WORDS: ELLIOTT HUGHES | PHOTOS: ALFA ROMEO
Alfa Romeo has revealed one of the most stunning supercars of 2023, in the form of the ‘fuoriserie’ (limited production) 33 Stradale supercar.
The Italian marque will build just 33 examples of the road-going mid-engined supercar, and all have already sold out after first being offered to discerning customers ahead of the 2022 Italian Grand Prix at Monza.
First deliveries are slated to commence in December 2024, before production winds up in 2026. Alfa Romeo says no further derivatives, such as Spider or Quadrifoglio variants, will be built. The 33 cars will be built by the famed Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera, which also built the similarly beautiful Alfa Romeo Disco Volante.
The bodywork is a symphony of contoured carbonfibre and aluminium
Alfa’s latest halo car is inspired by the original 33 Stradale of 1967, which was a gorgeous, road-going and limited-production version of the marque’s Tipo 33 race machine. Just 18 examples were built, and the original 33 Stradale is credited alongside the Lamborghini Miura for forging the modern definition of a mid-engined supercar.
The 1967 33 Stradale was designed by Bertone’s inimitable genius Franco Scaglione, whose enviable résumé also includes the trio of legendary Alfa Romeo BAT concepts, the Giulietta Sprint and Lamborghini 350GTV.
Alfa Romeo’s head of design, Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos, was the man given the unenviable task of overseeing the sequel to the original 33 Stradale – a car many regard as Scaglione’s magnus opus. Emphasising the gravitas of the project even further is the fact that the 33 Stradale also serves as a design manifesto for the marque’s future offerings.
To our eyes, Mesonero-Romanos and Alfa Romeo’s Centro Stile division have done a fantastic job. The bodywork is a symphony of contoured carbonfibre and aluminium. The front end neatly converges the wings and nose into what Alfa calls a ‘cofango’, while a V-shaped section on the bonnet mirrors the brand’s iconic triangular grille beneath.
The headlights are a modern take on the curvaceous shape of the ‘60s model, while incorporating a modern and distinctive LED light signature. Large intakes for the intercoolers add drama to the side profile, and butterfly doors add theatre while paying homage to the original 33 Stradale.
There’s another V-shaped section at the rear of the car, which is characterised by a pair of cylindrical tail-lights that dramatically protrude from the rear wings. These are complemented by an integrated ducktail boot spoiler and a large carbonfibre diffuser beneath.
Beneath all those stunning stylistic touches is a lightweight carbonfibre monocoque paired with aluminium subframes. The use of such lightweight materials means that the ICE-powered 33 Stradale should tip the scales at around 1500kg, with the BEV weighing in the region of 2000kg.
The chassis design is complemented by double-wishbone suspension and active dampers at each corner. Suspension characteristics can be altered via Strada (road) and Pista (track) drive modes, and the active dampers can also raise the front of the car by 50mm for steep driveways and pesky speed-bumps.
Twenty-inch alloy wheels are fitted front and rear, wrapped in Bridgestone Potenza Sport rubber. Brembo carbon-ceramic brakes, equipped with a brake-by-wire system that modifies pedal feel and braking force based on driving mode, are located behind each wheel.
Two basic interior trims are available: Tributo and Alfa Corse. The former is the most faithful to the original car, with surfaces finished in a combination of leather and aluminium, while the latter favours Alcantara and carbonfibre.
Both cabin trims are refreshingly minimalist. The only screen to speak of is the telescopic instrument panel, while simple switches on the centre console and a panel of buttons on the roof operate all the essential functions.
Alfa Romeo has declined to officially reveal a price, but a figure of €1.7m (£1.46m) has been widely reported.
