Alfa Romeo Zagato TZ3

The TZ3 Corsa is easily the best Zagato in decades. It’s beautiful to look at and fearsome to drive. All the ingredients are spot-on – from the light construction to the race mechanicals and charismatic V8. You have to praise the firm’s vision, and the faith of the car’s lucky owner – this is a pure-bred machine, and an unforgettable way to mark Alfa’s centenary.

The TZ3 Corsa is easily the best Zagato in decades. It’s beautiful to look at and fearsome to drive. All the ingredients are spot-on – from the light construction to the race mechanicals and charismatic V8. You have to praise the firm’s vision, and the faith of the car’s lucky owner – this is a pure-bred machine, and an unforgettable way to mark Alfa’s centenary.

IT takes a special car to stand out from the exotic crowd at the Goodwood Festival of Speed – and this is it! The Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa is a racer built by Italian styling house Zagato. There’s only one in the world – and Auto Express was the only UK magazine to take it for a spin.

The car is owned by German industrialist Martin Karr – his collection of Zagatos includes a rare aluminium-bodied mid-Sixties TZ1 and an even rarer fibreglass-bodied TZ2. The new model had been at the back of the minds of Zagato designers for many years, and they decided to build a one-off version after a meeting with Karr.

Original TZs weighed only 600kg, featured an Alfa 1.6-litre four-cylinder and won races such as the Sebring 12 Hours. The key to all TZs has been ultra-light weight, a tubular aluminium skeleton and stunning Zagato bodywork. The TZ3 Corsa takes this to the extreme.

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Under the bonnet is a 480bhp version of a Ferrari-Maserati-Alfa 4.2-litre V8, while the ultra-light, super-stiff, carbon fibre chassis is similar to the unit underpinning Maserati’s Trofeo GranTurismo MC race car.

The dry-sump oil supply system, which lets the engine lie low in the chassis, also takes cues from the Trident model. In addition, the TZ3 is incredibly light – it weighs in at 850kg. In comparison, Alfa’s 8C Competizione tips the scales at nearly 1,600kg. As a result, it covers 0-60mph in 3.4 seconds!

It’s parked in the Supercar Paddock, and we fire the V8. It starts with an angry rasp, and the six-speed sequential racing box adds to the intimidating feel. You think you’re doing some damage each time you select first, second or reverse gears, such is the force required to engage the ratios.

As we approach the start line for the Goodwood hillclimb, we notice smoke rising from below us. “That’s the paint getting heated by the exhausts running through both door sills,” says a matter-of-fact Karr.

In fact, the sills are red-hot, and getting in and out without burning your thighs is an acrobatic exercise! Adding to the extreme feel is the vibration of the extra-light Plexiglas windows, while the hammer-formed aluminium body panels barely insulate the noise.

As we drop the clutch, the sticky 18-inch Pirelli PZero Corsa semi-slicks spin as they fight to put all that power down. But as we hit the first bend, the car feels like a big go-kart, with its low centre of gravity and stripped-out cabin.

Thankfully, the fixed carbon race seats, dressed in Alcantara, and three-point racing belts hold you in place. But the experience is brutal – like driving a metal tin full of eggshells!

As Karr has the rights to this design, the TZ3 is a one-off. A pity, as the reaction of the crowd at the top of the hill suggests Zagato could have sold a lot of models in an instant!

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