Milan Design Week is in full swing, with Italy's finest style icons descending on the world's fashion capital to showcase their greatest designs. Alfa Romeo is one of these companies and is using the event to showcase the stunning Carabo, a futuristic concept designed by Bertone in 1968.
The Carabo looks like something from a science fiction novel. The distinctive, angular bodywork is breathtaking and has inspired several supercars, such as the Countach. Interestingly, Lamborghini's wedge-shaped icon was also designed by Bertone's Marcello Gandini. It's incredible to think that something so avant-garde could have come out of the sixties when car design was all about seducing people with seductive lines and elegant detailing.
Despite the innovative exterior, the Carabo shared its underpinnings with the 33 Stradale, arguably one of the greatest cars Alfa Romeo has ever made.
Measuring in at less than 40 inches tall, the Carabo must have looked like a spaceship when it was first revealed. This was undoubtedly enhanced by the scissor doors, the first of its kind. According to the 112-year-old marque, the Carabo was named after Carabus auratus, a brightly-colored beetle with a distinctive golden-green shimmer. These colors were carried over to the prototype, which is resplendent in luminescent green with orange details.
"I'm sure that the inclusion of our futuristic Carabo here will arouse great amazement among the participants in Milan Design Week. And I'm just as sure that an item of such great stylistic value will in itself serve as an invitation to all enthusiasts for Made in Italy to visit the fascinating Alfa Romeo Museum in Arese, the home of extraordinary cars that have written indelible chapters in automotive history," explained the company's Raffaele Russo.
After a rather tumultuous time, the sun appears to finally be shining on Alfa Romeo. The Giulia Quadrifoglio is one of the finest sports sedans money can buy, the Tonale is rearing up to capture the mainstream market, and there are plans afoot to enter the all-important electric segment.
Jean-Phillipe Imparato has been strategic in this turnaround, and the CEO won't rest until Alfa returns to its former glory. The Italian company is known for its legendary sports cars but hasn't produced a dedicated coupe or roadster since the demise of the 4C.
That's all set to change in the coming years, with Imparato claiming the company's upcoming supercar (known as the 6C) has already sold out, and the car hasn't even been unveiled yet.
Several rumors suggest the upcoming Alfa supercar will be inspired by the aforementioned 33 sports car, and that would undoubtedly be a treat for the eyes. Imparato hasn't revealed much but has said that the halo Alfa will "contribute to the DNA" of the Italian brand.
The little-known Carabo could have remained tucked away in a secure warehouse, safe from danger, so why did Alfa choose to showcase it now? There's an excellent chance the Carabo could serve as inspiration for the secret supercar, and this is Alfa's way of teasing it. If so, we can expect a dramatic, wedge-like shape updated for the future.
Then again, it could be a reminder of what Alfa was once capable of and a way of telling us that the automaker is returning to its sports car roots. If you find yourself in Milan, you can ogle the Carabo at the redesigned Larusmiani Boutique, where the vehicle is on display.