Alfa Romeo announces return of 33 Stradale
Original 33 Stradale was billed as one of the most beautiful cars of all time
Beauty, as they say, is in the eye of the beholder, but for many auto enthusiasts, the original 1967 Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale ranks as one of the most beautiful sports cars ever made. It was one of the world’s first supercars, and only 18 were ever made during its limited two-year production (’67 to ’69).
Fortunately for everyone born during (and after) the Baby Boomers generation – yes, including you Millennials – Alfa Romeo decided it was time to bring it back. It will not be an ultra-limited run like before, but at just 33 units, it will still be a very exclusive number.
To make the return of the 33 Stradale extra special, Alfa Romeo is pulling out all the stops. It employed coachbuilder Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera to custom-build each highly customizable unit. Each unit goes through a dedicated program allowing customers to give input on all facets of the vehicle to ensure that no two cars will be identical. Owners will even be able to personally “sign” the chassis number. The specific VIN includes eight digits chosen by the customer and is also marked on the central tunnel.
On the outside, the body is silky smooth, and the red hue further enhances the buttery appearance of its surface. It has suicide doors, and a glass roof and looks every bit like a modern sports car with a 0.375 drag coefficient to ensure it handles well even without the help of active systems.
“The 33 Stradale project has come about as a result of the passion and dedication of a small team of designers and engineers at the Alfa Romeo Centro Stile. The design is inspired by Franco Scaglione’s masterpiece of 1967, with a bold look to the lines of future Alfa Romeo models. The result is made possible by the expertise and the best tradition of Italian design. A true manifesto of essential beauty: a limited number of lines, sensual and at the same time powerful capable of arousing desire and strong emotions,” said Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos, Head of Alfa Romeo Design.
The cabin is bare except for its 3D digital instrument cluster and an aluminum center stack with physical switches to handle the front-axle lift, launch-control system, and other features of the 33 Stradale.
All 33 models are developed, tested, and certified by a team of dedicated engineers working with F1 driver Valtteri Bottas. The owner can choose between two types of propulsion - a 3.0-liter V6 twin-turbo engine with over 620 HP and an eight-speed DCT gearbox, rear-wheel drive, and electronic limited-slip differential or a BEV configuration delivering over 750 hp, with an estimated range of 280miles (450 km) WLTP.
“With the new 33 Stradale, we wanted to create something that lived up to our past, to serve the brand, and to make the Alfisti fandom proud. Such a result could only have been achieved thanks to the expertise, hard work, and passion of our team, with the support of management who have the clear ambition to contribute to writing chapters in the brand's future, with full respect for its unique history. This is the brand's first “fuoriserie” (custom-built) car since 1969, and I promise it won't be the last,” said Jean-Philippe Imparato, CEO of the Alfa Romeo.
It is gorgeous, and powerful, and connects the future of Alfa Romeo with its past. If you want a piece of one, sorry, all 33 examples of the 33 Stradale have already been spoken for.
