The Alfa Romeo GTV6 was introduced to the United States in the 1981 model year. Posted here is the 1981 Alfa Romeo GTV-6/2.5 Coupe press release information kit featuring Mario Andretti. These kits were produced for the approximately 141 Alfa Romeo dealers in the USA back in 1981 to get them up to speed on the new GTV6 model.
In 1979, Alfa Romeo returned to Formula 1 racing after a 28-year absence. Mario Andretti signed on to be a team driver in the 1981 season. The well-known Andretti, a beloved racer in the US with celebrity status, was the perfect spokesman for the hottest Alfa Romeo ever brought into the country.
How much Formula 1 racing technology filtered down into the new GTV6 sounds like hyperbole, but it makes for good copy.
The EPA estimated the 1981 GTV/6 highway mpg to be 28 mpg. In my experience, this was an accurate estimate, as I commonly achieved that in my car on the highway.
The 1981 Alfa GTV6's manufacturer-suggested list price was $16,983 plus destination charge, dealer prep, and any optional extras.
Estimating typical destination charges of the day at $260, dealer prep at $140, and a four-speaker stereo at $350, you get a total of $17,733.
The press kit included this Autoweek article to whet the appetite of the dealer body. The GTV6 was eagerly anticipated not only by dealers but also by the US press.