Photo credit: Petrolicious
Alfa Romeo has always been known for making some of the most beautiful cars on the road. One of our top contenders, not just of the brand models, but in the automotive world altogether, is Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale. It is arguably one of the most beautiful cars ever made. While it is truly a piece of art, don’t expect to ever see it.
The mentioned model has only been produced for several years – from 1967 to 1969, and it has been made in an ultra-limited edition of only 18.
Essentially, it was a street-legal racecar based on the Tipo 33. It was extremely light which allowed its 2-liter 230 HP V8 engine to push it to 260 kph/160 mph.
That might not sound like much nowadays, but in the 60s it was more than impressive.
Design
The creator of this stunning design was Franco Scaglione. He was also known for designing more eccentric Alfa Romeo BAT concept cars. The man was very talented and bold, and in the end, he gave us some truly amazing creations.
While the overall design of the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale was undoubtedly beautiful, it was also very aerodynamic. When we consider additional elements which helped the airflow and the fact that it was mid-engine, it is obvious that it was a true racecar.
Engine
The engine itself was not related to anything produced in the brand’s models at the time. Instead, they used the V8 engine from Alfa Romeo Montreal, which also derived from their earlier racecars.
Compared to some of the previous configurations, it was chain-driven and equipped with two sparks per cylinder. It revved to 10 000 which allowed it to produce impressive power even though its capacity was relatively small.
Chassis
Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale chassis and body were handmade. Its chassis was devised from aluminum tubing while its body was composed entirely of the same material. Since it was hand-made, every single car is somewhat different. The primary example are the headlights which can be seen in multiple configurations.
Performance
33 Stradale was able to hit 100 kilometers per hour in 6 seconds which, at the time, was quick. Its top speed is stated by the factory to max out at 260 kilometers per hour. This was tested out by one German magazine in 1968, and they managed to reach 252 kilometers per hour or 157 mph.
Price
Alfa Romeo Stradale 33 price is somewhat hard to determine nowadays. The main reason behind this is that it rarely exchanges hands. When it first came out it was one of the most expensive cars available, with starting price of $17000.
To put it in perspective, it was more expensive than Lamborghini Miura. When it comes to its price today, we can only speculate about it. The Brand’s head of North America estimated its price at over 10 million dollars in 2015. That number is closer to 20 million nowadays.
In the end, Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale is a true legend. It is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cars in the world, and it will stay in the books as a true stunner and engineering masterpiece.