Alfa Romeo has revealed its new supercar, a halo model to crown its range that’s a tribute to its illustrious history of racing and desirable road cars. Echoing the stunning 33 Stradale of the 1960s, is the Alfa Romeo… 33 Stradale, of which just 33 will be made.
Yes, it shares a name with the car it is directly inspired by and no, for its entirely modernised design, there’s no mistaking it for anything else.
So it’s hardly surprising that it’s properly beautiful, with the kind of proportions that could have leapt off the 1966 Le Mans grid. The silhouette, the facia, the curves – it’s the most gratuitously Italian-looking thing we’ve seen in a long time and is described by Alfa as a dream come true.
Yet Alfa’s ambition was for a car that was evocative but not nostalgic – a nod to the past that is thoroughly modern. So while the light works with the LED signature to create a bubble-like look similar to that of the 1967 33, those LEDs are in the bodywork, with the lights themselves more intricate in shape.
It’s the same at the rear, with the coloured parts of the car curvacious and sexy, sitting atop sophisticated carbon aero, while the classic circular lights are partly covered. On the other hand, the doors are almost a carryover from the original 33. Cutting into the roof and with separate glass sections, they open in a dihedral motion and when shut, allow lots of light into the cabin.
Speaking of the inside, the modernised tribute vibe continues, with a minimalist design available in either the classic ‘Tributo’ scheme, with lots of alloy and tanned leather, or Alfa Corse, which leans harder on modern themes, with more carbon and darker materials.
What is unmistakably retro, is the wheel design and alloy panel with physical controls in the middle. For the driver, two 'telescope' displays showing revs and speed, with a digital readout in the middle. There're also quite a few physical toggles and dials visible running up the middle of the roof.
The 33 Stradale is believed to share a carbon underpinning with the Maserati MC20, which comes as no surprise. The proportions are a dead ringer. What’s interesting is that the 33 Stradale can also be had with twin-turbo V6 power or batteries and a motor, which the MC20 is set to receive soon. Of course, the V6 is Alfa’s own that we’re familiar with from the Giulia Quadrifoglio, rather than the ‘Nettuno’ 3.0-litre twin-turbo unit from Maserati.
Performance should be fairly spectacular, with top speeds of 207mph for both versions. Acceleration should be under three seconds. In terms of power, the V6 should deliver 620PS (456kW) to the rear wheels, via an eight-speed transmission, while the EV version will put around 750PS (552kW) to all four wheels.
Alfa reckons each of the 33 cars to be made will be bespoke and highly customisable, even down to the signature triangular shield at the front. Colourways are a little more tightly controlled, with Rosso Alfa, clear coat Rosso and Royal Blue the only official options, though a white and red race-inspired livery is optional. If they pay enough, buyers will get what they want within reason, though the so-called ’33 Committee’ at Alfa, chaired by high-ups of various departments, will have to give the okay to any special requests.
Price? Rumoured to be close to £1million, with some specs reaching upwards of £2.5million.Can you have one? Well, it’s Alfa Romeo’s first custom-built car since 1969 and its first supercar since the 8C, numbering 33 by comparison to the 8C’s 500 made. So what do you think? Of course they’re all sold and have been for some time.
So what do you think of the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale? Let us know your thoughts…
Alfa Romeo
33 Stradale