The Alfa Romeo 8C Is Back. But Not as You Remember It
Zagato dared to redesign the beauty for a wealthy customer.
Zagato had a busy weekend at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, where two cars penned by the Italian coachbuilder were unveiled. The fabled design house surprised just about everyone with its own take on the BMW M4, featuring a double bubble roof. Another coupe, this time based on the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, made its world premiere on the shores of Lake Como in Italy.
The DoppiaCoda (Double Tail) is a one-off special project commissioned by a wealthy Italian owner. Its name refers to a combination of a Kammback and a rounded wing. Also known as a Kamm tail or K-tail, a Kammback is a design feature characterized by a gently sloped profile that ends abruptly with a vertical surface. It was pioneered by German designer and aerodynamicist Wunibald Kamm, who created the 1938 BMW Kamm Coupe.
Zagato dared to modify one of the most beautiful cars of the modern era. Whether the result surpasses Wolfgang Egger's and Daniele Gaglione's work from the 2000s is open to debate. Even after all these years, the modern 8C, conceived by Centro Stile Alfa Romeo, remains a stunning mid-engine supercar in both Coupe and Spider flavors.
Much like the aforementioned M4, it wouldn’t be a proper Zagato without the signature double bubble roof. Although the entire body has been reworked, it's the redesigned rear that immediately sets it apart from the standard 8C. Lessons learned from last year’s Alpine A110-based project with its removable long-tail rear bumper helped Zagato reimagine the Alfa's rear.
Alfa Romeo 8C Doppiacoda Zagato
Technical specifications haven’t been disclosed, which could suggest that the DoppiaCoda retains the Ferrari-derived V-8. In the standard 8C, the naturally aspirated 4.7-liter engine produced 444 horsepower and 354 pound-feet (480 Newton-meters) of torque. Power was sent to the rear wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission with shift paddles. The car accelerated from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 4.2 seconds and had a top speed of 181 mph (292 km/h).
This isn’t the first time Zagato has reimagined the Alfa Romeo 8C. At the same show in Italy back in 2010, it unveiled the TZ3 Corsa as a one-off for German collector Martin Kapp. That car also featured a Kammback, though it leaned more toward a “breadvan” aesthetic. In case you don’t remember it, we’ve attached images below.
Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa Zagato
Remembering The 8C:
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