2023 Alfa Romeo Giulia SWB Zagato revealed
Bespoke take on Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA pays homage to 1950s Sprint Zagato seriesThe lightweight one-off 2023 Alfa Romeo Giulia SWB Zagato has been unveiled overnight, celebrating 100 years of Alfa and Zagato collaboration.
Based on the current 2022 Alfa Romeo Giulia, the new Giulia SWB Zagato boasts a completely bespoke carbon-fibre body designed by the famous Italian styling studio in partnership with Alfa Romeo’s own in-house design team.
Claimed to pay tribute to the Sprint Zagato (SZ) series of racing Alfas of the late 1950s, the model is also said to have drawn plenty of influence from Il Mostro – the unusual Alfa Romeo 75-based SZ that was produced back in 1989.
Design cues carried over from the SZ include its three-element headlight cluster (that are actually borrowed from the Alfa Romeo Tonale SUV), as well as the double-bubble roof and bluff rear-end.
Inside, its Giulia GTAm roots are evident but with extra carbon-fibre and green accents.
The racy carbon-fibre seats feature the famous Z emblem.
Despite the Alfa badging, Zagato stresses the actual development and production of the Giulia SWB Zagato was carried out by Zagato, including the shortening of the current Giulia’s platform to match the proportions of the original ’89 SZ.
Beneath its dramatic carbon skin, the Giulia SWB Zagato is based on the most extreme Alfa Romeo Giulia GTAm, meaning the Zagato coupe comes equipped with a 2.9-litre twin-turbocharged V6 that produces 397kW and 600Nm of torque.
There’s no word on how fast or how light the Giulia SWB Zagato is, but it’s thought the combination of its shorter wheelbase and lighter body will have carved at least 100kg off the GTAm kerb weight.
That means 0-100km/h acceleration in less than 3.5 seconds is possible, plus a top speed approaching 330km/h – and that’s with a manual six-speed transmission, something the hottest Giulia sedan doesn’t offer.
According to reports, Zagato will make just one Giulia SWB Zagato, with the sole car already purchased by a German collector for a price tag expected to be in the many millions.
“The philosophy of this new 2023 SZ is that of the 1960s, with a body driven by simplicity, aerodynamics and lightness,” said Alfa Romeo design vice-president Alejandro Mesonero.
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