Alfa Romeo started celebrating its centenary celebration with coachbuilder Zagato in 2021, and the latest gift to itself is the Alfa Romeo Giulia SWB Zagato - a coachbuilt coupe based on the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio with two fewer doors and a whole heap load of style and attitude. This new model also celebrates Alfa's current six-cylinder Giulia and Stelvio, which will shortly depart to that great gas station in the sky as the beloved Italian manufacturer moves onward to electrification.
As the name suggests, the SWB Zagato is based on a shortened Giulia platform, but the engine is not borrowed from the standard Giulia Quadrifoglio. Instead, it's equipped with the more ferocious engine from the limited edition Giulia GTAm. The twin-turbocharged V6 in the track-focused GTAm produces 540 horsepower, up from 503 hp in the standard car. The bodywork over the top of the shortened wheelbase (just how much it's been shortened remains a mystery) is made of carbon fiber, lending it lightweight construction in addition to its sultry style.
As a bonus, the engine sends the power to the rear wheels via a six-speed manual transmission. It's a one-off and was only built after Zagato found a wealthy German customer who already owns every significant Alfa Romeo ever made and a selection of Zagato products.
The Alfa Romeo Giulia SWB Zagato is inspired by the SZ produced in the early '90s.
The German customer in question regularly drives the aforementioned SZ, along with several Aston Martin Zagatos of recent years. You can see a hint of Aston Martin V8 Vantage at the rear, likely put there at the customer's behest.
This particular one-off can trace its roots back to the 1961 Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ Codatronca, with which it also shares some design traits. The design cues of the '90s SZ are more prominent and are a much better interpretation than what we've seen on the Alfa Romeo Tonale. This front end is what the Tonale should have been, Alfa.
Even though Zagato enlisted the help of Alejandro Mesonero, the head of Alfa Romeo's design department, the car's production took place entirely at Zagato's Milanese Atelier without external support. Zagato makes it quite clear that the Alfa Romeo badge is only on the vehicle for "descriptive and promotional" purposes and, naturally, because it chose the SZ as inspiration.
Even without the badging, the SWB Zagato would be easy to identify as an Alfa Romeo.
After his photo shoot, the car was handed over to its new owner, where it joined a collection of more than 150 cars.
"We chose for the shooting 'La pista' circuit in Arese - formerly Alfa Romeo - where the Giulietta SZ and Giulia TZ were born. This track and the nearby Museum bear witness to how Alfa Romeo is the origin of Italian motorsports - and also baptized Ugo Zagato and Enzo Ferrari," said Andrea Zagato, the CEO of Zagato.
"We are extremely satisfied with the collaboration we had throughout this period with Centro Stile Alfa Romeo, the teamwork was perfect, also with the marketing and communication department. It has been an exhilarating experience that has confirmed how the combination of Alfa Romeo and Zagato is an absolute classic of collecting."