1986 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce - Low Miles / Super Clean on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Alfa Romeo SZ, the brutalist 'Il Mostro,' restored by FCA Heritage

Nicknamed Il Mostro — "the Monster" in Italian — because of its unusual, almost brutalist design, the 1989 Alfa Romeo SZ was meant to showcase all the technological prowess of the Milanese firm at the time. It was also meant to plant a stake in the ground and return the revered marque to its rear-wheel-drive roots. Though it was an evolutionary dead end, the SZ is still considered among the most distinctive cars in a brand filled with distinctive models. It should, then, be no surprise that FCA Heritage, the classic car and history preservation arm of Stellantis (which, apparently, was not part of the name change) has just restored one. The SZ began life at the 1989 Geneva Motor Show as the ES-30 concept, which stood for Experimental Sports 3.0-liter. The production car was named SZ for Sprint Zagato, but the design is credited to Robert Opron of the Fiat Style Center, while Antonio Castellana did the finishing details and interior. Zagato used its coachbuilding expertise to build the cars, whose bodywork was formed from a composite thermoplastic material called Modar, made by Italy's Carplast and France's Stratime. Alfa Romeo also claims it was the first car to be produced using computer-aided design (CAD/CAM). Beneath the sci-fi exterior lay a 12-valve, 3.0-liter V6 plucked from the Alfa Romeo 75 3.0i Quadrifoglio Verde. With 204 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque, it was the most powerful Alfa of the time. Output was fed through a 5-speed transaxle and the suspension, Koni-designed shocks, and brakes reportedly tuned by Fiat and Lancia rally driver Giorgio Pianta and transplanted from the Alfa 75 1.8 Turbo Evolution Group A racer.  The original run was intended to span just 1,000 cars, but some sources say 1,036 were produced. That run ended in 1991, after which a roadster version called the RZ was built from 1992-93.  The example restored has been in Alfa Romeo's possession since the beginning. It served as a test car on the Balocco proving grounds and was used in promotional photos. There are several details on it that differ from production models, so much so that Alfa Romeo says it could be "considered a prototype." Unfortunately, as history shows, the SZ failed to usher in a real-wheel-drive renaissance at Alfa Romeo. After its end, there wasn't another rear-drive model until the 8C Competizione in 2007.

Fiat Centro Stile sells design sketches to support kids in Italy

Fiat's Centro Stile design studio in Europe has kicked off a project called stART Again to support the global charity Save the Children. The studio put 136 high-resolution sketches of Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Fiat Professional, Jeep, and Lancia vehicles for download online at just ˆ20 a pop — about $22. The proceeds from all sales will be donated to a charity founded in England 101 years ago "to improve the lives of children through better education, health care, and economic opportunities, as well as providing emergency aid in natural disasters, war, and other conflicts." Save the Children will use the funds to provide supplies, teaching materials, and support for studies for more than 100,000 children in the most disadvantaged areas of Italy who have been additionally harmed by the coronavirus and its effects. There are a heap of knockout drawings available. The selection at the Alfa Romeo store ranges from a 1958 Alfetta 158 racer to the coming Giulia GTA, classics in between including the immortal GTV 6 and the left-field 75 1.8 Turbo TCC racer. The Fiat marketplace contains wares from Abarth, Fiat, and Fiat Professional, with a massive emphasis on the new 500, but the hardcore 1972 Abarth 124 Spyder and oddball 900E van get slots in there (the 900E looks like a Volkswagen Vanagon, but the 900E came first). The Jeep shop is all business and big tires, save for the 1942 Willys MB, but someone needs to take the 1956 Jeep Forward Control sketch off the page and into reality. And the Lancia store has more to offer than the Stratos and Delta Integrale, an ominous Aurelia B20 GT and a Fulvia GT part of the five-model lineup. For some reason, Maserati got left out of the graphic bonanza, as did Ram, Dodge, and Chrysler, which is a shame. That still leaves 136 good reasons to click through and help the kiddies. Related Video:

2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio Drivers' Notes Review | Everything you expect

The 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio is a performance crossover that goes head-to-head with models like the Porsche Macan and Mercedes-AMG GLC 63 S. It takes the Giulia's 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 and stuffs it into a slightly more practical package. Crossovers are all the rage, and Alfa needs the Stelvio to be a hit if the brand has any hope of success in America. Performance models like this don't come cheap, but you get what you pay for. In addition to the performance parts like a torque-vectoring differential, Brembo brakes and 20-inch wheels with Pirelli summer tires, the Stelvio Quadrifoglio comes standard with features like blind-spot monitoring, a Harman Kardon sound system, a heated steering wheel and heated front seats. Options on this car include $2,200 for the Rosso Competizione paint and $1,500 for a drivers assistance package. Update: CarPlay and Android Auto are standard equipment. The listed price on our tester's window sticker was an error. Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore: I've been skeptical about the Stelvio. Aside from the famous Scudetto grille, what really makes this an Alfa — a good one, anyway? Eyeing them on the road I've been less than impressed. They look like generic crossovers, which is not the vibe Alfa should be giving off. Enter the Quadrifoglio. The 505-hp twin-turbo V6 makes the Stelvio addicting to drive. The 20-inch wheels with Alfa's signature five-hole design under the flared fenders propel this thing to style leadership. Factor in the four-leaf clover badges, and the Stelvio Quadrifoglio looks and feels special. Driving it is a riot. The interior feels legitimately athletic, too. The big, thin steering wheel with the start button and paddle shifters integrated in front of the driver do create a cockpit-like setting. Add in the leather, red stitching and carbon fiber, and it's a cool place to drive. After an energetic commute to the office, my thinking on the Stelvio had changed. Yes, I like the Quadrifoglio, but I can now see this Italian crossover as a compelling alternative in this segment. Wasn't sure how I felt about the @AlfaRomeoUSA Stelvio. But 505 horses convinced me of its merits. Liking this lab hauler in Quadrifoglio spec. @therealautoblog pic.twitter.com/sSUyOS8iY0 — Greg Migliore (@GregMigliore) November 1, 2018 Associate Editor Reese Counts: What a mixed bag. I really wanted to love the Stelvio.