Alfa Romeo SZ
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Alfa Romeo SZ & RZ | |
|---|---|
 Alfa Romeo SZ |
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| Manufacturer | Alfa Romeo |
| Parent company | Fiat Group |
| Also called | ES-30 or Il Mostro |
| Production | 1989–1991 SZ 1992–1993 RZ |
| Assembly | Terrazzano di Rho (MI), Italy[1] |
| Class | Sports car |
| Body style(s) | coupe (SZ) convertible (RZ) |
| Layout | FR layout |
| Engine(s) | 3.0 L V6 |
| Transmission(s) | 5-speed manual |
| Wheelbase | 2510 mm (98.8 in.) |
| Length | 4059 mm (159.8 in.) |
| Width | 1730 mm (68.1 in.) |
| Height | 1311 mm (51.6 in.) SZ 1300 mm (51.2 in.) RZ |
| Curb weight | 1256 kg (2769 lb) SZ 1380 kg (3042 lb) RZ |
| Related | Alfa Romeo 75 |
| Designer | Robert Opron/Antonio Castellana |
The Alfa Romeo SZ (Sprint Zagato) or ES-30 (Experimental Sportscar 3.0 litre) was a high performance limited production sports car/road-concept car built between 1989 and 1991 with partnership via Centro Stile Zagato, Centro Stile Alfa Romeo and Centro Stile Fiat. It was unveiled as ES-30 in 1989 Geneva Motor Show as a prototype by Zagato, although the car was mainly built by them not designed mechanically.[2]
Robert Opron of the Fiat design studio was responsible for the initial sketches while Antonio Castellana was largely responsible for the final styling details and interior. Only the 'Z' logo of Zagato was kept.
Mechanically and engine-wise, the car was based on the Alfa Romeo 75, production being carried out by Zagato at Via Arese near the Alfa factory in Milan. The thermoplastic injection moulded composite body panels were produced by Italian company Carplast and French company Stratime.
The suspension was taken from the Alfa 75 group A/IMSA car,[2] and modified by Giorgio Pianta, engineer and team manager of the Lancia and Fiat rally works team. A hydraulic damper system was made by Koni. The SZ was originally equipped with Pirelli P Zero tyres (front 205/55 ZR 16, rear 225/50 ZR 16) and is able to sustain over 1.1 G in cornering, some drivers could pull up to 1.4 G, which is very good value still today.[3]
The two seater hard roof version also saw a convertible version, the RZ (for Roadster Zagato), produced from 1992 until September 1993.
Contents |
[edit] Facts
- Engine: 3.0 V6 (2959 cc), 210 PS (207 hp/154 kW) at 6200 rpm,245 N·m (181 ft·lbf) at 4500 rpm
- SZ : Only one official colour scheme was available: Red wth grey roof, Tan leather interior
- One in black for Andrea Zagato
- RZ : Only three official colour schemes were available: Red with Black leather, Yellow with Black leather, and Black with Red leather interior
- Three in silver, one in pearlescent white
- 1036 SZs were produced (planned: 1000), about 100 were exported to Japan.[2]
- 284 RZs were produced (planned 350)[4]
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[edit] Appearances in media
- Featured in Project Gotham Racing 4
- Was Batou's car in the film Ghost in the Shell
- Appears in the title graphics for the game Super Cars II
- Appears in the television show Top Gear when presenter James May tries to record their opening theme with the use of exhaust notes
[edit] References
- ^ Alfa Romeo SZ Coupé. auto-gericke.de. Retrieved on 2008-01-23. (German)
- ^ a b c Alfa Romeo SZ 1989 - 1991: the berlinetta. ritzsite.net. Retrieved on 2007-06-26.
- ^ The SZ & RZ ( ES-30 ) Story. home.wxs.nl/~evdbeek. Retrieved on 2007-06-26.
- ^ Zagato production 1990-2000, Giorgio Nada
[edit] External links
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| Small family car |
33 | 145 / 146 | 147 | 149 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Compact executive car |
…Alfetta | 75 / Milano | 155 | 156 | 159 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| …Nuova Giulietta | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Executive car |
…Alfa 6 | 164 | 166 | 169 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 90 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Coupé | …Sprint | GT | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| …Alfetta GT/GTV and GTV6 | GTV (916) | Brera | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cabriolet | Spider (916) | Spider (939) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sportscar | SZ | RZ | 8C Competizione | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Roadster | Spider | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Racing car | 179 / 182 / 183T / 184T / 185T | 155 V6 TI | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
