Alfa Romeo Giulia SWB Zagato
In 2021, as part of the centenary celebrations for the collaboration between Alfa Romeo and Zagato, which began in 1921 with the TIPO G1, the Milanese Atelier chose to commemorate this important anniversary with the creation of a new model.
The idea was to celebrate the current Alfa Romeo production of Giulia and Stelvio, together with the legendary 6-cylinder engine in its latest GTAm evolution with a two-door Coupé Zagato body in carbon fibre and a shortened wheelbase.
Built for one German customer who is a Zagato collector, Zagato chose the ‘TZ’ theme, creating the TZ3 Corsa with 8C engine – winner at Villa D’Este – followed by the TZ3
Stradale based on the Chrysler Viper and immediately named by the international press as the first American Alfa Romeo, for this new double anniversary the theme was instead ‘SZ’.
TZ and SZ boast two different design languages but both dress the Zagato concept of Granturismo. The design of the prototype Giulia SWB (short wheelbase) Corsa, is, therefore, a natural evolution of the Alfa Romeo SZ models starting with the Codatronca version, born in 1961, and which dominated its GT Class in 1962 – 1963 up to the more recent S.Z. whose front end inspired the front treatment of the very recent Tonale.
This new prototype was named “SWB” because it was developed in-house by Zagato from the Giorgio modular floorplan of the Giulia and Stelvio, optimizing its overhangs and wheelbase, in keeping with Zagato’s sporting tradition.
The car, after the photo shoot on the ‘La Pista’ circuit in Arese, will then be officially handed over to the customer, to round off an important year for Zagato and seal a collaboration that over the course of more than 100 years has given rise to more than 150 models of the highest collectors’ value.
A full report with more information will be in the Alfa Romeo Driver magazine landing to all members in February 2023.
