Alfa Romeo has always been one for head-turning designs. So when it came time for the Italian automaker to make a supercar, car enthusiasts sat up and took notice. Today, Alfa Romeo debuted its first modern supercar, the 33 Stradale, and it’s nothing short of beautiful.

A throwback Alfa Romeo design

The Alfa Romeo Tonale set off a new design direction for Alfa Romeo. But the new Alfa Romeo Supercar is a throwback design. With bulging wheel arches and bulbous headlights, the new supercar is reminiscent of the Italian brand’s first supercar,  also called the 33 Stradale.

Around the back, a sharp line runs across the rear edge of the trunk. It’s a subtle detail but provides a refined sense of aggression. And continuing the retro-inspired design are the round taillights.

The lighting elements themselves are reminiscent of Audi’s matrix-style lighting system. Narrow hashes of light outline both the bulging headlights and round tails, blending modern design with the retro aesthetic.

Perhaps the most unique component of the new 33 Stradale is the doors and side windows. The side glass sweeps up over the passenger compartment, save for approximately 10 inches of bodywork through the centerline of the roof.

There are clever touches too. Nearly invisible vents below the headlights send air to the intercoolers. Similar air curtains on the side of the headlights to keep airtight to the body for reduced drag. Even the side mirrors channel air into the side intake for added cooling and engine efficiency.

The cabin design is rather unremarkable, but once again, that simplicity is intentional. It features an aluminum steering wheel with a dual-dial digital cluster, and the mechanical switchgear is both undistracting and refreshingly retro.

Rendered side-by-side, the 33 Stradale and its original look like true siblings. In the presentation debuting the new Alfa Romeo supercar, the words “Heritage” and “DNA” were spoken so often that they became meaningless.

The Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale is a sign of things to come

CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato led the presentation, saying, “We wanted this car to become the cornerstone of our strategy for years to come. Our team wanted to leave a mark. This car isn’t a short-term marketing operation, but as a brick to build the future of Alfa Romeo.”

Alfa Romeo F1 Manager Cristiano Florio began the project in 2021. Conversations between Imparato and Florio surrounded their desire to “create a dream car, completely out of the box”. Starting from zero, Alfa Romeo sought to create the most engaging modern driving experience. Starting with a clear idea of mixing history, modern technology, and simplified beauty, the new Alfa Romeo supercar is intended to be a departure from the sharp, cyberpunk-esque designs that are the current norm of supercar development.

Power and performance of the new Alfa Romeo supercar

Next on the stage was Daniel Tiago Gizzafame, head of Alfa Romeo products. He discussed the concept of the new 33 Stradale, which was to create a street-legal supercar aiming at comfort, drivability, and fun. It features an H-Frame aluminum chassis, carbon fiber monocoque, and signature double-wishbone suspension with active shock absorbers and semi-virtual steering.

Powering the new Alfa Romeo supercar is a 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 chucking out 620 horsepower via rear-wheel drive. In essence, it is the same engine as the 2.9-liter TT in the current Giulia and Stelvio Quadrifoglio models, but with a touch more displacement. That’s mated to a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission and sends power exclusively to the rear wheels. 

However, Alfa Romeo dropped a bit of unexpected news with the optional E-Powertrain. This fully electric powertrain is good for 750 horsepower and a staggering 996 pound-feet of torque. Either way, the 33 Stradale has a top speed of 333 km/h (207 mph) and will go from zero to 62 mph in under three seconds.

When will the Alfa Romeo supercar go on sale?

Drawing from the brand’s Formula 1 ties, the team began selling the new 33 Stradale at the Monza GP in 2022, before the design process was complete. According to Florio, the team had sold all 33 of its new supercar allocations in just a few short weeks. In other words, neither you nor I can purchase a new Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale. Nonetheless, deliveries begin on December 17th, 2024.

According to Florio, every 33 Stradale will be one of a kind. Each car is individually made, and every buyer will work with Alfa Romeo designers to choose wheel designs and colors, side vent color, and interior choices to make every car unique.