Why Alfa Romeo should only build supercars - AutoReview.nl

Look at him, the new one Alfa Romeo Stradale! A classic Italian beauty in modern packaging. And unlike many competitors' supercars, it doesn't come exclusively with an electric motor.

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Historical roots Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale

But wait, why did it get the number 33 as a type designation? Wasn't that a compact mid-sized car from the 80s and 90s? True, but already in the 1960s there was an Alfa Romeo Tipo 33, a racing car for Group 4. And on that basis, the manufacturer built 18 units of the original Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale between 1967 and '69.

It was a real supercar, with a mid-engine and gull-wing doors, just like the Lamborghini Miura. Only the first Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale did not have a V12 like the Lambo, but a V8. The eight-cylinder had a capacity of only two liters and had to do without turbo assistance. Yet it delivered 227 hp, good for a top speed of 260 km / h.

New Alfa Romeo Stradale with V6 or electric motor

Inspired by the old 33 Stradale, Alfa Romeo is now producing a new model with the same name. This time not with a V8, but with your choice of a V6 or - you already felt it coming - an electric motor.

The V6 has a capacity of three liters and with the help of two turbos it roars 620 hp together. They find their way to the rear wheels via an eight-speed dual-clutch transmission and an electronic limited-slip differential. The hundred sprint should be completed in about 3 seconds and Alfa Romeo gives 333 km / h as top speed. A piece of Italian humor towards the people, shall we say.

As if they didn't think the performance of the V6 was good enough, the Alfa engineers equipped the electric 33 Stradale with an electric motor with more than 750 hp. Alfa Romeo does not say how fast the electrically powered 33 Stradale is and the weight is also not mentioned. What is known is the WLTP range: 450 kilometers.

With a touch of Maserati

Although we highly value the knowledge of the Alfa engineers, we don't think they came up with all the technology of the 33 Stradale all by themselves. And if they wanted to, the accounting department probably would have reprimanded them. To get ahead of the penny counters, the technicians immediately struck an agreement with their colleagues from Maserati. After all, they had nice stuff lying around that they are already using for the new one Maserati GranTurismo and the MC20.

Retrodesign

The design of the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale has nothing to do with Maserati. On the contrary, it is largely inspired by the classic predecessor. This applies to the shape and placement of the headlights, the small scudetto in the grille, the gull-wing doors with glass up to the roof and the round taillights. And whether you like it or not, the black surfaces on the flanks also have their origin in the past.

With help from Formula 1

The construction of the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale mainly uses aluminum and carbon fiber reinforced plastics. The super-Italian brakes with carbon-ceramic discs from compatriot Brembo. And the 33 Stradale may be allowed on public roads, but Alfa Romeo does not want to disappoint its owners if they spend a day on the track. That is why it asked Formula 1 driver Valtteri Bottas to contribute to the optimal chassis tuning. We hope for the manufacturer that Valtteri also secretly called Max Verstappen ...

Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale interior

Anyone who is already swooning over the exterior design of Alfa's supercar should not take a look at the interior. We do not consider the risk of a major apple failure to be ruled out. We especially like the handle, buttons and toggle switches on the tunnel and overhead consoles. But we also really appreciate the historically sound instrument cases.

We immediately called the factory to ask what the car costs. They wouldn't or couldn't tell us. What they wanted to share with us was that all planned 33 copies have already been sold. Boy, did sales of Alfa Romeo's volume models get this fast...