviously sporting characteristics.

Both front seats are Recaro, supportive and comfortable and easily adjustable; both have adjustable head restraints. The upholstery is an exclusive grey and red check pattern on a black background, which is repeated on the doors.

Front seat belts are height-adjustable and click quickly into any one of five positions for maximum comfort with perfect safety. The rear seat-back is asymmetrically split and folds completely or partially to reveal a large, flat loadspace.

The carpeted rear shelf is hinged so that when the tailgate is raised it remains level, and objects placed on it will stay there Alternatively it can be removed completely, giving free access to that large load compartment.

The sun visors adjust sideways as well as fore-and-aft, with a courtesy mirror on the passenger side and a document holder on the driver’s.

A green-tinted glass sunroof is fitted as standard equipment.

Good looks are a fundamental part of every Alfa Romeo, but a bodyshell must be more than attractive. It has to be strong, durable and easy to build.

The designers made extensive use of robots and sophisticated computer technology, and every component, including engine, suspension and drivetrain - is subjected to a massive and rigorous test programme to ensure maximum durability and strength in service.

After the design was approved, a scale model was built and then it’s size, shape and details were memorised by a computer which subjected the model in its memory to a searching and lengthy analysis, seeing how it reacted to stress and deformation. The information obtained allowed the engineers to build a bodyshell which had the lowest possible weight for the highest possible strength.

• Electrogalvanized steel-plate on the surface
• Electrogalvanized steel•plate on both surfaces
• High tensile steel
• Electrogalvanized and high tensile steel
• Plastic

Anti-corrosion protection is another vital port of the production process Some body parts - the bonnet, for example, - are made from electro-galvanised steel which is pre-treated with a zinc coat as well And in some places the body is mode from double-galvanised steel Paint is applied in a total immersion process called thick-coat cataphoresis which ensures an even coating all over.

These sophisticated techniques in the production process, allied to the high quality build process in which robot machinery plays an ever-increasing and endlessly faultless part, ensure that each Alfa Romeo 33 Permanent 4 is built to the highest standard, and built to last Before it leaves the factory it is inspected to make sure that it will pass the test of time and then it receives one final protection - a six-year Alfa Romeo warranty.