The SZ first time appeared at the Geneva Motorshow in 1989 and its exterior divided the general opinion.
SZ (coupé, Speedster Zagato) and RZ (cabrio, Roadster Zagato) is mainly a 75, but in another packaging.
Zagato made the design, and the manufacturing was restricted to 1000 pieces, from this 241 was an RZ. For the present this is the last rear wheel drived Alfa Romeo.
The chassis is a result of stateful developing in a wind tunnel which resulted a drag co-efficient of 0,30 cW. Every bodyshell is made of a special, composite material, called Modar. This is a compound of carbon fibreglass and rosin. Just the roof (alloy) and the rear wing (carbon) were made from other materials. Only 3 colours were available for the SZ/RZs, red, black and yellow.
The engine is well-known from the 75; 3 litre V6 with an output of 210 HP, installed front transversal and matched with a 5 gear manual transmission. The suspension comes from the 75 too, but Alfa strengthened and modified it, and installed a hydraulic system under the car, which allowed changing the ride height from the driving seat. Brakes are from the 75 Turbo Evoluzione. The RZ is 1260 kg hard; the RZ is harder with 120 kgs’. Its maximum speed is 245 km/h, and reaches 100 under 7 seconds.
The cars speciality is, that is doesn’t follow any fashion trends, it’s separate from all other cars. You can love it or hate it cause of the tracing. The RZ’s trend is untraceable, maybe that’s why it gets the “Monster” nickname. But it’s incontestable, that the car is considerable, a real sport car, and a classic of the modern era.
Its value is growing day by day, so the SZ/RZs are a fave of collectors.
