Alfa Romeo Giuletta Sprint Zagato SZ2 Coda Tronca
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Car producer : |
Alfa Romeo |
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Model: |
Giuletta Sprint Zagato SZ2 Coda Tronca |
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Year: |
1962 |
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Type: |
Coupe |
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 (87 kW) version of the Giulietta engine.
A production competition version of the Giulietta, with lightened bodywork designed by Franco Scaglione for Bertone 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 treatment as well as disc brakes up front. The original design is called the "Coda Tonda", while the Kamm-design is referred to as the "Coda Tronca". 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 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Zagato is unquestionably a very desirable car; it has all the elements for racing competition, from its highly tuned 1,300 cc engine mated to a five-speed transmission, which was mounted carefully, and the constructed, lightweight aluminium bodywork. Zagato reportedly spent 300 hours on each body Tronca’ variant.
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 FIA Sportscar Championship in 1962 and 1963
