Alfa Romeo Giulietta (750/101)

This article is about the 1954–1965 Giulietta. For other Alfa Romeo car models of the same name, see Alfa Romeo Giulietta.
Alfa Romeo Giulietta

Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint
Overview
Manufacturer Alfa Romeo
Production 1954–1965
Assembly Portello, Milan, Italy (Berlina)
Grugliasco, Turin, Italy (Sprint, Bertone)[1]
San Giorgio Canavese, Italy (Spider, Pininfarina)[2]
East London, South Africa (Ti model 1960–1963, Car Distributors Assembly)[3]
Designer Franco Scaglione at Bertone (Sprint and Sprint Speciale)
Pininfarina (Spider)
Ercole Spada[4] at Zagato (Sprint Zagato)
Body and chassis
Class Family car
Body style Berlina (sedan)
Spider (convertible)
Sprint (coupe)
Layout FR layout
Powertrain
Engine 1.3 L DOHC I4
Transmission 4-speed manual
5-speed manual (SS and SZ)
Dimensions
Wheelbase Berlina/Sprint/Spider
2,380 mm (93.7 in)/2,380 mm (93.7 in)/2,250 mm (88.6 in)
Length 4,033 mm (158.8 in)/3,980 mm (156.7 in)/3,900 mm (153.5 in)
Width 1,550 mm (61.0 in)/1,535 mm (60.4 in)/1,580 mm (62.2 in)
Height 1,405 mm (55.3 in)/1,320 mm (52.0 in)/1,335 mm (52.6 in)
Curb weight Berlina: 915 kg (2,017 lb)
Sprint: 880 kg (1,940 lb)
Spider : 860 kg (1,896 lb)
Sprint Zagato: 770 kg (1,698 lb)
Chronology
Predecessor none
Successor Alfa Romeo Giulia

The Alfa Romeo Giulietta (series 750 and 101) was a compact automobile manufactured by the Italian car maker Alfa Romeo from 1954 to 1965. The Giulietta was introduced at the Turin Motor Show in 1954 and almost 132,000 were built in the Portello factory in Milan. When leaving the Portello factory it originally fitted Pirelli Cinturato 155HR15 tyres (CA67).

The first Giulietta model was a coupé, the Giulietta Sprint, introduced in late 1954. This was followed by a sedan (Berlina) in spring 1955 and in mid 1955, the open two-seat Giulietta Spider, featuring convertible bodywork by Pininfarina. In 1957 more powerful Berlina version, called Giulietta TI (Turismo Internazionale) was presented with minor cosmetic changes to the hood, the dial lights and rear lamps.

Carrozzeria Colli also made the Giulietta station wagon variant called Giulietta Promiscua. Ninety-one examples of this version were built.[5] Carrozzeria Boneschi also made a few station wagon examples called Weekendina.[6]

Restyling 1959

A new version of the Giulietta Berlina debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1959. The fuel tank was now incorporated in the right rear fender and was equipped with a door. The nose was redefined with more rounded wings, recessed lights, new headlights and grille rings revised with horizontal bars. The interior was much more organized and the dashboard instruments had an elongated bore including the tachometer. The series number was changed from 750/753 to the 101 series. The rear also showed changes, with vestigial fins replacing the earlier rounded fenders and with new, slightly larger taillights. The T.I. also received a front side marker light mounted in a small spear, unlike the Normale which has a small round lamp with no decorations.

Restyling 1961

In 1961, the TI version was upgraded to 74 PS (54 kW). With this new engine the car could reach a speed of almost 160 km/h (99 mph). Production of the standard Berlina continued until 1963, whilst the TI continued for one year more. This, the Third Series Giulietta Berlina, received mesh grille inserts up front and new, larger taillights.

Overall production figures were:[7]

Giulietta engines

The Giulietta used an Alfa Romeo Twin Cam engine of 1290 cc straight-four, with a light alloy cylinder block and an alloy cylinder head with twin overhead camshafts. The original Giulietta engine produced a power output of 62 hp (46 kW) in the sedan and 80 hp (60 kW) in the Giulietta Sprint.[9] This was to be increased to 100 hp (75 kW)[10] in later sporting models such as the Giulietta Sprint Speciale and the Giulietta Sprint Zagato. The engine has a 74.0 mm (2.91 in) bore and a 75.0 mm (2.95 in) stroke.

1962 Giulietta Twin Cam engine
Model Displacement Power Top speed
Berlina1290 cc 62 hp (46 kW) at 6,000 rpm 88 mph (142 km/h)[7]
Giulietta T.I.1290 cc 74 hp (55 kW) at 6,200 rpm97 mph (156 km/h)[7]
Sprint1290 cc 80 hp (60 kW) at 6,300 rpm 88 mph (142 km/h)[11]
Sprint Veloce1290 cc 90 hp (67 kW) at 6,500 rpm 112 mph (180 km/h)[12]
Sprint Speciale1290 cc 100 hp (75 kW) at 6,500 rpm 120 mph (190 km/h)[10]
Sprint Zagato1290 cc 100 hp (75 kW) at 6,500 rpm 120 mph (190 km/h)[10]

Giulietta models

Spider 
Spider (1962) 
Sprint Zagato (Coda Tonda) 
Sprint Speciale 
Berlina T.I., second series 
Sprint (Coupé) 
1960 Colli Promiscua (station wagon) 

Sprint Zagato

1961 Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ "Coda Tronca"

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.[13]

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.[14][15] 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.[14][16] Zagato also rebodied a few existing cars with this bodywork, leading to discrepancies in the production numbers.

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.[17]

See also

Notes

  1. "The Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint.". bertone.it. Archived from the original on 2010-01-27. Retrieved 2008-09-27.
  2. "Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider". pininfarina.com. Archived from the original on 2011-05-21. Retrieved 2008-09-27.
  3. "A little About the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sedan". berlinaregister.com. Retrieved 2008-09-27.
  4. Koopmann, Chris. "Ercole Spada". zagato-cars.com. Retrieved 2014-11-08.
  5. "Alfa Romeo Giulia Promiscua". pestalozzi.net. Retrieved 2007-06-23.
  6. "Alfa Romeo Giulietta Weekendina Carrozzeria Boneschi". gulpmodel.interfree.it (in Italian). Archived from the original on 13 June 2007.
  7. 7.0 7.1 7.2 "Models/Alfa Romeo Giulietta". carsfromitaly.net. Archived from the original on 20 May 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-23.
  8. "Shooting Brake About Sport Wagons and Estates". Archived from the original on 4 May 2008. Retrieved 2008-06-01.
  9. David Owen, Great Marques Alfa Romeo, P46
  10. 10.0 10.1 10.2 Joe Benson, "Alfa Romeo Buyers Guide", 2nd Ed.,1992, ISBN 0-87938-633-9, pp55&60
  11. "1954 Alfa Romeo 1900 Berlina Super". carfolio.com. Retrieved 2007-10-26.
  12. "giulietta". carfolio. Retrieved 2007-10-27.
  13. "History of the SZ - part 2". SZ Register. Ruislip, Middlesex, UK. Retrieved 2014-11-08.
  14. 14.0 14.1 Eyzat, Émilie (2011-04-07). "Alfa Romeo SZ, reine du Tour!" [Alfa Romeo SZ, queen of the Tour!]. Le Point (in French). Paris, France. Retrieved 2014-11-08.
  15. Vaughan, Daniel; McMullen, Jeremy. "1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Zagato". Conceptcarz.com. Retrieved 2014-11-08.
  16. "History of the SZ - part 3". SZ Register. Ruislip, Middlesex, UK. Retrieved 2014-11-08.
  17. "World Championship - final positions and tables". wspr-racing.com. Archived from the original on 2011-06-06.

References

  • David Owen, Great Marques Alfa Romeo, Octopus Books, ISBN 0-7064-2219-8
  • Bruno Alfieri (ed.), Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint 1954–2004, Automobilia, ISBN 88-7960-171-7
  • Donald Hughes and Vito Witting da Prato, Alfa Romeo Veloce: The Racing Giuliettas, 1956–63 (SV-SVZ-SS-SZ), G T Foulis & Co Ltd, ISBN 0-85429-731-6

Further reading

  • Angelo Tito Anselmi. Alfa Romeo Giulietta: 1954–2004 Golden Anniversary: The Full History of the Giulietta Model Range. ISBN 88-7911-340-2.
  • Holmes, Mark (2007). Ultimate Convertibles: Roofless Beauty. London: Kandour. pp. 8–9. ISBN 9781905741625.

External links

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