Alfa Romeo promised it would create a supercar, and we had the official confirmation on August 30. The Italian icon decided to give the 1967 33 Stradale a modern interpretation. Curiously, it follows the same steps as Totem Automobili, the company that recreated the original Giulia GTA. Like the Totem GT, Alfa Romeo will offer an electric and a V6 derivatives of its modern supercar.
In November 2022, Jean-Philippe Imparato told Autocar that the brand was working on a bespoke vehicle, meaning it was designing it from the ground up. As the Alfa Romeo CEO said, he wanted to stamp Alfa Romeo on a chassis once again. Although the new 33 Stradale is the vehicle in which Imparato wanted to do that, rumor has it that it is actually a Maserati MC20 underneath the new skin.
Some of the technical specifications of the new supercar confirm that. The wheelbase of the 33 Stradale is 2.70 meters (106.3 inches), which is the same as the MC20, a vehicle that is still in production lines. The total length of the new Alfa Romeo is 4.64 m (182.7 in), which makes the Maserati slightly longer, at 4,67 m (183.8 in). Shorter bumpers would do the trick. Now compare the height (1.23 m, or 48.4 in) and width (1.97 m, or 77.6 in) of the new 33 Stradale with those of the MC20 (1.22 m and 1.97 m), and you'll see Imparato was probably convinced that cost-cutting was better than printing Alfa's name on a chassis.
The nail in the coffin of that attempt is the V6 engine that will power the new 33 Stradale: it is the same Nettuno unit that powers the Maserati. The 3-liter twin-turbo engine with cylinders at 90º delivers more than 620 ps (611.5 hp). Considering the V6 on the MC20 offers 630 ps (621 hp), that's probably what Alfa Romeo means by "more than 620 ps." Even the gearbox is the same: an 8-speed dual-clutch transmission sending power to the rear wheels.
Photo: Stellantis
Although that may make people call the new 33 Stradale an MC20 in disguise, Alfa Romeo managed to make it more exclusive than the Maserati. According to the company, only 33 units will be ever made, and all of them were already sold. In other words, the wealthy buyers probably knew about the technical specifications and just did not care.
As for the electric derivative of the new Alfa Romeo, it seems to have asked for the help of another Maserati, the Gran Turismo Folgore. Both vehicles work at 800V, which allows them to fast-charge in a much shorter time than those working at half the voltage. Alfa Romeo said it offers more than 750 ps (740 hp). Considering that the Folgore delivers 761 ps (751 hp), you already know what "more than 750 ps" means.
The new 33 Stradale has a battery pack with 102 kWh of gross capacity and 90 kWh of usable power. As I explained a few days ago, that has nothing to do with buffer: it is what the carmaker can offer without compromising the battery pack lifespan. The electric version of the new Alfa Romeo may run more than 450 kilometers (280 miles) under the WLTP cycle.
Photo: Stellantis
It would be fascinating if the Italian brand disclosed how many units of each derivative were sold. If I were to bet, I'd say most of them will have the V6 engine. Some buyers may have even bought two units – one of each option – sure that the electric 33 Stradale will be a rarer vehicle one day. As long as they have already figured out what to do when it is necessary to replace the battery pack, that may be a good plan. In Totem's case, there is a fixed number of units for each derivative, so we already know how many will be around.
Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera will manufacture all 33 units of the new 33 Stradale. Those wondering if that makes it a true Alfa Romeo should know that the 18 units of the original 1967 vehicle were also constructed by a coach builder: Carrozzeria Marazzi. Sadly, this company went bankrupt in 2019.
Alfa Romeo promises that each one will be unique, thanks to "Bottega." This team of professionals dedicated one year to creating the car of these customers' dreams. They were first contacted at the 2022 F1 Monza Grand Prix. According to the Italian brand, the potential customers were so amazed by the new vehicle that it was sold out in a matter of weeks. Even the VINs were customizable: they started with ZAR (Alfa Romeo), continued with 33STR, and the eight digits left were freely chosen by the buyers. That will give them a sort of signature that will remain with these 33 Stradales for as long as they live. We'll learn about the chosen customers as they hit the road. Stellantis did not disclose when that will happen.
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