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Alfa Romeo's long-awaited 33 Stradale supercar will be its last pure-combustion supercar, the brand has confirmed. In development since 2021, it has been revealed as a head-turning reincarnation of a 1960s racing legend, and offers the choice of V6 or electric power.
Buyers are offered a choice of two powertrains – a 750hp all-electric motor or a mid-rear-mounted 620hp, 3.0-litre twin-turbocharged V6. The latter, pure-combustion car weighs around 1,500kg. Confirmed orders have been placed for 10 V6-engined cars and two electric ones.
The electric powertrain is the first to be used by any Alfa Romeo and is claimed to be paired with a battery that’s large enough for a range of 450km on the WLTP cycle. Further details regarding the all-electric Alfa have yet to be confirmed. The EV will have its own sound engineered into the cabin, as on other EVs such as the BMW i4 and Mercedes-Benz EQS. It uses a tri-motor, four-wheel drive set-up similar to the one featured in the new Granturismo Folgore from sibling brand Maserati.
The Alfa's combustion powerplant is an updated version of the 2.9-litre unit used in the Giulia and Stelvio Quadrifoglios, albeit bored out and boosted by 133hp. It drives the rear wheels through an 8-speed ZF automatic transmission, with no manual offered.
In petrol guise, the 33 Stradale promises a 0-100kph time of less than three seconds, and a top speed of 333kph. The EV posts a time of "under 2.5 seconds", according to Alfa Romeo's VP product manager Daniel Guzzafame.
Drivers can choose between Strada (road) and Pista (track) mode. Alfa Romeo said it had the "ambitious" goal of ensuring the car was as at home on the track and on the road, thus giving the driver a more comfortable ride in road mode with slower throttle responses, softer suspension and – on the V6 car – exhaust valves that don't open until 5,000rpm. Track mode, meanwhile, sharpens the throttle response, stiffens its front and rear double-wishbone suspension, and keeps the exhaust valve open constantly.
Manoeuvrability on the road and track is helped by a four-wheel steering system that has been developed in-house by Alfa Romeo and is described as "semi-virtual". The firm claims this aids precision and can filter out rough road surfaces to make the driver feel more comfortable. Stopping power comes from carbon-ceramic ventilated Brembos, with six-piston calipers at the front and four-pots at the rear.
To help keep weight down, the 33 Stradale's monocoque chassis is made out of carbon-fibre, and its body frame from aluminium. The window frames are also carbon-fibre and lightweight door hinges are fitted for the Stradale’s striking butterfly doors.
Concerning the design of the 33 Stradale, Alfa Romeo has tried to match the proportions of the original car as closely as possible. In the front, it uses the familiar 'V' shaped grille, called the Scudetto Shield, with an overall profile optimised for aerodynamics and “necessary beauty”, the brand claims.
The emphasis on aerodynamics includes the use of an air intake integrated into the headlights, and a rear spoiler directing air into the side intakes to make the car as slippery as possible. Guzzafame confirmed that the 33 Stradale's new-style 'V' shaped grille, elliptical bonnet and LED lines in the headlamps will be carried over to future cars from the brand.
As with the exterior, its cockpit employs lightweight materials such as aluminium and carbon-fibre, while extensive use of Alcantara reinforces its supercar billing.
Alfa Romeo CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato previously told our sister publication Autocar UK that Alfa Romeo would ensure its interiors remain "driver-centric", and the 33 Stradale cements this pledge with very few buttons hosted on the centre console, and a 3D head-up display (said to be an industry-first) serving as the main digital interface. It is designed to distract the driver as little as possible.
The steering wheel does without buttons entirely, with certain physical controls instead mounted above the driver’s head on the ceiling – a feature that, Alfa says, is designed to make the interior feel like an aeroplane cockpit. The seats, meanwhile, are inspired by those in the original 33 Stradale.
In keeping with the pure and simple ethos, just two specifications are available – Tributo and Alfa Corse – and three colours: blue, red, and a white and red livery that pays tribute to the design of the 33 Stradale racer.
"Every detail is designed to create an exclusive and engaging environment, maintaining the aesthetic and technical heritage of the 1967 33 Stradale," said Alfa Romeo.
Each car has been designed to be different from each other, to the extent that buyers can even select the last eight digits of their car’s VIN number. Further modifications are available for the grille, rear badge and air intakes.
The cars will be produced by Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera, the same Italian coachbuilder responsible for the Ferrari 166 MM Barchetta, Aston Martin DB5, and the Maserati 3500 GT.
Developed by a team of 49 engineers with an eye on minimalism, Alfa Romeo's first supercar since the 8C Competizione spearheads a series of ‘fuoriserie’ (custom-built) Alfa Romeo limited editions. All of these will be designed to showcase the brand at its best, while paying tribute to its heritage. For example, the 33 Stradale promises to remain sympathetic to the original car's features.
As a nod to its name, just 33 examples of the Stradale will be produced. They have all been allocated to specially selected customers who respect "the car's history and iconicity”. The first car will be delivered on December 17, 2024, with all customers in possession of their cars by 2026.
Prices are understood to be around GBP 1.7 million (roughly Rs 17.86 crore) apiece, making this the most expensive Alfa Romeo yet.
Autocar