THE RETURN OF THE BISCIONE
It won the Villa d’Este with its breath-taking design inspired by one of the most beautiful – and expensive – sports cars of the 1960s. The Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale, produced by the artisans of Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera, is a two-seat coupé with a sculptural beauty, created in Arese by a very special “bottega”
by
Diego Tamone - ph. courtesy by Alfa Romeo
Truncated shape, round lights and “V” line feature on the aggressive rear of the 33 Stradale. Opposite page, an aerial view of the Alfa Romeo fuoriserie, with the large polycarbonate rear window
Winning the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este means joining one of a tiny elite of exceptional cars that since the late 1920s have expressed the aesthetic canons of pure, undisputed elegance. Before the annual Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este transformed itself in relatively recent times into a static runway show designed to lend prestige and recognition to wonderful vehicles of a glorious past, the event provided an exceptional setting that even at the time – without the help of any social media – was able to raise the international profile of cars produced using strictly artisanal methods by the most illustrious coachbuilders for those at the summit of the international aristocracy. In the same spirit the exhibition now hosts contemporary vehicles that are an expression of sheer style, with
prototypes, unique pieces and projects produced in a limited number of examples, all competing for the Design Concept Award. The prize, awarded for the time in 2002, evokes powerful memories of the spirit of its origins. Its significance has imparted eternal prestige to many of those classic four-wheeled works of art that now have acquired incalculable value and return every year to Cernobbio, on Lake Como, to contest the title of Best of Show. The 2024 event saw the Design Concept Award go to the 33 Stradale, a model manufactured in 33 examples, all sold before completion. The 33 Stradale reflects Alfa Romeo’s return to the world of fuoriserie cars, vehicles that were spinoffs of automobiles created for competition and track racing, or created to enable racing models to enter events requiring the existence of a
Oppiste, the essential interiors with 3D telescope instrument panel. Below, the 33 Stradale with fully open butterfly doors. To side, sketches by the Alfa
and below, the dynamic side view
Romeo Centro Stile
The sinuous front contributes to a Cx aerodynamic efficiency of 0.375. The rear-wheel drive sports car is available in Tributo or Alfa Corse versions with a 3-litre V6 engine generating over 620 hp or a BEV unit of over 750 hp and a range of around 450km
“civilian” version. The new Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale is a tribute to a design legend, acknowledged by many as one of the most beautiful cars ever made - the 33 Stradale produced between 1967 and 1969 in a run of only 18 examples. It’s an embodiment of the Biscione’s stylistic direction – in the words of Alejandro Mesonero, head of Alfa Romeo Design, who was in charge of giving it shape, “The 33 Stradale project was driven by the passion and dedication of a small group of creatives and engineers at the Alfa Romeo Centro Stile. The design drew respectful inspiration from the 1967 masterpiece by Franco Scaglione, with a
daring look to the lines of future Alfa Romeo models”. To bring the project to completion the Italian brand set up a “Bottega”, a term used to describe a personalisation workshop whose personnel work in close contact with the client, whose ideas are then forwarded for the approval of the in-house committee. This guarantees respect for the history of the original vehicle but also certifies that every new 33 Stradale is different from its stablemates, in line with the search for uniqueness that was typical of the brand.
www.alfaromeo.it.