There are more high-end cars than just Ferrari and Lamborghini. ‘Alternative-Brand Super Cars’ is a new series devoted to exploring the masterful machines created around the world by some of the more obscure, yet highly talented, automakers in existence.
Amongst the gorgeous, antique buildings and peaceful river roads of Milan, Italy there has always been a fair share of engineering innovation that paints a fun contrast between the breaking edge technology and rustic aesthetic of the city. Along with the stunning amount of aviation technology that was developed in Milan, there is also a strong foundation of automotive brilliance that was born there. In particular, the car manufacturer Alfa Romeo (originally known as A.L.F.A.) was founded in this city in 1910. For over 100 years, this Italian racecar company has developed groundbreaking vehicles. It’s piece-de-resistance, however, would have to be the 33 Stradale, which was created in 1967. Here’s a little more on this historical heavy hitter…
Performance
The 33 Stradale was standardly equipped with a V8 DOHC racing engine that was able to produce 172 kilowatts of energy at 8800 rpm. This engine also meant the torque on the vehicle was exceptional, for the time, with 150 lbs of downward force at 7000 rpm. These elements, along with the six-speed Colotti transaxle transmission and a beautiful handmade body that is practically seamless, made the 33 Stradale a beast of a roadcar which contained the spirit of a race car.
What do these components all add up to? Well, the 33 Stradale is able to shoot up from 0 to a speed of 60 miles per hour in just 5.5 seconds. After 24 seconds, it was able to reach a top speed of 160 miles per hour. While these numbers may not be terribly impressive by the standards of a modern supercar, remember that this was the 1960’s. In 1968, the 33 Stradale was the fastest car that could be bought (assuming you could find one), and was able to outpace the supercars of Lamborghini, Ferrari, and Maserati.
Price and rarity
If you ever wanted to purchase your own 33 Stradale, you might have a hard time. Alfa Romeo only ever created 18 individual models of this beautiful roadcar, all of them being uniquely built and handmade. If you did happen to find one of these pieces of auto art, then you would also be setback by the $3 million price tag that one would be likely to fetch. This makes the 33 Stradale an offbrand supercar for the history books, and one that people will be talking about for another 50 years.
