The Alfa Romeo SZ was a short run coupe intended to give Alfa’s image badly tarnished in 1970’s and 1980’s, a serious boost. However, it became known as II Monstro in its home country, where enthusiasts had been weaned on a diet of finely sculpted Italian sports cars. Serious motoring writers called it the world’s ugliest car, but its brutally stark lines had a real effect on the future of car styling. Like automotive punk rock, it took a stylistically complacent industry by the scruff of the neck. Also like punk rock, its reverberations can still be felt to this day in some of the top designers’ best work. The SZ was based on the rear wheel drive floorpan of the 75 saloon and powered by a 3.0 V6 engine, but real effort went into the car’s chassis dynamics, which were extensively praised as were the SZ’s brakes and steering. The chassis was developed form a Group A race version of the 75, which included race ready details such as nylon brushed rose joints.
The interior was made up of a one off carbon fiber, dashboard and beautiful cream leather sports seats. Not surprisingly, luggage space wasn’t a high priority when the design brief of the SZ was being composed and this was restricted to a small, flat deck situated behind the driver and passenger. The car was constructed by Zagato and just 1000 including an even more bizarre looking convertible version of these far sighted supercars were built.
