automotivebriefs
10:50in productionCh. 1 · The successor/ 10:50 · ceiling 15 min
Racing · Sports cars

Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ

Zagato · 1965

Alfa didn’t build a faster Giulia—they built a lighter, stiffer, angrier version that raced before it was legal.

The Giulia TZ is a focused, lightweight racing coupé built to exploit Alfa’s existing engine and suspension in a new structural format. Its value lies in how it redefined what ‘lightweight’ meant for a front-engined RWD car in 1963—not through novelty, but through discipline.

RacingSports carsCarsEngineeringSportCars across the network →
Chapters & takeaways6
  1. 1:00
    The successor

    It debuted at the 1962 Turin Auto Show as the successor to the Giulietta SZ.

  2. 2:13
    Built by hand, not line

    Its tubular spaceframe was built by SAI Ambrosini; its aluminium body by Zagato; final assembly by Delta of Udine.

  3. 3:34
    Weight as weapon

    At 650 kg, it achieved 216 km/h using only a tilted Giulia engine and twin-spark combustion.

  4. 4:28
    No compromise suspension

    Disc brakes and independent suspension were standard—on both street and racing versions.

  5. 5:53
    First of the TZ line

    It anchored a family of Zagato-bodied Alfas: SZ, TZ2, Junior Zagato, and beyond.

  6. 7:10
    Coachbuilt, not rebranded

    It proved Zagato could turn Alfa’s road-car parts into a dedicated racing platform without altering the core architecture.

Worth your time?

Yes. Drive the whole thing.

4.5/ 5
What works
  • Delivers extreme power-to-weight via weight reduction, not engine upgrades.
  • Uses proven Giulia mechanicals in a bespoke, race-tuned layout.
  • Demonstrates how coachbuilding could redefine performance without reinventing the powertrain.
What does not
  • It does not have a monocoque chassis.
  • It does not use forced induction.
  • It does not share body panels with the Giulia saloon.
  • It does not feature modern driver assistance systems.
Drive it if
  • Collectors studying Alfa–Zagato collaborations.
  • Historians of 1960s motorsport development.
  • Engineers analysing early spaceframe-to-aluminium-body integration.
Skip it if
  • Daily drivers.
  • Beginners learning car control.
  • Anyone needing rear visibility or luggage space.
The written brief1 min read

What the car is and where it came from

A 1963–1967 Alfa Romeo sports and racing car, developed with Zagato under their 1960s partnership. It replaced the Giulietta SZ. The original TZ1 debuted at the 1962 Turin Auto Show. It carried a 105 series chassis number and used mechanical components from the Giulia.

How it works, in terms someone would actually use

It is a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive coupé with independent suspension and disc brakes. Its tubular spaceframe chassis carries an all-aluminium body. The 1,570 cc twin-cam engine is tilted under the bonnet to improve airflow. A twin-spark cylinder head boosts responsiveness.

What it gets right

It gets right the integration of a proven Giulia drivetrain into a minimal, aerodynamic, aluminium-bodied spaceframe. Its weight—650 kg—delivers high power-to-weight ratio without forced induction or exotic materials.

What it does not

It does not offer driver aids, crash structures, or refinement for daily use. It does not share its chassis or body with any production Giulia saloon. It does not use a monocoque or unitary construction.

What it changed

It replaced the Giulietta SZ and established the TZ as the new benchmark for Alfa–Zagato’s lightweight racing coupés—leading directly to the TZ2 and reinforcing Zagato’s role in translating Alfa’s mechanicals into competitive forms.

Who it is for, and who it is not

It is for collectors, historians, and engineers studying how Italian coachbuilders exploited spaceframe rigidity and weight reduction in the early 1960s. It is not for drivers seeking reliability, visibility, or cabin space.

Is it worth your time

Yes—if you care about how lightweight construction and purpose-built chassis geometry shaped mid-1960s sports-racing dynamics. No—if you expect modern feedback, comfort, or usability.

Same garage · Racing3 of 3
9:59
Nissan SilviaNissan Design · 1988The S13 Silvia is a compact, rear-wheel-drive coupe introduced by Nissan Design in May 1988. It continues Nissan’s long-running Silvia series — a line of small sports cars built on the compact, rear-drive S platform. Its design prioritises driver feedback, predictable rear-axle behaviour, and mechanical simplicity over comfort or modern electronics. It overlaps the outgoing S12 and sets the template for drifting-focused chassis tuning in Japan’s domestic market.
9:18
Sauber C9Leo Ress · 1987The Sauber C9 is a 1987 Group C prototype. It replaced the C8. It was a development of the C8, retaining its aluminium monocoque but making it stiffer. Six chassis were built. Early engines were prepared by Heini Mader as a cover for Mercedes’ involvement. Later engines came from Untertürkheim under Hermann Hiereth. The engine was semi-stressed and ran a dry sump. Weight reduction came from a new crankshaft, KKK turbochargers, and a liner-less block.
10:06
Toyota AE86Toyota · 1986The AE86 is a small, front-engine/rear-wheel-drive compact car derived from the fifth-generation Corolla (E80) range. It was the final Corolla model produced with rear-wheel drive. Its light weight, affordability, modifiability, and balanced front-engine/rear-drive layout made it distinctive amid an industry shift away from RWD. It featured a high-revving (7800 rpm) twin-cam engine in some markets, optionally elsewhere. It achieved early and enduring international prominence in drifting due to its inherent qualities. It was central to the manga and anime series Initial D (1995–2013) as the protagonist's drift and tofu delivery car. In 2015, Road & Track described it as 'a cult icon, inextricably interwoven with the earliest days of drifting.' It inspired the Toyota 86 (2012–present), a 2+2 sports car co-developed with Subaru.
Up next in Automotive

Audi Quattro

Martin Smith · 1980 · 9:56

The Quattro didn’t just win rallies—it rewired how power reaches the road.

Play nextBack to Racing
9:56