Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale

[Vince_Fiero]

I generally saw the Alfa Romeo as a normal Italian car, with a spider model for women or hairdressers.
Then I found out that you can get quite powerful versions.
Next I found out the history and started to love this brand more and more.
When the new 8C Competitione arrived I was blown away.
When the 4C was announced I almost fainted.

And this was the next thing to arrive (viva Zagato, link in picture):



Basically a Viper ACR with a Zagato Alfa Romeo cover.

 

[bradford]

I have never seen such ugly wheels in my life.

 

[MitchZ06]

The first TZ3 Zagato did looks far better than this too...

 

[Danny]

Jesus Christ, it's horrible!

 

[Robin]

Why does Zagato still exist? and why do car companies still insist on going to them?

Looks like a flattened TVR T350.

 

[Cano]

Damn, this thing is sexy. Pininwhat? This car reaffirms that Zagato is and always has been the best of the Italian design houses there is, it’s always had a VERY distinctive styling (and indeed, the thing SMACKS of Zagato) yet, it always has created beautiful automobiles. And, curiously, I see as a positive point that this thing is a Viper ACR underneath. Zagato bodylines clothing one of the fastest American cars of our time? An “Alfa” with torque? YES.

 

[20832]

Dodge Viper anyone?

That was the first thing, that came into my mind as I same the rims, and that side pipe!
Looks just weird.

 

[land sea air]

Dodge Viper anyone?

That was the first thing, that came into my mind as I same the rims, and that side pipe!
Looks just weird.

that would be because there IS a Viper underneath...

I love the way it looks and the way it should go, a far better collaboration than anything MB provided, however I can't get my head around the wheels. I understand it's an alfa thing with the multi-hole wheels and all but still.

 

[afc2112]

The first TZ3 Zagato did looks far better than this too...

+1!

 

[Robin]

Damn, this thing is sexy. Pininwhat? This car reaffirms that Zagato is and always has been the best of the Italian design houses there is, it’s always had a VERY distinctive styling (and indeed, the thing SMACKS of Zagato) yet, it always has created beautiful automobiles.

Your joking right?, nearly every Zagato creation apart from a select few have been universally panned as being the most hideous things to ever come out of Italy. The company is a joke whereas Pininfarina have actually done tasteful looking stuff including on mass production cars which everyone can buy. The only Zagato I have every liked was the Aston Martin DB7 Z and AR1.

Robin.

 

[homeforsummer]

Your joking right?, nearly every Zagato creation apart from a select few have been universally panned as being the most hideous things to ever come out of Italy.

Not sure where you're hearing these things. Sure they've had some misses, but so have Pininfarina. Hyundai Matrix, anyone?

I'm guessing you only know about four Zagato cars in total. I'm certainly not sure you have extensive knowledge of all the cars they've worked on. There are probably almost a dozen Alfa Romeos alone.

 

[Robin]

Not sure where you're hearing these things. Sure they've had some misses, but so have Pininfarina. Hyundai Matrix, anyone?

Motoring journalists, automotive designers. Yeah sure every design house has misses but Pinifarina have a way better record than Zagato in my opinion plus many Zagato cars are just concepts or limited run cars. Plus its not like Alfa currently need help since the amazing 8C design language. The Hyundai Matrix was not THAT hideous.

I'm guessing you only know about four Zagato cars in total. I'm certainly not sure you have extensive knowledge of all the cars they've worked on. There are probably almost a dozen Alfa Romeos alone.

I know about Zagato a lot more than just 4 cars, I find their styling bizarre and unnecessary because they are often taking good looking cars and making them worse. It seems their design brief is always 'melt it'.

Robin.

 

[Eric.]

I think this car looks awesome.

 

[NISM0_SKYLINE]

I've like this car since the first one, and it still looks good. Although, I'd rather have the rear window of the first one. The windows look better then the wrap around thing it has going on now.

 

[20832]

that would be because there IS a Viper underneath...

I know, but does this have to mean, that it have to look like one?


If you get me ^^

 

[homeforsummer]

Motoring journalists, automotive designers. Yeah sure every design house has misses but Pinifarina have a way better record than Zagato in my opinion plus many Zagato cars are just concepts or limited run cars. Plus its not like Alfa currently need help since the amazing 8C design language. The Hyundai Matrix was not THAT hideous.

"Motoring journalists, automotive designers".

Bit vague, that. I know quite a few of the former (and read a hell of a lot of magazines) and I don't seem to get that general consensus.

Once again, you're taking a very subjective issue and then assuming that because you think a certain way, everybody else does too. Life doesn't work like that. You're allowed to not like the styling of Zagatos, but you can't just assume that makes your opinion fact...

I know about Zagato a lot more than just 4 cars, I find their styling bizarre and unnecessary because they are often taking good looking cars and making them worse. It seems their design brief is always 'melt it'.

I disagree, but then, that's just my opinion.

Also amusing that you like the DB7 Z, since the original DB7 looked so good in the first place!

 

[Luminis]

I'd much, much rather have the Viper underneath it.

 

[Robin]

Once again

EDIT - You know what, forget it... I get whats going on here now.

Robin.

 

[homeforsummer]

Gimme a break. If you present opinions as facts, expect to be called on it.

"Nearly every Zagato creation apart from a select few have been universally panned as being the most hideous things to ever come out of Italy"

This isn't fact. It's your opinion (which is fine) disguised as an assumption that the whole rest of the world believes the same (which is not).

You know what? I'm not that fussed on the styling of the Alfa above. That doesn't mean that every Zagato is automatically crap (IMO...), and it certainly doesn't mean that the whole world agrees.

 

[Tornado]

I like it. It is rather generic, and I would be lying if I said I didn't want a Ferrari engine under the hood rather than a Viper engine, but it still looks pretty nice. I'm pretty torn on the wheels, though.

Your joking right?, nearly every Zagato creation apart from a select few have been universally panned as being the most hideous things to ever come out of Italy.

Considering the immense positive reception such timeless designs as the "looks like a deformed 50s Corvette" 612 Scaglietti and "why did Ferrari hire such a bad rhinoplastician" Enzo received (to say nothing about the FF), I think it is pretty funny that you are tossing around terms "universally panned" and "hideous" for inherently subjective concepts.

Plus its not like Alfa currently need help since the amazing 8C design language.

The amazing 8C design language that arguably hasn't looked good on a single car it has been tried on besides the 8C? I recall the MiTo was quite love it or hate it on GTP when it was shown off, compared to the adoration the 8C got. The 4C was the same way.

 

[Mike0105]

I absolutely love the styling, but do not think that the Viper is a good donor car for this. Vipers are muscle cars, great at what they do, but very much a brute force way of achieving speed.

Alfas are more about high revs, sonorous sounds and elegance. The old twin cam engines are loved by many for their character. I think they should have stuck with Ferrari. Maybe a higher revving V12 to keep the 'Italian-ness'.

It is a strange mix.

Regarding the Hyundai Matrix, I was looking at one earlier as I parked next to it. It seems that the design has very little to do with Pininfarina and more with Hyundia saying "here you go, this is the car. Tweak it and put your name to it". In my humble opinion there is nothing special or nice about it.

To all those who dislike Zagato, have a look at their Aston Martin models. That are very nice. DB4 Zagato is extraordinarily beautiful. Also the Zagato Perana Z-one, the DB7 Zagato, the Spyker C12 Zagato and love it or hate it, the Alfa Romeo SZ is a classic now.

 

[Steeda]

It's decent looking.... With those wheels, it immediately reminded me of a mid-90's concept car..

 

[Starfirebird]

Everything about this car looks good except for the rims.Get rid of those and this car could turn some heads.

 

[NFSCARBON1]

I like it. I can see where they got the idea for the wheels from (see below), but I'd swap them for the ones on the 8C

 

[Dan_]

Um, this doesn't look pretty as the Corsa version does.

It should have a superb performance given that is based on the victorious uperpinnings of the ACR, however, I don't think this looks properly good. Looks absolutely artesanal, in a bad way though.

Do not want.

 

[Mike Rotch]

Looks like a kitcar. The prototype version posted on page 1 of this thread looks 100x better.

 

[eSZee]

That area from that angle looks weird/bad to me.

 

[Keef]

Jesus Christ, it's horrible!

The only odd part about it is the headlights. Besides that, the wheels are awesomely retro, thr wraparound glass is much more cohesive than on the other car, the deeper red is more mature and luxurious, the car is still curvy but has more modern and agressive edges here and there, and the lack of graphics make this thing look almost production-ready and much more like a proper street car.

I think it's great. I think both the cars are great really. They both have Vipers underneath which means their proportions are immensely powerful and gorgeous.

 

[Vince_Fiero]

I think we can agree with most of the comments.
I generally like the Zagato nose, but find the back is a bit heavy in the Zagato designs.

The idea of creating a car (Alfa Romeo TZ3) based on a frame (Viper ACR) just for looks is something that exists from the start of the automobile industry, I'm enthusiastic it still exists.

The original race version was based on a much lighter car (Gillet Vertigo), I agree that this made a nicer design, but a street version is a good thing for me.

 

[trombone]

To all those who dislike Zagato, have a look at their Aston Martin models. That are very nice. DB4 Zagato is extraordinarily beautiful.

I always thought the DB4 Zagato looked like a whale on wheels.

The DB4 Bertone 'Jet' is where it's at.