Forgotten Concepts Part 9: Alfa Romeo 156 Coloni S1 [w/video]

In the latest instalment of our ongoing series outlining Forgotten Concepts, we take a look at a bonkers racecar created by an F1 team called the Alfa Romeo 156 Coloni S1.

Many petrolheads are probably aware of the Alfa Romeo 164 ProCar. It was a silhouette racer that looked very much like a road-going sedan, but it was essentially a Formula One car underneath. The Alfa Romeo 156 Coloni S1 is not as well known as its older sibling. However, just one exists, which makes it an ideal candidate for this article series.

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A New Formula

Alfa Romeo dominated the German Touring Car (DTM) series with 155 V6 Ti. But costs in the DTM championship had spiraled out of control. As a result manufacturers were leaving the series to race elsewhere. At the end of the ’90s the idea for a new silhouette championship resurfaced. A company called RPM was working on the creation of a stock-car-inspired championship called Maxiturismo. The Spanish outfit commissioned Coloni, of ex-F1 fame, to design a stock platform on which teams could install the engine and bodywork of their choice.

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Working Prototype

Coloni created the Alfa Romeo 156 as working prototype for the new FIA specification. The 156 Coloni S1 used the the general shape of the family sedan, but little else. It is reported that only the headlamps and door handles were carried over from the production version. The car featured carbon-fibre panels, and just two doors draped, over a bespoke carbon-fibre monocoque. The driver sat in the middle, similar to a McLaren F1. The wild body kit, widened tracks and massive rear wing looked the business.

Removal of the rear clamshell revealed a mid-mounted engine. In some of the pics it reminds us of a Ferrari F40. The 3,0-litre Alfa Romeo V6 supposedly developed up to 500 bhp (375 kW) as it spun to 10 000 r/min. A six-speed Hewland sequential gearbox sent power to the rear wheels. Suspension consisted of double wishbones front and rear with inboard dampers and springs. This was a full-on racecar. It rode on 18-inch rims that housed carbon-ceramic disc brakes.

Click here to read about our Ferrari F40 driving review in Maranello.

Never Raced

The Coloni S1 weighed 900 kg. As a result it had some pretty impressive performance stats. Reports from the time claimed it could blast from 0-100 km/h in under three seconds, from 0-200 in nine seconds and flat out it could break 320 km/h. Sadly, the series didn’t materialise. Building a car of this type proved too expensive and the series was shelved leaving just the prototype. It was never raced, as you can imagine. However, it has participated in many track days, one of which was right here in South Africa (check bottom of post for video).

You can see the Coloni S1 in action in the two videos below.