The 1968 Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale is beloved amongst classic car enthusiasts and admirers alike for its graceful design and beastly performance. This Italian 2-door coupe was in fact one of the world’s first-ever supercars when it was introduced back in 1967. It was named the Stradale, which in Italian meant, ‘road-going’ which highlighting its intended purpose of making a street-legal supercar.
The car is achingly gorgeous, sleek yet primitive in it’s appeal. It remains among Italy’s most iconic cars and further established the nation as a global supercar powerhouse. There are so many beautiful angles and features, from the glass butterfly doors to the elegance of the headlights. Alfa even removed the mirrors from the final product further deceiving the eye and its intended purpose as a road legal car. Despite the Stradale’s charming appearance though, underneath lies a devilishly powerful machine.
When fired up, the exhaust spouts flames as its ferocious engine turns over. It is a dramatic experience that promotes goose bumps to the skin. The quasi-road car, devoid of side mirrors, pretended to be something it was not in its commercial release. This was not a car for the faint hearted or average Joe, it’s a theatrical experience on wheels and which was characterised in the Italian film classic, That Splendid November, where the car is exquisitely showcased.
Astonishingly, there were only 18 ever produced making it one of the most rare and exclusive cars in the world. In addition to its exclusivity, every Stradale is completely and distinctively unique. Designer Carrozzeria Marazzi handmade every body and in each occasion tweaked and changed the things he was displeased with. That’s why some had alternate headlights, windshields, or improved venting systems for example, making every single Stradale magically unique and one of a kind.
Stradale features
A notable feature of the Alfa Romeo is it’s doors. In fact, it was the first production car to use butterfly doors that had glass panels connecting at the top and curving down the aluminium door. The car body was also made from aluminium, built onto an aluminium tubular chassis.
“Despite the Stradale’s charming appearance though, underneath lies a devilishly powerful machine.”
The six-speed Stradale was powered by a mid engined 2.0 litre fuel injected, V8 beauty the six-speed Stradale had a top of speed of 260 kmh and launched from 0-60 mph in 5.5 seconds.. At 700 kg, it was actually one of the fastest and lightest commercially available cars at that time. That engine was a sibling of the former Alfa Montreal but with a smaller capacity. The variance of each handmade car as aforementioned, also related to its engines which give each unit a variance of power, some had higher reving capacity and horse power than others. This is what makes the elusive 33 Stradale such a collectable item, since its in these small details that connoisseurs and fanatics adore and cherish
Back in 1968 when these vehicles were made commercially available, the Stradale was originally listed at $17,000. Fast forward to the present day and you could pick one up for a modest $10 million. Humour aside, the sheer scale of this car’s present value speaks to how appreciated this car is. The exclusivity, uniqueness and history contribute to its ultimate reverence.
In the day, this car brought street car competition to its peak and then transcended it. The Stradale is an epic machine and has rightfully earned its reputation for its beauty and brilliance. It is one of the only few cars in history that rightfully belong with the status of masterpeice. Only 10 are thought to be still around, making each and every one a special and historic part of automobile history. The Stradale, is a classic that is truly one of the most brilliant cars ever produced. For more visit: https://www.alfaromeo.com.au
