The Alfa Romeo SZ Buying Guide – The quirky coupe with a face only its designer could love

Alfa Romeo SZ (1991) Buying Guide

The Alfa Romeo SZ was far from an unqualified success in its day, the years have been kind though and it is now considered to be a great modern classic.

Alfa Romeo has a longer and more tumultuous history than most auto manufacturers and thanks to some stellar historical achievements on and off the track, expectations and passions run high with each new model that is released. With the acquisition of the company by Fiat in 1986 a new model was needed to show that Alfa had not lost its sporting soul along the way.

Enter the Alfa Romeo SZ, presented to the world at the 1989 Geneva Motor Show as the ES-30 (experimental sports car 3.0-litre), the bluff-nosed sports coupe was not exactly met with the kind of unbridled adoration the company was hoping for. While the name may have stood for ‘Sport Zagato’, the design house had very little influence on the actual design they were just tasked with building the thing. The looks were the work of Robert Opron from Fiat Centro Stile, his previous work included restyling the Citroen DS and collaborating on designs like the Renault Fuego and Alpine A310. The angular SZ was definitely a departure from his earlier work and its lines took some getting used to.

The bodywork might have been divisive-it still is-but the underpinnings were pure ‘80s Alfa, the drivetrain layout, five-speed gearbox and Busso V6 were all borrowed from the Alfa 75. Pushing out 207bhp the SZ offered spirited if not quite blistering performance, 0-60mph was over in under 7.0-seconds and thanks to the modified Alfa 75 Group A suspension setup and hydraulic shocks, the handling was competent too.

Just over 1,000 SZs were produced between 1989 and 1991, and you could have it in any colour combination as long as it was Red with a tan interior. Andrea Zagato had a bespoke black one made but if your SZ is any other hue than red then it was most likely done after it left the factory. Starting in 1992 an even more rare RZ roadster variant was built, around 280 units were finished before Zagato went into receivership in 1994. While mechanically identical, the RZ has a number of bespoke body panels and could be had not only in red but black and yellow too. The interior trim was now either black or burgundy and some detail cockpit changes differentiated the two models.

Nicknamed ‘Il Mostro’ (the monster), the SZ has developed a bit of a cult following as a modern classic, its bizarre styling has mellowed over the years and issues like the extortionate original asking price and uncomfortable comparisons with contemporary sports cars are now largely irrelevant. What does matter is the sound the engine makes and the head-turning ability of what , in the end, turned out to be another classic Alfa Romeo sports car.

Alfa Romeo SZ Engine and Gearbox

The Busso V6 was a known quantity by the time the SZ came along and it continued to be developed until 2005. In this application it has a 3.0-litre capacity, single overhead camshaft and two-valves per cylinder. The SZ also got a higher compression and more aggressive cams compared to the Alfa Romeo 75.

The engine requires regular cambelt changes and it likes to use a bit of oil, inspect the gaskets for any leaks. Sourced from the Alfa 75 the five-speed manual is relatively robust, but second gear synchro can wear out on hard-driven examples.

Alfa Romeo SZ Suspension and Brakes

The SZ has four-wheel disc brakes with the rears fitted inboard and there is no ABS system. The suspension may have been specially developed, but it is not overly complex. Correct setup and fresh hydraulic shocks make all the difference to the ride and handling feel and worn rubber bushes can translate into sloppy handling too.

Alfa Romeo SZ Bodywork and interior

The SZ was hailed for its revolutionary composite-fibre bodyshell but repairs to it can be costly and require specialist attention. Check for accident damage and poorly repaired panels, although don’t be too surprised if you see uneven panel gaps, they are all like that. Due to the bespoke nature of the car, body panels are pricey and sometimes hard to come by.

There is a bit of method to the switchgear madness inside the SZ’s cabin, it shares many of its buttons and switches with other contemporary Alfas but the layout is a bit more logical and everything should work as intended, most cars have led pampered lives after all.

 

Model History Of The Alfa Romeo SZ

1989:   The ES-30 was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show to a ‘stunned’ audience

207bhp Alfa Romeo SZ goes into production, all bar one finished in red with a tan interior.

1991:   SZ production ends with 1,036 built and around 100 officially sold in the UK

1992:   RZ roadster goes into production, paint colour options include red, black and yellow

1994:   RZ roadster ends production with approximately 280 built, no official sales in the UK

WHICH ALFA ROMEO SZ TO BUY

With just over 1,300 of both the SZ and RZ models built, Il Mostro is as rare as some very special supercars. The coupes are more numerous and therefore easier to find but to really here that fantastic V6 soundtrack from within you will need to search for one of the roadsters.

Values have seen their ups and downs which makes for a broad selection of cars for sale today. The handful of delivery mileage garage queens will always command the highest prices, at the other end of the spectrum there are also some high milers out there that have sketchy service histories. In between these two extremes lie the cars that have been regularly used by enthusiasts and they are the ones to look out for.

The SZ may never become a classic beauty like so many Alfas before it but it has an undeniable allure that clearly resonates with more people as time goes on. If you are looking for a decent investment that you can enjoy on the weekends then the Alfa Romeo SZ is just the thing.

Alfa Romeo SZ Specifications

3.0-litre V6

Power:             207bhp

Top speed:      152mph (143mph Roadster)

0-62mph:        7.0sec (7.5sec Roadster)

Economy:       20mpg est.

 


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Text John Tallodi  Photos Newspress/Alfa Romeo, Rock ‘n Roll Classics

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