The new Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale is the winner of this year’s Design Trophy awarded by Automobile Magazine. This award confirms the appeal of a custom-built car whose genesis lies in the courage to dream.
Eleven years separate this prize from the one awarded to the Alfa Romeo 4C, winner of the Coup de Coeur Trophy in 2013. Emotion, always, a sentiment so dear to the Italian brand, which describes itself as “Italian, Sporty and Red”.
For more than forty years, the Trophées de l’Automobile Magazine have been rewarding the players and successes of the automotive world. What makes them so special is that they are awarded jointly by the editorial team and the readers/internet users of Automobile Magazine.
For each of the six categories – Design, Innovation on board, Sporting revelation, Passion, Coup de cœur and Commercial dynamism – the editorial team of Automobile Magazine selects three challengers and invites its readers to vote by post or on the magazine’s website. In the Design category, the new Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale was the clear winner.
An icon of the 1960s, reputed to be one of the most beautiful cars of all time, the new Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale derives directly from the Tipo 33, once a great name in world motorsport, while enriching its sculptural beauty with design elements from the brand’s new styling language. The exterior features a perfect balance of proportions, volumes, and surface treatment, becoming the highest expression of “necessary beauty” according to Alfa Romeo. The interior is also distinguished by the minimalism of the design and materials, all conceived with the aim of maximising the driving experience. The cockpit, in particular, has been designed to minimise distracting elements. Every detail is designed to create an exclusive and attractive environment, while maintaining the aesthetic and technical heritage of the 1967 33 Stradale.
Alejandro MESONERO-ROMANOS, Head of alfa Romeo Design:
“I am extremely proud to receive this prestigious award for the new 33 Stradale from the readers and internet users of Automobile Magazine, who are truly passionate about cars. The 33 Stradale project is the fruit of a good dose of courage and a pinch of healthy madness. Without these ingredients, no dream is attainable. The project also pays homage to Franco Scaglione’s 1967 masterpiece, while at the same time setting the stage, with a touch of daring, for the lines of future Alfa Romeo models. The result reflects the talent of the Centro Stile designers and the most prestigious traditions of Italian design. It is a veritable manifesto of “essential beauty”. In a nutshell, simple yet elegant lines that are both seductive and powerful, evoking intense emotions and arousing desire”.
With this project, Alfa Romeo returns to the very exclusive world of “fuoriserie”, with a limited edition of just 33 units, all of which have been sold. With the same boldness and vision that went into the creation of its illustrious predecessor, the Alfa Romeo team designed and developed the new 33 Stradale with the aim of creating a genuine work of art in motion, the result of a perfect blend of beauty and technology. In doing so, the brand offers a very select circle of enthusiasts the most exhilarating driving experience and the immortal charm of an icon. Handcrafted with the support of Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera, the 33 Stradale has benefited from obsessive attention to every detail, guaranteeing made-to-measure quality.
