With all of the exciting news and announcements generated from Vision Gran Turismo projects over the past few weeks, like Subaru’s VIZIV GT and GM Design’s Chaparral 2X, it might be easy to overlook one manufacturer who has apparently withdrawn from the program: Alfa Romeo.
GTPlanet users first noticed that Alfa Romeo’s logo and concept sketch were removed from the Vision GT webpage several weeks ago, but the recent GT6 1.14 update finally removed the company’s listing inside the game menu as well.
We may never know why the company pulled out of the project, though designing these no-holds-barred, over-the-top fantasy concept cars is not always an easy task, and it can be difficult to justify designers’ time spent working on cars which will never be available for sale.
Nevertheless, the Vision GT cars exemplify, magnify, and promote the brands they represent, and it is unfortunate we won’t see what the designers at Alfa Romeo were dreaming up.
See more articles on Alfa Romeo, Vision Gran Turismo, and Vision GT.
Disappointing news really. I was quite looking forward to seeing what Alfa Romeo had envisioned. I’m sure it would have been a great design judging from the sketches shown above and in prior game versions. I hope Italdesign Giugiaro and Tesla Motors don’t leave the project too as I’m interested in their designs the most.
Too bad some great design and idea have been shown like chaparral 2x..was a chance for demonstration of talent..
sad to hear. being a alfa nut i was looking forward to this one.
That would make it a VFM, not a VGT (VFM = Vision Forza Motorsport) then.
*Reply was meant for Jay84’s post below.
This sucks…. I was looking forward to the Alfa VGT
That’s too bad Alfa Romeo backed out. Would have been great to see what the minds at AR were dreaming up. I’m sure it wasn’t an easy decision for them. VGT or not we still love Alfas and we can still buy their cars in game. Like Top Gear BBC says, “you’re not a real petrol head unless you’ve owned an Alfa.”
Microsoft have brought the rights to Alfa VGT ;)
I have a feeling Alfa did not like the limited set of parameters for coming up with a pancake car that looks like the rest of the VGT lot. I’d have pulled out too. Respect, for Alfa wants to preserve its beauty, and rightfully so.
Makes no sense your basically saying Alfa didnt like the other cars so they quit, so i guess Alfa isnt capable of designing a car. Looking at the cars Alfa put out in the last few years i see a company that isdoing circles around most manufactures in the design aspect of their cars which are just beautiful What parameters? The car company and designers had the chance to build a no restrictions no rules no standard no nothing car that wold have shown what they are capable of doing. It sees lime a wasted opportunity to show off. So anyway why they would of pulled out is anyones guess right now but it sure isnt the above reason since they would have no “limited set parameters” like everyone else has.
I’m with wudy201, the whole point of the VGT cars is that it is a completely open book and you can do literally what ever you want.
Don’t know what you’re talking about, they had carte blanc so no “limited set of parameters”, look at the other cars, ranging from the new Subaru to the first monstrous Mercedes, tbh i think you’re talking out of your best feature
plus look at the chapparal
They probably took one look at the Chapparal and thought ‘nah, we can’t top that…’
We’ve already seen what the minds at Alfa Romeo can dream up. It’s called the 4C, and it’s better for us than any piece of Vision GT vaporware. Seriously, when the fantasy cars outnumber the DLC new (real) cars we’re getting into Need For Speed territory.
I’d rather have the 4C than every VGT put together.
Another one for the 4C here! :)
And Bertone??? Bertone was bankruptcy in may/june. The vision project icon has apparently ok yet.
I’m sure a representative of Alfa Romeo is working on a statement as we speak detailing “complications” with the project, in other words, excuses. Come on Alfa Romeo, pull up your skirt, tighten that bra, and finish the project. Don’t let all that money, investments, time, and work go to waste.
Also can we paint the TZ Stradale yet? It would look much nicer in Admiral Blue Metallic.
Next thing we know, modders will bypass the system ban and race online with the Alfa VGT that they discovered. That’s just great.
It could well be because of modders and hackers messing around with the code that made Alfa Romeo lose faith and pull out.
don’t go, romeo!
This is a really bad shame. I was hoping for an insane Alfa roadster concept when I first saw the Vision GT trailer.
I was looking forward to Alfa’s the most… I really wanted something like the Disco Volante.
And I don’t expect PD to give us much of a reason as to why..
Disappointing, to be sure. They have a rich history of super design, back in the day.
I’m not so sure that they are gone. In alphabetical order they were the first after the brands that are already completed so I’m still hoping that their name just got written over by mistake as the list got sorted. Not to give anyone false hope, but I’m not believing it until it’s been confirmed.
Sad. Very sad. Maybe it’s the new Fiat/Chrysler management?
It’s one big strange story, this Alfa removal business. Alfa had a defined name and design sketches. And as many mentioned before, they even had credits data laying around GT6 that was found at the same exact time as the Subaru’s. Now, all of a sudden, Alfa pulls out of the project? If they can, I would like to hear their reason, just to make things clearer. It’s a pity, but the car world is a tough business. With this, Italy’s representation is down to Zagato and Giugiaro, and although they’re still part of the list I’m not counting Bertone as much as the others. Bertone’s situation is very shaky…
You are forgetting Lamborghini.
Is it a bit over the top that I’m scared of the Lamborghini VGT? I fear that they might come up with something more insane than the Batmobile crossed with a stealth bomber seen through the eyes of someone on an acid trip…
Noooooo!! :-(
What a tragedy. I was looking forward to seeing what Alfa could bring to the table. I am not an Alfisti, but you can’t deny the fact that they have produced some of the most stunning concepts over the years.
……..Their loss. {shrugs shoulder}
What completely confuses me by this is that in August one of our GTP members found the Alfa Romeo VGT in the games coding.
This also sucks cus this was the VGT I was most looking forward too, not only because I love open tops, but because it was an Alfa and was to pay homage to the classic Alfa racers from back in the day. But yeah, I’m completely confused about this all.
Probably Alfa realized that PD was going to model their prototype without interiors and they choose to not suffer such an affoence???
However it’s a pity Alfa is not in the VGTproject anymore considering how ugly are most of these concepts with very few exceptions…
Who cares if a VGT car is going to have interior or not. They are concept cars. They really aren’t meant to have an interior unless if they are roadsters. Also the VIZIV proves that we don’t need interiors to make a good VGT car. Trust me, it’s engine sound is already good enough to make you turn your TV’s volume all the way up just to get the feel of a good engine sound for a vehicle!
Alfa’so was to be open top, it had to have an interior
Why are interiors so overrated? Interior cam is absolute rubbish
I took the case of my copy of GT6 now…
It’s written… THE REAL DRIVING SIMULATOR…
Accidentally REAL cars have a cockpit… ;)
In addition… When you go to a car salon and you see a prototype car presented there they usually have interiors too cause a prototype car is not just the innovative shape of the outside or the innovative propulsion system but innovative driving esperience into an innovative cockpit too…
People who like to drive from the cockpit view like interiors. Is that so hard to understand? In the most sim of sims, cockpit view is the only view, there is no other. Must the GT defenders decry and belittle every legitimate criticism because they don’t understand it or accept that it may be important to someone other than themselves?
And JP nails it.
My old 22 oz. Estwing does it every time…lol.
A likely scenario is that the guys at alfa romeo are big followers of the GT series and fully realize the direction that this ship is heading.
Gran Turismo is circling the drain. The year-long wait for the paltry “community features” is just one example of the ineptitude. Removing options for decent offline racing is another. These two combined make for a real problem: if sony is forcing PD to make this simulator an online-only thing (an assinine idea on its own) then what was the year long wait about? All that time to make clubs available? What? Someone really thought that the console virtual racing community was going to hang around for that?
Alfa Romeo are no dummies. Spending money from the iften massive marketing pot on cars that will never be sold is nothing new, and will continue marching on. Spending marketing money on projects that no one will see is an entirely different ballgame.
Circling the drain? What are you waffling on about?
Live up to your user name and do some of it.
So I guess that makes all the other highly reputable and well respected car manufacturers that have maintained their place in the VGT project nothing more than a bunch of ‘dummies’.
Considering the cars Alfa makes, it is not a shame. They should be focused on making nice, exciting cars in real life before worrying about making them in a video game.
Why not both?
Have you ever owned an Alfa? I’m on my 4th on the run and every one has given me a boner.
Never seen a good looking alfa in my entire life except the red DTM one. Not disapointed in the slightest honestly.
Hear, hear.
You dont have a clue about Alfa Romeo brand and its history then…
I know they have a long history. But that doesn’t change the fact i find there cars sorta ugly and unappealing.
Alfa is one of the greatest manufacturers EVER and have an incredible history. They have also created some of the most beautiful cars in the world.
Yet another user with a highly uneducated opinion.
*tips Cheeto dust-crusted Fedora to Nurburgthing in reassurance* Yes. Such heathens for not having the same opinion of beauty as us.
I too, find most Alfa’s unattractive. An Alfa VGT may have changed that… I hope it returns later down the line in 2015 (Or sooner)…
“Alfa is one of the greatest manufacturers ever”? Please. I highly doubt they’d make the top 20 worldwide and wouldn’t even be in the top 3 in Italy as far as sports cars is concerned. They have a long history, and that history includes a lot of ugly cars unfortunately. Of all the VGT sketches I have seen, to me this was the least inspiring by far.
Hard facts. I agree once more.
+1 to da Penso
Fangio would disagree. So would clarkson. Alfa are one of the greats, fact.
Kifflom.
Johnny & SZRT please get your facts straight. Alfa is one of the world’s pioneering sports car brands and the direct predecessor of Ferrari. They were one of the leading pre-modern F1 brands and they dominated the first two years of modern F1 until they quit. Enzo Ferrari started driving Alfa Romeos for his team before building their own cars.
Get your facts straight Nixxx, this is 2014, not 1953. When I said they weren’t in the top 20 I’m talking currently. If you want to go historic you have to pull all the other historic brands into the mix and then Alfa might not make the top 30 or 40. German, England, Japan, Italy and the U.S. alone push Alfa out of the current top 20 without question.
Regardless of there history doesn’t change the fact they look bad. (my opinion but others have agreed) Id rather have my Celica GT then any Alfa out there.
Alfa 8C, Alfa 4C and Alfa TZ3… please name all those 20 brands that have 3 better sports cars, one by one, I’m waiting… Oh wait, I already know you wont be able to give a proper reply…
You’ve already said looks are subjective so it’s moot to come up with any list because you’ll just reject half the list because you don’t like them. This isn’t my first rodeo.
Subjective looks have nothing to do with your claim that “… this is 2014, not 1953.When I said they weren’t in the top 20 I’m talking currently. If you want to go historic you have to pull all the other historic brands into the mix and then Alfa might not make the top 30 or 40. German, England, Japan, Italy and the U.S. alone push Alfa out of the current top 20 without question.”
Exactly how many manufacturers were there in 1953?
Do you have a quote that suggests Alfa is outside of the top 30 or 40 manufacturers of that era?
And can you provide a link to backup your claim that current 2014 manufacturers “push Alfa out of the current top 20 without question”?
Let’s not forget, ‘precision and accuracy’ with posts is absolutely imperative … isn’t it?
By the way… “Id rather have my Celica GT then any Alfa out there.”
Lol what a joke, the newest celica isnt even a good sports car, it has FF layout, and it has little power. The 4C, 8C competicione and the TZ3 laugh at it.
May be FF, and may not have the most power. But ill take the Celica anyday. Give me any Alfa in the world for free. Watch how fast i sell it and buy something or upgrade my Celica.
And if the VGT for Alfa looked anything like those schetches. I wouldn’t want it anyway. Too ugly, would rather see a VGT with FF layout then that.
I can only assume you live in America and are therefore unfamiliar with good looking cars.
Oh that one is a zinger JamesB…lol.
It does seem that they’ve pulled out.
But it’s odd when considering this line from the GT website’s VGT announcement news post back in Aug. 2013.
“The Alfa Romeo 6C Biposto Vision Gran Turismo, created by the team responsible for the Alfa Romeo 4C, will celebrate an iconic model from the 1930’s.”
Definitely a shame if they’ve pulled the pin on the project.
Good! Who wants an Alfa Romeo concept either way.
Me and lots of people for sure.
Ignoramus.
This was really one of the VGT I wanted to see, to sad they leave.
I noticed they were removed too. Pretty sad to hear since I’m sure they would of made an awesome car. I assume it just got too expensive.
If it really is that “difficult to justify designers’ time spent working on cars which will never be available for sale” why do we see tons of concepts year in and year out at every single major auto show. Some of the biggest draws of the NAIAS are the concept cars. The recent LA Auto Show is a perfect example. I’m sure GM was excited to make and promote this new Vision GT concept.
If Alfa Romeo was sold in the US, I would boycott. Not that I would buy one if they were, I’m just sayin’. ;)
Italians are the best car designers in the world, and it’s sad to see Alfa leave.