Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Zagato

The 24 Hours of le Mans

 

The Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ (for Sprint Zagato, officially the Tipo 101.26, or "Type 101.26") was an aluminium-bodied 2-seater berlinetta, built by Zagato for competition use on the chassis and mechanicals of the Sprint Speciale.

A crashed Sprint Veloce was rebodied by Zagato in late 1956, and was immediately successful in competition. Zagato ended up building 18 rebodied Veloces, called the SVZ and the version gave rise to a full production version. The SVZ was about 120 kg (260 lb) lighter than the Coupé on which it was based, and had the highest tuned, 118 CV (116 hp; 87 kW) version of the Giulietta engine.

A production competition version of the Giulietta, with lightened bodywork designed by Ercole Spada at Zagato was then premiered at the 1960 Geneve Salon. Handbuilt by Zagato, entirely in aluminium and with plexiglass windows, the lightened Sprint Zagato (SZ) was light, fast, and expensive. Two hundred seventeen were built, the original design with a rounded rear and with the last thirty (some say 46) receiving a longer kamm-style rear end as well as disc brakes up front. The original design is called the "Coda Tonda" (round tail), while the Kamm-design is referred to as the "Coda Tronca" (truncated tail). The Coda Tronca is sometimes also referred to as the "SZ2". The first examples were built in December 1959, and production continued into 1962. Zagato also rebodied a few existing cars with this bodywork, leading to discrepancies in the production numbers.

The SZ was very successful in racing, on a national level as well as internationally. The SZ helped Alfa Romeo secure a victory in the 1.3 litre class of the International Championship for GT Manufacturers in 1962 and 1963.[16] Michel Nicol won the Tour de Corse in 1957.

 

Metro; Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ; 1963 24h Le Mans DNF; Sala & Rossi; RN34 Provence Moulage; Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ; 1963 24h Le Mans DNF; Sala & Rossi; RN34      
Metro; Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ; 1963 24h Le Mans DNF; Sala & Rossi; RN34 Provence Moulage; Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ; 1963 24h Le Mans DNF; Sala & Rossi; RN34      
         
         

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Last Edit: 12/06/2024   Page Added 04/04/2022