Alfa Romeo SZ & TZ Series

In attempt to highlight some of my favorite cars from this year’s Concorso d’Eleganza and RM Auctions sale, both taking place at Villa D’Este, this post is dedicated to work of Zagato and the iconic Alfa Romeo SZ & TZ Series.

I was fortunate enough to have access to the cars included in the prestigious RM Auctions sale just a few hours before they were to be sold off.  It was a great fun mingling with some of the prospective buyers. Starting with an SZ series car, here’s a nice example of a 1962 Alfa Romeo Sprint Zagato ‘Coda Tronca’ – truncated tail.

The estimated price for the sale of this car was between €260.000 -  €300.000.  Unfortunately, there was no sale after reaching the high bid of €257.500.

Another car included in the auction was this gorgeous 1964 Alfa Romeo TZ Coupé – I love the red of this car.

160 bhp, 1,570 cc DOHC inline four-cylinder engine, five-speed manual gearbox, four-wheel independent coil-spring suspension, and four-wheel hydraulic disc brakes.

There were a number of bidders interested in this car and rightly so.  This car was entered in the Targa Florio and the 1964 24 Hours of Le Mans, managing 15th overall.

For its racing pedigree and coach-built aluminum Zagato body work, this TZ was sold for €627.000.

Over on the grounds of the Concorso was the successor to the TZ, the 1965 Alfa Romeo TZ2.  This Zagato-bodied car was made of fiberglass and while the displacement remained the same an extra 10hp was massaged out of the engine.  With only 12 cars made as opposed to the of run 112 of the TZ, the TZ2 is even more rare and desirable.  I wonder how much one of these would sell for at auction?

Just for good measure, some pics of the dreamy carbon fiber TZ3 from last year.

There you have the TZ series, full circle – I like that very much.  From the first TZ to the supercar TZ3, Zagato has retained the gracefulness of this series by paying particular attention to one aspect – proportions.  Each TZ shares the same low, wide stance with a long, dipping front end and of course, that short coda which gives the cars their iconic look.  Some of the prettiest racers of all.