Take a good look at the sleek supercar featured here. It's the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale, and you'll likely never see one in person. If you do, take note of how it sounds. Provided it's a version with the twin-turbocharged V6, savor the exhaust note of the last Alfa Romeo supercar built with an internal combustion engine.
Following the 33 Stradale's debut, Motor1.com spoke with Larry Dominique, Alfa Romeo senior VP and head of North American operations. The extremely limited-production supercar is available with either a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 making over 620 horsepower, or a fully electric powertrain of which details haven't yet been announced. When asked about Alfa Romeo's future in the realm of limited-production halo vehicles, Dominique was clear about the company's all-electric ambitions.
"If you look at where we’re going, starting in 2024, every vehicle we launch from Alfa Romeo is electric," he said. "In the US in 2027, we will no longer be selling [internal combustion engine] vehicles. This is one of the reasons we wanted both powertrains in the 33 project."
Dominique also shared that 33 Stradale production is scheduled to begin next year on June 24, to coincide with Alfa Romeo's 114th anniversary. Deliveries to customers will follow in December 2024, so unless there's another secret Alfa ready for a launch in the next few months, this marks the end of a very long era for the storied Italian brand.
Gallery: Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale
That era wraps up with a production run of just 33 examples, and no two models will be alike. Inspired by the classic 33 Stradale from the late 1960s, it shares an aluminum H frame with the Maserati MC20 and was built with considerable input from the exclusive group of customers around the world who stepped up to buy one. Dominique concedes to being quite surprised at the flood of potential buyers ready to go without even knowing what it was.
"We know a lot of Alfisti in the North American market," he explained. "We started to spread the word that we wanted to talk about a unique project – very nebulous, I wasn’t specific at all – just said we're talking about a very special limited edition model. And the calls started coming in."
Unofficially, we hear that these buyers paid upwards of $2.8 million to claim a 33 Stradale. Officially, Alfa Romeo isn't talking. But it will serve as a halo car for the company's lineup that now includes the smaller (and much more affordable) Tonale with the Stelvio SUV and Giulia sedan.
"We've got a great Giulia, we've got a great Stelvio, we've got a great Tonale," said Dominique. "We've got other vehicles coming down the pike, both replacement and new. Let's show [with the 33 Stradale] if you buy a Tonale, this is what your heritage is."
Check out the Rambling About Cars podcast for extra info on the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale and much more, available below.
