Story and photos by Mary Ann Dickinson unless otherwise noted
At the annual convention of the Alfa Romeo Owners Club held in Toronto, the TZ3 Stradale was lovingly presented by Andrea Zagato, third generation CEO of the renowned Italian car design company, Zagato. This car is a contemporary take on the iconic Zagato-bodied Alfa Romeo TZ and TZ2 racing cars of the 1960’s. The beautiful TZs, always perennial favorites with collectors, were also spectacular racers in their own right, winning both rallies and races events throughout the world.
No Dodging the fact that the TZ3 is a very atttractive design.
What? This is an Alfa Romeo? It is undisputedly a gorgeous car with the usual wonderful Zagato lines, but it is NOT an Alfa. It has an Alfa badge, and it has the famous “TZ” moniker. Other than that, what else is Alfa Romeo about it?
The TZ1-2 theme is consistent right to the Kamm tail rear.
The FIAT-Chrysler marriage is clearly being celebrated here. Andrea Zagato in Toronto was effusive in his praise and admiration of FIAT’s CEO Sergio Machionne. Thus, this is the marriage “gift” from Zagato to FIAT-Chrysler to celebrate the new union. But an Alfa Romeo it is NOT — at least not to this Alfa aficionado!
A TZ2 at Pebble Beach in 2009. Photo by Hugues Vanhooldandt.
Note: Internet sources say that the TZ3 Stradale was unveiled on April 28, 2011. It is a different car than the TZ3 Corsa, which was created as a one-off car for Alfa’s 100’s birthday. It won at Villa D’Este in 2010. That TZ3 is based on the 8C Competizione and is owned by German collector Martin Kapp.
Alessandro Gerelli photographed the TZ based on the 8C at Ville d'Este in 2010.
Mary Ann Dickinson is a member of the Alfa Romeo Owners Club and the Alfa Romeo Association. She has owned at various times a 1965 Giulia Veloce Spyder, a 1968 European Duetto Spyder, a 1969 1750 GTV and a 1986 Graduate Spyder. She is the President and CEO of the Alliance for Water Efficiency, a status that ensured her a spot on a VIP tour of the Ferrari factory.
Very nice.
I can’t fully agree with Mary Ann’s view of the TZ3 Stradale. This IS the Alfa of the future, if it is to survive at all. The Alfa’s we have known and loved for many years will be no more. If Alfa sticks to it’s current business model it won’t survive. They have had several 5 year plans for resuscitation, none of which has worked, and Sergio Marchionne has stated that he has about given up on the marque as a profit centre and that’s what’s important to him. The possibility that the marque will survive as a Chyrsler/Alfa is probably the best we can hope for. It may not turn out that bad though. What do you think the Alfisti who owned the great Alfas of the 30’s and 40’s thought when Alfa started mass production of the 1900s and Giuliettas? Alfas for the masses, but that didn’t turn out too badly for us. We can only dream of the possibility of VW buying Alfa and making it successful as it is.
All this drooling isn’t doing my keyboard any good!
It’s certainly an aesthetic improvement over the Viper but I totally agree. It’s no more An Alfa than a jeep with a trident on it is a Maserati
As I understand it, Martin Kapp’s TZ3 Corsa was based on a carbon fibre moncoque, which, if my memory hasn’t failed me, was sourced from the Gilet Vertigo, not an Alfa 8C Competizione. The engine was a Maserati V8, so calling it an Alfa Romeo was stretching credibility somewhat. The Stradale version is even less of an Alfa, being a dressed-up Dodge Viper. However, Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera are making a fabulous new Disco Volante 2012, which is based on the 8C Competizione. 10 cars are scheduled to be produced.
I agree with the author, nice design but not an Alfa Romeo.
When was the last time an Alfa had a push rod engine?
I have to agree with Mary Ann. This is a beautiful interpretation of the great TZs of yore, but calling it an Alfa Romeo makes us grumpy. Perhaps if they had introduced the latest iteration of the mighty Viper as the new Alfa Romeo and put four cams and Alfa cam covers on it we could be pressed to believe in the new alliance—before the TZ3 was introduced. Change the nose of the elegant TZ3 and call it a Zagato Viper and we can all join in the celebration.
I think we need to write an article on “Is Fiat Killing Alfa Romeo?” While it makes sense to use the available drivetrain of the Viper for a Zagato, I’m saddened to see yet again Marchionne thinking it’s a good idea to slap on the Alfa sticker on a Dodge. An Alfa and a Viper handle very, very differently and and I would choose the first over the latter any time of day. Fiat is sending very mixed messages and I fear it will be detrimental in the long run. Then again, should we expect anything else?
Fiat needs to let Alfa Romeo strive again. Let it bring back the cars it can do, away from dubious “associations” and sharing other maker’s platforms. Alfa Romeo is emblematic and has its own culture and presence. I fear Fiat is continuing to slowly strangle the brand until it will be too late. Aren’t they over the Vittorio Jano thing by now? Nice Zagato but not for Alfa Romeo.
They blew it–“Alfa” indeed! This is an example of the confusion that arises when upmarket dreambuilders want to appeal to the great unwashed. It’s like most of the racing series today, in a way, making/letting the uninformed think that an Rx/8 is faster than a Porsche, for example.
Pity . Looks like Alfa Romeo glorious days are definitive over .
Sticking an Alfa Romeo badge on a car does not make it an Alfa Romeo. Simple as that.
Nice car to look at for sure. But I can’t accept the brand devaluation that is going on in the FIAT company.
Tile Fiat around no Alfa . that’s why they bought the Alfa . may be one day chines buy fias to let alfa grow
Alfa produced a V6, I believe in the 80’s, that had a single overhead cam operating the inlet valves, but with pushrods across the head operating the exhaust valves?
Sorry about that.
Yes, if they put overhead cams on the Dodge V10 motor, that might make this creation more of an Alfa. Later V6 Alfa’s used a GM block (made in Australia I believe), but with Alfa’s own DOHC heads, so there is precedence.
Regardless of all that, I wouldn’t say no that quickly if someone offered me a TZ3 at the right price.
Great newsletter that I read avidly every week – at work.
I always loved the original TZ’s, just as admired the delicacy of the original Giulietta’s, Giulia GT and GTV. This Viper in drag isn’t an Alfa Romeo, visually or technically, with over blown styling references to the original TZ 1 and 2, and a huge,crude motor up front that should remain in the Viper. If there is a future for Alfa Romeo in Europe or the USA, it won’t be some horrible Chrysler/Dodge with an Italian badge. The history of the motor cars is littered with re-badged failures, with just an occasional exception. The forthcoming 4C shows signs of hope, although I’ve heard they’ve been experiencing serious suspension problems in testing. I loathe the idea of VW taking over Alfa Romeo (along with the rest of the motor industry), but I suspect Alfa might have more hope of surviving in their hands.
Good point about the pushrod Alfa, regardless of Mr. Hopkins snarky comment about the overhead cam 2.5 and 3.0 liter engines with crossover pushrods – in the head’s valve train – in the Milano. Mercedes and Honda and other mfrs build sohc engines with tiny pushrods that would all fit in a cigarette box. But they are overhead cam engines, and the difference between these and dohc engines versus “pushrod” engines is the absence of the block-centered cam and pushrods. The point by Stephan P is accurate: there haven’t been any pushrod Alfas in the last half century or so. The same block became the four cam, four valve screamer in the last imported 164s, as the heads were already set up for the second cam, easy upgrade.
The loss of interest by many Alfa collectors and owners due to the front-wheel drive 164s was significant: Alfas (except the Alfasud, Hopkins) were not fwd cars, and the car did not sell well. Same would happen with this Zagato if it were a production car: not an Alfa if it has pushrods.
The question about putting Alfa dohc heads on the Viper V10 block: how would you propose to drive the cams? Remove the central cam (redesign the block) , run chains (redesign the front of the engine) or run the 4 cams off the Viper pushrods by force of will? They’re entirely different block castings, and Alfas ain’t: front wheel drive, pushrod engines, or rebadged Dodges, but it is a stunning design. With an Alfa V10 in this car, it would be a much more desirable car, in with the BMW Z8 and recent Aston Martins. Their V10 F1 engine way back in 1986 could produce 620 bhp from 3.5 liters. With that, it would be an Alfa. As is, it’s an Iso Grifo by Zagato.
That’s the problem with the Viper Alfa, the Big Block, for it’s size and weight, US tradition of torque over high revving power, doesn’t lend much to the Alfa gospel of agility and crisp handling at high speeds. And what about the sound? Like a Viper, or an 80s Testa Rossa, the bass sound of NASCAR thunder, not Italian.
The TZ3 Stradale is no Alfa – Viper mechanicals with a Zagato body (let’s not forget that Zagato designs for many other marques as well!)… I don’t see any Alfa DNA in there except the center grille; brain-freeze on Marchionne’s part? Aside from this misstep, I’m more than convinced that Marchionne is doing great things for Alfa; the upcoming 4C and Giulias, both with good chance of success in America, indicate that there’s a great deal of effort on FIAT’s part to propel Alfa Romeo back to the limelight without resorting to badge-engineering; Marchionne’s intention is to have AR stand and shine on its own feet. There will be some platform-sharing in the works, obviously, but I see Chrysler eventually absorbed into FIAT and utilizing FIAT’s platforms, rather than the other way around (there are many more FIAT conglomerate platforms combined than Chrysler platforms, I’m guessing); I think that this bodes well for Alfa Romeo. As to Volkswagen’s interest in Alfa Romeo, I cheer Marchionne for telling the Germans off – I will swear off Alfas if that ever were to happen, as that would be the true end of the storied Alfa Romeo brand. Viva Alfa, and I believe that it has a visionary steward in Sergio Marchionne.
What a shame….
We need to accept that change (from our dear old 4 cyl. aluminum twin cams) is inevitable. Where would Alfa be, today, if Fiat hadn’t bought them? GONE would be my guess. At least Marchionne is bringing it back to the U.S. for us. Thank Andrea Zagato for building a beautiful car and calling it an Alfa Romeo – – hell, he could have called it a Viper! And as far as the cherished “Alfa” engines, they’ve been using Fiat – based cylinder blocks for quite awhile now… So cheer up you curmudgens – – I don’t imagine any of you will be owning one of the nine TZ3s anyhow. If in the future you see one of these V10 engine Alfas trouncing a Corvette or a Ferrari, even, I’ll bet you’ll be claiming WHAT A WONDERFUL ALFA IT IS!
With all due respect, sorry this is not an ALFA ROMEO. It is a Viper with Alfa badges, a very nice design by Zagato though.
To all true Alfisti this is a disgrace to Alfa Romeo as a car manufacturer, Alfa Romeo is the definition of passion, innovative technological ideas gained from motor racing and above all engines that inspire a driver, certainly an American V10 can in no way interpret the Alfa spirit.
I am sure that FIAT has all the ingredients to lift the Alfa Romeo to it’s former glory, it only needs the will to acheive ..and the funds to invest.
Let FPT briliant engineers to disign an engine that has all the essentials to place the brand to it’s former days of glory.
If however the decisions makers still follow this path for sure they will eventually kill the Alfa we all know,love and above all REPSECT.
TZ or not TZ, that is the question! Look folks: In the future, we will probably see a Mazda/ Alfa Romeo Spider (by the way Mr. Editor, I KNOW that you know better than to call a two-seat Alfa Romeo drop-top a “Spyder”!), a Maserati-built Afa Romeo 4C, a Maserati with an Alfa Romeo sourced engine and who knows what all else! But that is just the way it goes in the car business. Was the 164 – or any of its successors – a ‘real’ Alfa? How could a production-line Giulietta have been a real Alfa? It was just a regular car for the masses! Times change. As they say: “Embrace change!” or it will run right over you. I still like VWs and ‘P’ cars too, even after the death of the air-cooled engine. I still like Jeeps and Land Rovers too. Even Jaguars and Astons, Volvos and Saabs (Rest in Peace, my weird Swedish brother!) are still pretty cool.
Is the TZ3 Stradale an Alfa? Well, as a ‘one of nine’ specially-built Zagato…does it really matter? So what if Andrea Zagato chose to stretch a sexy Alfa-shaped body across the bones of a V10 Viper and that it handles, sounds, drives and smells like a Viper? Vipers are rare, tough and very fast and being an Alfa tribute designed and approved by Andrea Zagato certainly gives it some great pedigree. It’s a ‘show car’ folks! It isn’t even being considered for any kind of production run once the nine are all delivered. And in the end, that is good enough for me.
Cheers,
Alex
For what it’s worth, the “TZ2 at Pebble Beach 2009” is Bill H. Lyon’s 750-106.
Well said Alex. Yes, I owned many an Alfa Spider but things do get by me once in a while; thanks for catching that.
Pete