Concourse auto shows are often havens for those that, like comic book collectors, sheathe their cars in protective plastic, only pulling them out for special occasions. But Zagato's upcoming vehicle is being hailed as a true racing car, not a mere design exercise, in honor of the 100th anniversary of Alfa Romeo's racing exploits. It's called the Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa.
Previewed in these new renderings, it looks every inch the part of the modern reinterpretation of the famous Alfa racing cars of the past, while at the same time wearing curves, vents and a greenhouse that can only be from the 21st century. We'll have to wait for the show's kickoff later this week to see more, but it should prove to be a knockout.
The TZ3 Corsa is not a design exercise. Following Zagato's gentlemen-driver heritage, the car has been commissioned by the Alfa Romeo Zagato collector Martin Kapp, during the Zandvoort Tribute to Zagato event, where more than 130 Alfa Romeo Zagatos were celebrating the 90th Anniversary of the brand. It does not take inspiration only from the 90 year collaboration between the two brands, neither only from the Milanese conjunction between Alfa Romeo and Zagato.
Whether the TZ3 Corsa will ever take to the track in anger, however, remains to be seen, but we can hope that the German gentleman driver that commissioned the car wants it for more than a garage-sized paperweight. Wearing an aluminum body over a carbon fiber and tube-frame chassis, it's certainly designed to be driven.
Power comes from a 4.2-liter V-8 with 420 horsepower and matched to a six-speed sequential gearbox. Performance is a claimed 3.5 second for the 0-62 mph sprint and a top speed of 187 mph.
For more on what's coming at the 2010 Villa D'Este Concorso d'Eleganza, check out our preview here.
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