Alfa Romeo Giulia SWB Zagato

Acquired taste really is the best way to put it. I didn't even notice the double bubble at first, then smiled to myself when I realized its still there. You know what this is. Compare to the new Bertone. Coachbuilding shouldn't be so generic that the badges explain to you what it is...

 

This coach work isn’t generic in the slightest. The bubble isn’t screaming out at you because it’s black. That’s part of the reason they need to make the roof body color.

 

no no no I was referencing the Bertone as being generic.. The point I was trying to make is that even not noticing the double roof, its obvious (to some) what it is. The Bertone, slap some Mclaren maybe others (new NSX!),.. its design does not speak to its identity. I like that there is a hint of il mostro ..

 

That new Bertone does seem to missing something.

 

I so love that Zagato delivers - once again - a design that stands apart from everything else. Bravo!

 

As a Zagato fan, it’s good to know, this is truly an Alfa. The TZ3 never was an Alfa. A beautiful body on a Viper frame and mechanicals. Zagato apparently had some license agreement to just use an Alfa badge.

For this model, I’ll pass until see in person. Has potential and is a manual.

Zagato lost the touch with recent Aston Z’’s; specifically both Vanquish and DBS’s Z’s. The market depreciation been quite severe. Especially with limited production numbers.

Their 2020 IsoRivolta Zagato was a masterpiece, hopefully can continue with this new model.

 

This is the Alfa the new Zagato reminds me of. They both have one big thing in common, and it's not the 6 headlights. I am a big Alfa fan and I like some Zagato's, but I am also not blind


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Absolutely useless design exercise. It does nothing to bring a new "affordable" model to the market place...especially the US market. They've done nothing to update the Giulia since 2017...that's five years. This is not the way to succeed in the US. Can Stellantis be dumber than Fiat Chrysler? God bless Alfa and their engineers for surviving so many decades of bad management. The only thing good I can say is that I still totally enjoy my Giulia every time I get in it.

 

It’s not useless to Zagato or fans of their work. According to what they’re saying This wasn’t initiated by Alfa. It’s Zagato and a wealthy collector.

 

I prefer the Touring Disco Volante. And the color of this Zagato is pure Aston Martin...with the last minute change to an Alfa nose. The Alfa E30 Il Monstra, that was a true Alfa and a perfect Zagato.

 

cool car but not fan of styling. little bit like this


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Ohhh yeah I see it, they both have wheels. LOL

 

there was once a rumored Giulia coupe which they quashed. Imagine that with stick and GTA powerplant, but alfa didnt bother. I guess 550hp, shorter wheelbase, 3400lbs woudl make a mockery of the BMWs, but it would have been over 100K.

 

Not sure if purely initiated by Zagato. Lots changed since Alfa changed ownership (again) and now part of Stellantis.

I do know, the last two Aston Martin Zagato’s, the Vanquishes (built over 300!) and the DBS Z were led and designed by Aston in Gaydon. Not Zagato in Milano. Was purely a license deal AM had with the Zagato.

That’s one of the reasons, the values of those AM “Zagato’s” have gone south and are difficult to resell.

 

Also my first thought when I saw it.

Is it really that bulky/bloated, or are the wheels/tires just that small (and the driver, a dwarf)?
Oof.

 

They could also have produced the coupe with a simple 350 hp version of their four cylinder engine and kept everything else the same and sold them for $55k. Then they could have added that engine boost to the sedans, and boosted the coupe to 380hp. Easy ways to freshen up the car and keep it in the affordable range.

 

I can say that the EV craze put a stop to all the Giorgio platform ICE projects. I have a feeling that will end up driving Alfa into bankruptcy. We will see in 2028 when their full EV plan is supposed to happen. I hope Stellantis has the sense to stop them from going full EV.

 

Yep when the gulia first came out I think there was talk of a euro version with some stick and also some with 350hp, not sure they ever did it.
Youre right great inexpensive way to freshen the range and stay competitive by being a bit better than the others.
Seems like the Gulia Stevvio platform will be around another 3 years.

Tonale sadly is just a warmed over Doidge hornet/fiat. You think Alfa would have learned no one is fooled for long with that nice body on mundane platform game..

 

maybe they will go into nankrupcy. on the oter hand, what is there to differentiate one elctric car from another, they're all going to use shared platforms, so its styling, heritage, interiors, ride and handling setup. that can be an opportunity for alfas. Not everyone wants a blob with a kitchen appliance interior, or somehtign plain ugly like the mercedes and bmw electrics..

Today i saw one of the new BMW electic SUVs with schnoz, there is not one line or angle on that vehicle that is remotely appealing, all those creases, the execution just looks cheap. The Mercedes electric looks like a bad korean design.

If alfa can execute right there is a great market segment for them there, like everybody who used to covet a 3 series BMW back before they became a leasing company, and everybody else who like style and wants an actual car you can drive. Alfa is making the right noises in this regard, lets see the execution.

 

That all may be true, but what if other companies are allowed to continue making ICE well after the mandates stand now, and Alfa is stuck with only EV?? That is my point. Alfa owners are mainly petrol heads.

 

Thats a good point, not least because BMW Porche Honda and Toyota have all stated they intend to keep making ice. While there are electric mandates coming BMW GM to name two will be selling Ice right up to the 2035 California electric mandate and probably still selling ICe to the rest of us.

i guess the issue with Alfa is its part of Stellantis, and the euros are going all ice by the 2030s, or so they say. Alas a company like stellantis has a flawed understanding of the USA market. It is curious that they have dropped the doge challenger and v8s in general. Those cars still sold great, and Fiord notably is keeping the mustang.

From what I see so far the new electric dodge charger looks great, first electric car that does not look like crap and has some emotion, its going to be heavy but thats ok in a muscle car. Its also going to be expensive and realistically only 200 miles range.

My Gulia lease is up, I only have 18k miles on it, going to buy the car and keep it untill something else comes along I actually might want, by then the 12 yo equinox my son is drivign may be dead so the alfa may go to him and live on another deacde or two. The daily type next car for me may be the charger in a few years, once the bugs are irned out. but then I have enough other Ice cars to cover the bases.

Your point is good, how many are going to buy an expensive heavy 200mile (real range) alfa when they can buy a less expensive unlimited range 2 series ICE BMW.
The problem with eletrics was and still is range, Im talking real range. The fast chargers, thats still a 20 mins minimum wait assuming there is a space avialable, if not youre waiting 20 mins for a charger. Realistically were going to charge our electric cars overnight at home and start each day with full range, what's the model then for commercial charge facilities where use is by definition sporadic. Right now everybody has to go tot he gas station, ands stations make money of the convenience store, if you charge at home how many times will you go to a charging station.

back to the topic at hand, imo a practical electric car needs a real 400 miles range, thats means you hardley ever have to go to a charge station and have no range anxiety for almost any conceivable day. Currently the only car that can really do that is a $200k lucid air.

i think Ice will be around for quite a while until battery tech makes another leap in energy storage and drop in cost and thats not happening before 2027 when alfa goes all electrons. Still if they make a really stylish, cool desirable electric they may gain a good share of that market. BTW electrics were 10% of global auto sales last year, 3% in usa. I think China was close on 30%

 

We are still facing the unpleasant realities of mining the battery rare earth chemicals, and how to recycle all the trash the dead batteries will leave behind. This "all one or the other" approach to transportation energy...and energy in general...just doesn't make any common sense. If the politicians leave the market to work things out, the results will be much more efficient.

 

That taillight

 

lots of interesting comments, many of them are spot on; is this Alfa being Alfa again in the US market?? do they actually have any say anymore??
everything unfortunately with Alfa is pure speculation, I have learned that with them, I believe it when I actually see it.
that said while the Giorgio platform has been out since 2016, and there have been only very minor tweaks to the Giulia, some good, some meh, I would propose this to you. as a life long M car owner it only took BMW 6 years to catch the new M3 up with the QV. The F80, which I had for a year, was woefully lacking in power & handling/balance when compared to the QV. The ZCP F80 addressed power but even still was lacking...
The new G M3 in COMP form goes toe to toe with a QV from a power perspective easily, but after that it's still lacks the old M3 driver's feel. and oh yeah NO MANUAL for the COMP car, same ZF gearbox as the QV.
the Giorgio platform was so far ahead of its time! the skin needs refreshing perhaps. they spent what 8 billion euros under Marchionne to develop this? Took the 458 engineer Krief to be behind the development.
I am holding on to my MY17 QV, something tells me we won't see sports saloons like this ever again