- The Giulia Quadrifoglio.

A COLLECTION OF ALFAS

Alfa Romeo has a strong CV with cars. Let us dive into a chronologic compilation of their exquisite range of models.

The 6C 2500 SS ''Villa d'Este''.

The 6C 2500 SS ''Villa d'Este''.

Our journey begins with the 6C 2500 SS ''Villa d'Este'', which was a coach built version of the 6C by Touring, produced between 1948 to 1951. The Villa d'Este produces 104 HP and 206 nm of torque from its 2.4L Straight-6 engine which was mated to a 4-speed manual transmission, enabling the car to reach a top speed of 165 km/h (103 mph). The car was 4.58 meters long but on top of all its specs, its rear-wheel drive layout and 1420kg of kerb weight was a recipe for a 50's sports coupé. The Villa d'Este features a long Alfa grille and a curvy body that stood out from the rest of its rivals, illustrating the iconic touches of Touring. They're well known as the last coach-built Alfas of its era and their production number of 36 make them rare desirable cars and their prices are well over $1,000,000!

The Giulia Sprint Speciale (Tipo 101.21).

The Giulia Sprint Speciale (Tipo 101.21).

Alfas have never lost their magic in any era, as proven by the Speciale version of the Giulia Sprint, produced between 1959 to 1966, but first presented on 1957 in Turin Motor Show. A car that'd humiliate any other opponent of its period in a beauty contest, the rear-wheel drive, Tipo 101.21 version of the Speciale houses a naturally aspirated 1.6L inline-4 engine pumping out 107 HP with a 5-speed gearbox and it only weighs 950 kilograms, which allows it to accelerate to a very impressive figure of 200 km/h (124 mph). The Speciale also had a very low drag coefficient of 0.28, a figure that's unbeaten for decades. Only 1,400 Giulia Sprint Speciaes were produced, 25 of whom were converted into right-hand drive, so like any other classic Alfa Romeo, it is an exclusive, blissful part of the brand's history.

Alfa Romeo SZ (Sprint Zagato).

Alfa Romeo SZ (Sprint Zagato).

Designed by Robert Opron and Antonio Castellana, the SZ (Sprint Zagato) was a collaboration of Alfa Romeo and Zagato, although it was designed in-house by Alfa. The SZ is renowned for its unusual and quirky boxy styling including a linear front grille and the three rows of headlights which can be considered as a foreshadowing to the designs of some Alfa models of the 2000's. The SZ produces 207 HP from its 3.0L 12V V6 which accelerated from 0 to 60 in 7 seconds to a top speed of 245 km/h (152 mph). The car also had a roadster version named RZ (Roadster Zagato), which has a considerable amount of cosmetic differences to the coupé version, but essentially the same car inside. A total of 1,036 SZ's were made and only 278 RZ's were produced, making both models rare, the SZ model can be found in price ranges around €70,000-120,000, still holding its value exceptionally. The SZ surely had one of the most controversial stylings by Alfa as it was a radical change from the curvy body shapes of the previous generations.

The Alfa Romeo Brera.

The Alfa Romeo Brera.

The Alfa Romeo Brera, produced between 2005-2010, is a sports coupé that made the excellence and lustful design of the brand accessible for everyone. Initially introduced in 2002 Geneva Motor Show as a concept car, the Brera shares its platform with the sedan 159 and incorporates the headlight design of the SZ albeit modernizing it, giving it sheer timeless looks. A Spider version was also introduced which kept the most of the styling including the iconic sleek taillights. The Brera had many engine options ranging from 1.7L I4 Turbo to 3.2L JTS V6, the top range option, with the V6 having a 245 km/h top speed and 260 HP of power. Throughout its production, special versions of Brera such as the ''S'' or ''Independent'' versions offered better performance and different styling. Production was ceased in 2010, but Brera will live on in every Alfisti's heart forever as it is a cheap, affordable alternative for the more expensive Alfa models such as the 8C. It was also awarded ''The Most Beautiful Car in the World'' at the 21st annual International Automobile Festival 2006, adding to its successful background.

Alfa Romeo Disco Volante.

Alfa Romeo Disco Volante.

The Disco Volante, a coach-built car built over the base of the 8C Competizione, marked the return of Alfa Romeo and Touring collaboration in 2013. The Disco Volante is a tribute to the 1950's car with the same name and featured a whole new design by Touring which features a very sleek and streamlined body in pursuit of aerodynamics, glass roof, two silver lines going from the front to the door handles and a rear design inspired by the classic Alfa models. Attention to detail was the key for Touring, the interior featured original elements and illuminated logos on the seats, Touring also used light yet strong materials for the body, but the limited-slip differential, double wishbones suspension and 6-speed sequential gearbox proves that the details go beyond the appearance. The Disco Volante housed the 4.5L V8 producing 450 HP and 480nm of torque that allows it to accelerate from 0 to 60 in just 4.2 second to a top speed of 292 km/h, but beyond the sheer speed figures, the Disco Volante was praised for how it makes the driver feel rather than what it can do. As Jeremy Clarkson states, the Disco Volante allows the driver to ''savor'' the moment, create a perfect trio harmony: The driver, the car and the road.

The Alfa Romeo Giulia GTAm.

The Alfa Romeo Giulia GTAm.

The Giulia GTAm is the fresh arrival to the Alfa Romeo family, but it earned its place as one of the most powerful and fastest Alfa models ever made. Based on the Giulia saloon, the 2021 GTAm proves that the Quadrifoglio version is just the prelude for the main show with its twin-turbo 2.9L V6 engine shared with the QV that produces 533 HP and 600nm of torque connected to an 8-speed automatic transmission. With big power, comes with big numbers as the GTAm can accelerate from 0 to 60 in 3.6 seconds to a top speed of 307 km/h (191 mph). While the power figures might be more or less similar to the QV, the GTAm goes to a crash diet by stripping its rear seats and door panels and handles away, opting for carbon-fiber racing seats and many other interior shedding solutions, the result is a kerb weight of 1520 kg, 85 kg lighter than the Quadrifoglio, which is its trump card, although it is safe to note that the GTAm is the strict track toy that can maul almost all 4-doors currently being sold.

Hope you enjoyed reading about some of the epic models brought to life by Alfa Romeo! Which ingredient of the Alfa Salad do you prefer the most? Which models would you add to the salad as a seasoning? Let us know in the comments below and see you on the next one! You can also join the poll below!

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Comments (1)

  • Villa d'Este is something else man, such a beautiful car. Just like all the old Alfa's. Amazing article!

      1 month ago
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