Zagato's
latest project, the TZ3 Corsa which revives one of the most famous
designations in Alfa Romeo's rich history - TZ - and
pays tribute to the brand's centenary, has made its
world debut at the weekend on the occasion of the
Concorso d'Eleganza Ville d'Este.
"The TZ3 Corsa is not a
design exercise,"
say Zagato, "It does not take inspiration only from the
90 year collaboration between the two brands, neither
only from the Milanese conjunction between Alfa Romeo
and Zagato. The TZ3 Corsa is a race car, honouring 100
years of races and victories across the whole 20th
century. It celebrates men and machines of the Alfa
Romeo Zagato common tradition: Scuderia Ferrari of the
20’s and 30’s, Alfa Corse of the 40’s and 50’s,
Autodelta of the 60’s and 70’s up to the latest Scuderia
Zagato of the 80’s and 90’s."
Recalling these immortal
racing emotions, the TZ3 Corsa is based on a mono shell
carbon fibre tubular chassis, coupled with a tubular
frame and a lightweight aluminium body, reviving
memories of the legendary TZ1 and TZ2 racer. Powered by
Alfa Romeo's V8 engine with 420 bhp available mated up
to a 6-speed gearbox, the whole car adds up to just 850
kg. The project's technical partners include OMP (seats)
and Pirelli (tyres).
Following in the long
tradition of Zagato’s gentlemen-driver heritage, the TZ3
has been commissioned by famous Alfa Romeo Zagato
collector Martin Kapp, the decision to create the TZ3
coming during the Zandvoort tribute to Zagato event,
when more than one hundred and thirty Alfa Romeos
created by Zagato celebrated the 90th Anniversary of the
brand. Kapp owns, among his fine Alfa Romeo Collection
an SZ coda tonda and SZ coda tronca, TZ and TZ2, Junior
Z and S.Z..
Tribute to the 100th anniversary of Alfa
Romeo’s Racing Heritage
Alfa Romeo and Zagato
achieved the best results since the beginnings thanks to
the Mille Miglia victories of the 1500 6C, the 1750 GS
and the 8C 2300 Zagato of the Scuderia Ferrari. Already
in 1933 an official advert of the Alfa Romeo 8C
proclaimed: “The Spider that, with the trio Alfa Romeo -
Scuderia Ferrari - Carrozzeria Zagato, brought countless
victories in the homeland and abroad for the honour of
Italy.”
Even the grandiose
Quadrifoglio Verde was placed on the bodies of
Zagatos of the Alfa Corse team numerous times. Among the
most glorious moments is the victory of the Formula 1
championship of Juan Manuel Fangio, aboard his Alfa
Romeo 159 bodied by Zagato, as well as the victorious
Alfa Romeo 3000 CM bodied in 3 samples by Zagato.
During the 60’s, the
list of absolute victories of the Giulia TZ and TZ2 by
Zagato for the Autodelta of Ing. Carlo Chiti, was
never-ending. Some of the most memorable victories
included the 1964 12 hours of Sebring, the Targa Florio,
the Nurburgring, and the 24 hours of Le Mans. The
single-brand Alfa Romeo S.Z. championship emphasized the
Alfa Romeo ES30’s (Experimental SportsCar 3000)
technical and dynamic abilities. The S.Z. delivered, and
continues to so today, constant performance and driving
pleasure to the Gentlemen drivers of the Alfa Zagato
team, across the most important racetracks in Europe.
TZ3 CORSA Technical Specifications
Curb Weight
- 850 kg
Wheelbase
- 2500 mm
Track
- Front: 1622 mm
Rear:
1617 mm
Length
- 4345 mm
Height
- 1200 mm
Width
- 1944 mm
Seating capacity
- Driver + Co-driver
Engine configuration
- V8, dry sump
Engine displacement
- 4200 cc
Power
- 420HP Manual adjustable engine
calibration Drive train
Gearbox
- 6 speed sequential “tractive”
Suspensions
- Ohlins Push road
Tyres
- Front: 245/645 “18 –
Slick 640/Rear:
285/645 “18 – Slick 650
Layout
- Front/Mid Engine - Rear Drive
Frame
- Carbon fibre monoshell +carbon
fibre arms
Body
- Hand made aluminium body
0 – 100km/h
- sub 3.5 sec
Max Speed -
over 300 km/h
Technical Partners
OMP
- A Genoese company -
with over 37 years of experience in the design and
production of equipment for competition cars - has
supplied a range of its accessories for the new Alfa
Romeo TZ3 Corsa, specifically a set of WRC seats made
out of carbon fibre, racing seatbelts, a steering wheel
made out of carbon fibre, and an
aluminium fire
extinguisher. Products which represent a constant
research into new technologies and a continuous study of
innovative design forms.
PIRELLI
- Pirelli participates in
the presentation of the Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa in the role
of a technical partner, equipping the car with its PZero,
the most performing
tyres of the Pirelli
product range, developed for motorsport. Thanks to the
renewed collaboration with Alfa Romeo and Zagato,
Pirelli confirms itself as a leader in the high-end and
as the main technological reference partner for the most
prestigious automotive companies.
