– The Alfa 155 V6 TI shocked the DTM in 1993 as an absolute “underdog”: Nicola Larini immediately won the DTM title in the year the Italian brand entered with the first purebred Class 1 car, which was even equipped with all-wheel drive. The “Serpentello” – the snake that devours the Mercedes star – is still remembered by many DTM fans today.
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In 2026, the legendary vehicle with its spectacular sound will be honored: The Italian company SGT Automobili is reinterpreting the car of Nicola Larini and Alessandro Nannini this year and bringing the 55-SGT, limited to 55 vehicles, to the road. But what lies behind the body that makes fans’ hearts beat faster?
Behind SGT Automobili are the Turin entrepreneur Stefano Lo Bartolo, who has experience in race car construction with his own carbon manufacturing company, designer Emanuele Bomboi, and the technical expert Diego Iodice. The entire production process of the 55-SGT was carried out in their own factory – completely independent of Alfa Romeo.
55-SGT is a “contemporary vision” of the DTM classic
The 155 V6 TI remake was also not authorized or certified by the Stellantis group, which owns the Italian cult brand based in Turin. This also explains why the Alfa Romeo logo is not visible on the vehicle.
“The 55-SGT is understood as a passionate and respectful homage to one of the most victorious icons of 1990s motorsport,” SGT Automobili states in a press release. “The 55-SGT is neither a replica nor a restomod and certainly not just a nostalgic exercise.”
It is rather “the contemporary vision of what a vehicle originally developed for the racetrack would look like today as a road version, using state-of-the-art technology, materials, and engineering insights.”
Appearance from the 1996 ITC year served as a template
Visually, it is based on the last development stage of the former DTM car from 1996, when costs exploded and the series had to be discontinued under the name ITC.
Photo series: 55-SGT: This is how the DTM cult from Alfa of the 90s was reinterpreted
“Analyses by SGT Automobili showed that the aerodynamic efficiency of that car is still at an extremely high level today,” the Italian manufacturer refers to the year 1996. Downforce is provided by a diffuser in the style of a modern GT3 car and a three-part rear wing.
Remake longer and larger than the DTM car
According to the Italians, the biggest challenge was to reconcile today’s proportions and dimensions – 5.050 meters in length and 1.995 meters in width – with the unmistakable wedge shape. Chief designer Bomboi therefore made sure to free the body from unnecessary elements without losing the characteristic appearance.
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For comparison: The original 155 V6 TI from 1993 was shorter and narrower at 4.576 meters in length and 1.75 meters in width, so the Alfa remake follows the current trend in the automotive industry similar to the HWA EVO. It is even one centimeter lower, making the car appear wider. The wheelbase is 2.82 meters – 28 centimeters longer than the original.
Apparently, this is also because the 55-SGT – as colleagues from our sister portal Motor1 interpret – is based on the Alfa Romeo Giulia, even though this is not officially communicated.
Significantly more horsepower than the DTM original
But what can the engine of the 55-SGT do? SGT Automobili relies on a 2.9-liter V6 biturbo from the Alfa Romeo 690T with a 90-degree angle. It is delivered with three maps that provide either 520, 560, or 620 hp. The DTM car of the 1990s still delivered 420 hp from the 2.5-liter V6 naturally aspirated engine. By 1996, the power was increased to over 500 hp.
To optimize the sound despite the turbo, SGT Automobili developed its own exhaust system, which according to their own statements uses acoustic resonance chambers to “harmonize” the sound of the V6 and deliver a “brighter, more distinctive” sound image.
Photo series: Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI: Mercedes killer from the 1993 DTM season
As with the 1990s DTM race car, the 55-SGT also uses all-wheel drive technology, where the torque distribution between the axles can be adjusted via a dedicated switch.
Significantly more modern transmission, similar cockpit design
The distribution can vary from a classic 50:50 ratio to a sportier distribution of 20 percent front and 80 percent rear to pure rear-wheel drive. While the DTM car still used a six-speed H-pattern gearbox, the 55-SGT uses a ZF eight-speed transmission with paddle shifters on the steering wheel.
The dashboard also follows the layout of the 1996 DTM car, which was notable for a “function tower” housing the various switches.
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What all this costs? The officials remain silent on that. The first ten copies of the vehicle presented at the end of June at the Milano Monza Motor Show at the legendary racetrack form the “Opening Edition” – and are reserved for a strictly selected circle of ambassadors of the 55-SGT project and the SGT Automobili brand.
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