Called SE091, the project of a competition version of the Alfa Romeo 155 was started at the end of 1991, in view of the 1992 Italian Superturismo Championship. The engine was that of the Lancia Delta rally while the base derived from the 155 Q4 which was the Alfa Romeo version of the Delta Integrale mechanics. The long-term goal of Alfa Corse was to land in the DTM in 1993, making an apprenticeship season in the Italian championship, which was however won without difficulty. The 155 GTA therefore served as the basis for the more sophisticated 155 DTM (SE052) which managed to win the DTM in 1993 with Nicola Larini.