Attention grabbing and stylishly unique, the brand new SpadaConcept Codatronca is receiving its world premiere this weekend at Top Marques Monaco where it is unquestionably the star of the show.

Attention grabbing and stylishly, unique the brand new SpadaConcept Codatronca is receiving its world premiere this weekend at Top Marques Monaco where it is unquestionably the star of the show. Comfortably receiving the most attention from the discerning show visitors in the airy main hall of the Grimaldi Forum where the exclusive prestige and luxury show is taking place this weekend, the Codatronca has already made an excellent start to life as it bids to put the young SpadaConcept studio on the automobile map for innovative niche production.

The sleek, gunmetal-finished clearly car betrays its Spada DNA, Ercole Spada’s long term design thinking and his legendary unique ideas burst out of this sportscar from every pore. He built a reputation for following an uncompromising route to light weight and aerodynamic efficiency, and this baton has been picked up by the new studio which is headed by his enthusiastic son, Paolo, although Ercole retains huge influence. “We have taken the Spada heritage,” says Paolo, who has worked with Smart, Mercedes-Benz and Honda amongst others, before taking the plunge and setting up SpadaConcept, “he is a designer and an engineer, when you understand everything under the skin it gives you the freedom to draw all you want.

Taking the Spada heritage, 'claiming it back' as Paolo puts it, the plan quickly evolved to designing and entering the niche markets. The product had to be a sports car that reflected Ercole's ideas, meaning a real emphasis on aerodynamics and lightness, using extreme form, born of the necessity to combine functionality with beauty.

This is SpadaConcept's first project and clear inspiration comes from Ercole's greatest masterpiece, the Alfa TZ1, a car that has become automotive art in its purest form, and is indelibly associated with him. The Codatronca became synonymous with Ercole and the Alfa TZ1 is the definition of this design train of thought. However for the studio this is a major project-from design and engineering to homologation, supplier requirements to selling the sports car,

The ambitious project got underway in January last year and the speed of its realisation, says Paolo, is down to the flexibility and deep knowledge of the team, "we sit down round a table and just work though to solutions in all areas." The partners include FS Group who build the fibreglass bodywork and will assemble the cars, the newly launched atelier, Aznom, who provide the interior trimmings as well as bespoke accessories, and Italtechnica who upgrade the V8 engine to a fearsome 630 bhp. "We all have a knowledge of the niche as well as big companies-all the partners have good mix of knowledge. We are combining this knowledge," says Paolo.

FS Group has a long history in prototyping for major customers including Mercedes-Benz, Smart, Mitsubishi, Kia and Hyundai. Not only in the area of cars though, the Turin-based company has built up much experience of boats and aeroplanes. With 30 years experience, and a close friendship with the Spada family for over two decades, they were the number one choice to carry out assembly, "one of the few companies that can do the production," says Paolo.

Massimo Picariello from FS Group is just as an enthusiastic proponent of the project, "it's the only car around with a clear message of design; the back of the car in particular clearly is the story of the Spada family. It has a very strong identity, it isn't just selling itself on having a big engine."

"We're looking for a different type of customer," says Paolo, "one who understands the story of Spada and the TZ, is a trendsetter with imagination, and realises the idea behind the car." Spada has never been about luxury, he always looked to a perfectly balanced package, a focus on weight and aerodynamic ability and this is the new studio's objective.

Monza-based Aznom made a debut splash last year when it introduced a finely tailored interpretation of the 500 and now the company has crafted a line of fine accessories to go with the interiors which can be personalised with any material or colour the customer wishes. The accessories for the car include a luggage set which is is codatronca-esque in shape and is designed to fit the unique boot profile. Aznom also provides a champagne case with the cool bucket fashioned out of carbon fibre.

Wojtek Sokolowski is a younger member of the SpadaConcept design team, and he's as excited as everyone. If fact their enthusiasm is infectious, they're smiling all the time, their dream has taken shape. "Its a real team work," he says, "the combination of performance and aerodynamics offers something really strong. The Codatronca is very strong." He's been with the firm for three years now as says: "it's been a great experience working with Ercole, he has great know how and a raw vision."

Mechanically the Codatronca is far removed from the Corvette Z06 underpinnings it draws upon; the chassis is reworked, while new suspension and transmission feature. To integrate the famous 'greenhouse' effect the engineers have made many changes. Weight is 1,300 kg, impressive bearing in mind that it has a V8 engine under the long bonnet.

Just 20 units are likely to be built, at a price tag of around 250,000 euros, and it is has been designed as a weekday car as well as a weekend track monster. Aznom boss Giuseppe Meregalli has been the first to try it on track, thanks to his Monza bases, and he grins widely as he confirms that the team's claimed top speed of 340 km/h has been achieved in testing.

Visually the car is striking. It rides on 285/35ZR19 Pirelli Pzero tyres mounted on OZ wheels, is truly distinctive, and from each angle its heritage shows up. The interpretation of the front spoiler blends a modern 'F1 car look' with pure Spada DNA. Stand in front of it and the flowing shape becomes very clear. It has the feel of a stealth fighter. Components have been designed to fit into the aerodynamic profile and the headlights for example are sliced flush into the body. The cockpit area has a pronounced look and has some of the feel of a bygone Group C racer, such as the Porsche 956. "The badging is discreet but its chromosomes are not," comments Paolo.

Inside, the Codatronca reveals about the most functional and sporting driver orientated dashboard since the early Alfa 8C Competizione concept; it is perfectly finished, as is the whole car, and is designed for a sporty minded driver, offering optimum conditions. The cockpit cossets the pilot who is faced with a racing-style LCD data logger behind the chunky Sparco steering wheel. Giuseppe explains that the data logger provides 40 channels of advanced telemetry to the driver and, as well as the usual readings for speed, revs, oil and fuel, it offers the driver readings in areas such as the speed of each tyre, angle of steering, GPS tracking of the trajectory of the circuit, and lateral and longitudinal g-forces.

A very neat detail is the two round alloy knobs mounted on the flush gearstick surrounding plate on the centre console that allow the driver to adjust the front and rear anti roll bars while in motion, helpful as the tyre pressures adjust with extended running. Four settings can be chosen from: Rain, Soft, Medium and Hard. A race style electrical cut out switch is mounted on the roof lining while interior lighting comes via a thin fibre optic cable which chases across the cockpit roof. The doors feature an x-section alloy pull handle which is pure TZ detailing, while the electric door operating buttons open the solid-feeling doors. Other details include the traction control button located next to the gearstick.

A light and very airy feel within the cockpit is generated by the large curved, raked windscreen and the incorporation Spada's traditional 'greehouse' effect. In the Monaco show halls shafts of bright light were beaming through the clear strip sections, the streams of light bursting into the car to great effect. And for a supercar the rear luggage space is pretty much unrivalled, two large golf bags wouldn't be an issue.

by Edd Ellison