Alfa Romeo SZ Coupé 1990 - World Of Classic Cars -

Alfa Romeo SZ Coupé 1990

Internally designated ES-30 for “Experimental Sports, 3.0-litre” but best known as Il Mostro (The Monster), the Alfa Romeo SZ (Sports Zagato) began as a Zagato concept in 1987, followed by the production variant that debuted at Geneva in 1989. With trim proportions, aggressively angular styling and a “triple-headlamp” grille, the SZ was based on the existing Alfa Romeo 75. Available in one “official” colour scheme comprising a red body, dark grey roof and tan upholstery, with one finished in black for Andrea Zagato, the SZ made a dramatic visual statement.

Alfa Romeo SZ Coupé 1990

The SZ provided heady performance to match, including cornering abilities reaching 1.01 g on the skidpad. The lusty 210-bhp, 3.0-litre V-6 was equipped with electronic fuel injection and mated to a five-speed manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive, delivering acceleration from nought to 60 mph in 6.9 seconds en route to a 153-mph top end. The RZ (Roadster Zagato) followed in 1992, and both the SZ and RZ were produced to 1993, numbering approximately 1,000 in all.