Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ

Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ

1963 Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ
Overview
Manufacturer Alfa Romeo
Also called Alfa Romeo TZ
Production 1963–1967
Designer Ercole Spada[1] at Zagato (TZ1 and TZ2)
Body and chassis
Class Sports car
Racing car
Body style 2-door coupé
Layout Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive
Powertrain
Engine 1.6 L DOHC I4
Transmission 5-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase 2,200 mm (86.6 in)
Length 3,950 mm (155.5 in) TZ
3,680 mm (144.9 in) TZ2
Width 1,509 mm (59.4 in) TZ
1,600 mm (63.0 in) TZ2
Height 1,199 mm (47.2 in) TZ
1,020 mm (40.2 in) TZ2
Curb weight 660 kg (1,460 lb) (TZ)
620 kg (1,370 lb) (TZ2)
Chronology
Predecessor Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ
Successor Alfa Romeo GTA
Alfa Romeo Tipo 33

The Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ (also known as the Alfa Romeo TZ or Tubolare Zagato) was a sports car and racing car manufactured by Alfa Romeo from 1963 to 1967. It replaced the Giulietta SZ.

Giulia TZ

Rear view of the Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ

The original TZ, currently sometimes referenced as TZ1 to differ from later TZ2, was developed in together with Autodelta, a company led by Ex-Ferrari engineer Carlo Chiti. It featured a 1,570 cc twin cam engine and other mechanical components shared with the Alfa Romeo Giulia and carried a 105 series chassis number,[2] but was a purpose built sports racing car, with a tubular spaceframe chassis, light all-aluminium bodywork, disc brakes and independent suspension. The result was a lightweight coupé of only 650 kilograms (1,430 lb)[3] and top speed of 134 miles per hour (216 km/h). The TZ was built both for street and racing trim, with the latest racing versions producing up to 160 brake horsepower (120 kW). Alfa's twin-spark cylinder head, as also used in the GTA, contributed to the speed of the TZ; the standard Giulia alloy block with wet steel liners was installed at an angle under the hood of the TZ to improve airflow.

Aiding the TZ in its quest for performance was the treatment of the rear bodywork. Incorporating the research of Dr. Wunibald Kamm, the TZ used a style called "coda tronca" in Italian, meaning "short tail.", otherwise known as the Kamm tail. The principle is that unless you are willing to incorporate an aircraft-like extended tail (not practical for an automobile), there is surprisingly little, if any, increase in drag and a marked decrease in lift or even some downforce by simply chopping off a portion of the tail. Zagato had previously proved the success of this tail treatment in their "coda tronca" Sprint Zagato sports-racing cars, and it was a natural evolution to adapt this to the Giulia TZ.

The car debuted at the 1963 FISA Monza Cup, where TZs took the first four places in the prototype category. At the beginning of 1964 the TZ was homologated (100 units were needed for homologation) to the Gran Turismo category.[4] After homologation it started to take more class wins in Europe and North-America. Of the first TZ, 112 units were built between 1963 and 1965. Only built as limited amount these TZ models are quite collectibles nowadays, listed price around 150,000-200,000 US dollars.[5]

Engine

Giulia TZ2

TZ2 at the 2006 Goodwood Festival of Speed.
Rear view of TZ2

In 1965 the car was updated with new fibreglass bodywork providing lower drag and reduced weight (620 kg). This new version was also made by Zagato. The new design was called the Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ2. The TZ2 was only built as racing version; it was equipped with an Autodelta-prepared twin plug, dry sump lubrication 1,570 cc straight-4 DOHC engine producing around 170 brake horsepower (130 kW) at 7000 rpm. With this engine the car reached top speed of 152 miles per hour (245 km/h).[6] The rear window was also changed, now single unit rather than three part window in TZ. Development of TZ cars was stopped in the end of 1965, to make room for new GTA racing program. Only 12 TZ2s were built. [7]

The car won the prestigious Gran Turismo Trophy at the 2009 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.

TZ3

Zagato TZ3 Corsa

Alfa Romeo TZ3
Alfa Romeo TZ3 rear end

To celebrate Alfa's 100 years, Zagato designed a one-off car that was first presented at, and won, the 2010 Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este in Italy. This unique car, based on the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, was made for German collector Martin Kapp and is not intended for sale or for competitions.

The car weighs 850 kg (1,874 lb) thanks to its carbon fiber frame and hand beaten aluminium body and has 420 hp (313 kW) dry sump V8 4.2 litre engine. The car has a 6-speed sequential gearbox, it reaches a top speed of over 300 km/h (186 mph) and it can accelerate from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.5 seconds.[8]

Zagato TZ3 Stradale

Jenson Button driving an Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale at Goodwood FoS 2012

On April 28, 2011 Zagato unveiled a road-going version of the TZ3 based on the Dodge Viper ACR-X. Dubbed the Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale, it is powered by the Viper's 8.4 liter 640 hp (477 kW) V10.[9] Only nine units have been made.[10] The TZ3 Stradale was designed by Norihiko Harada.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ Chris Koopmann. "Ercole Spada". zagato-cars.com. Retrieved 2012-05-24.
  2. ↑ "Alfa Romeo Model Identification". international-auto.com. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-05.
  3. ↑ David Owen, Great Marques Alfa Romeo, P62. "650 kg (1430 lb) ready for the track"
  4. ↑ "Autodelta - a history". italiancar.net. Retrieved 2007-09-05.
  5. ↑ "1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ". sportscarmarket.com. Archived from the original on 22 September 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-05.
  6. ↑ "Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ". autozine.org. Archived from the original on 2007-09-26. Retrieved 2007-09-05.
  7. ↑ "Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ". carsfromitaly.net. Archived from the original on 27 September 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-05.
  8. ↑ "TZ3 CORSA Specification Sheet" (PDF). zagato.it. 2010. Archived (PDF) from the original on 1 June 2010. Retrieved 2010-07-02.
  9. ↑ Pfannmueller, Matthias (August 2011). "Zagato Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale". Road & Track. 62 (12): 16–17. Retrieved April 10, 2012.
  10. ↑ "Official: Zagato unveils new TZ3 Stradale with the heart of a Viper and the soul of an Alfa". autoblog.com. 2011. Retrieved 2011-04-28.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ and Alfa Romeo TZ3.
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Type 1950s 1960s 1970s
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Small family car Dauphine Alfasud
Compact executive car Giulietta (750/101)
Giulia Giulietta (116)
Executive car 1750 Berlina Alfetta
2000 Berlina Alfetta 2000
1900 2000 2600 Alfa 6
Coupé Giulietta Sprint GT Junior Alfasud Sprint
Giulia Sprint GT/GT Veloce Alfetta GT and GTV
1900 Sprint 2000 Sprint 2600 Sprint
Cabriolet 1900 L Giulia GTC
Spider Giulietta Spider Spider
2000 Spider 2600 Spider
Roadster Gran Sport Quattroruote
Sports car 6C 2500 Montreal
33 Stradale
Racing car TZ GTA
158/159 Tipo 33 177/
179
Off-road Matta
LCV Romeo Romeo 2 Romeo 3 F11/F12/A11/A12
AR8
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