RE: Alfa Romeo SZ | Spotted
Discussion
Everyone always waxes lyrical about the Busso engine, but I remember as a kid I had a very spirited passenger ride in a pre production SZ being used for handling development and putting on miles at Lotus. The engine was the least memorable thing. I remember the looks, the 1/2 finished interior, and the incredible cornering forces it generated …. Not the engine noise.
Slowboathome said:
Harry Flashman said:
Looked fabulous in real life. Here is the one my friend used to own, along with another friend's manual NSX and my Morgan Aero 8. On the way to Revival, circa 2008.
All of us wish we had kept these cars.
I want your life. All of us wish we had kept these cars.
I mean, I wouldn't go back, as I love my family, but I look at pics like the above and wish I could take the odd day-long time travel holiday, for sure! That day at Goodwood, a few days at the 'Ring, etc...
I shall dream of such days whilst at the helm of my 7 seat boat, on some joyless motorway, carrying screaming toddlers in the back.
*cries*
ducnick said:
Everyone always waxes lyrical about the Busso engine, but I remember as a kid I had a very spirited passenger ride in a pre production SZ being used for handling development and putting on miles at Lotus. The engine was the least memorable thing. I remember the looks, the 1/2 finished interior, and the incredible cornering forces it generated …. Not the engine noise.
It is definitely heresay when it comes to the engine for me because I've never experienced it. So it is disappointing to hear that it isn't very good noise wise then, especially with how many good things that I've read/heard about it over the years. It reminds me of all the hype that the E46 M3 CSL/Yaris GR have got as well in many ways too. If something is said lots of times and repeated...then you tend to believe it I reckon.
ducnick said:
Everyone always waxes lyrical about the Busso engine, but I remember as a kid I had a very spirited passenger ride in a pre production SZ being used for handling development and putting on miles at Lotus. The engine was the least memorable thing. I remember the looks, the 1/2 finished interior, and the incredible cornering forces it generated …. Not the engine noise.
Likely because it wasn't finished so had a rudimentary system installed. With the right exhaust this engine sounds amazing.
Just sold mine.
It was almost a daily driver in the time I had it. I had no qualms about it breaking down so it’s not fair to say they are unreliable without qualification.
It literally stopped traffic and more than once you could see drivers mouthing ‘WTF?’ It felt very special, like a foot in the door of proper Italian exotica ownership.
The sound from the AutoDelta exhaust was amazing, I never had the radio on.
So glad i was able to experience it; the drive is fantastic.
It was almost a daily driver in the time I had it. I had no qualms about it breaking down so it’s not fair to say they are unreliable without qualification.
It literally stopped traffic and more than once you could see drivers mouthing ‘WTF?’ It felt very special, like a foot in the door of proper Italian exotica ownership.
The sound from the AutoDelta exhaust was amazing, I never had the radio on.
So glad i was able to experience it; the drive is fantastic.
Edited by anonymous-user on Wednesday 24th August 18:48
Whilst being a very interesting rare car (and one I’ve been very tempted to buy myself when they were £25k), the biggest problem with the SZ is that nowadays there are even rarer, more exotic, faster and more desirable Italian cars from a similar era for the same or less money. I would take a ghibli cup over an SZ every day of the week, let alone a shamal.
ducnick said:
Whilst being a very interesting rare car (and one I’ve been very tempted to buy myself when they were £25k), the biggest problem with the SZ is that nowadays there are even rarer, more exotic, faster and more desirable Italian cars from a similar era for the same or less money. I would take a ghibli cup over an SZ every day of the week, let alone a shamal.
This.ducnick said:
Whilst being a very interesting rare car (and one I’ve been very tempted to buy myself when they were £25k), the biggest problem with the SZ is that nowadays there are even rarer, more exotic, faster and more desirable Italian cars from a similar era for the same or less money. I would take a ghibli cup over an SZ every day of the week, let alone a shamal.
Alfa for me please, but I can see why you'd pick the maserati! Oh, go on then, I'll take one of each. I really enjoyed Harry’s video, made me see the car in a different light. Some fascinating engineering, inboard brakes, adjustable ride height plus lots of things that mean it’s so not a daily drive. That and the odd looks reminds me of the 4C, amazing but far from perfect, one for the Alfistas I think.
biggbn said:
ducnick said:
Whilst being a very interesting rare car (and one I’ve been very tempted to buy myself when they were £25k), the biggest problem with the SZ is that nowadays there are even rarer, more exotic, faster and more desirable Italian cars from a similar era for the same or less money. I would take a ghibli cup over an SZ every day of the week, let alone a shamal.
Alfa for me please, but I can see why you'd pick the maserati! Oh, go on then, I'll take one of each. cerb4.5lee said:
ducnick said:
Everyone always waxes lyrical about the Busso engine, but I remember as a kid I had a very spirited passenger ride in a pre production SZ being used for handling development and putting on miles at Lotus. The engine was the least memorable thing. I remember the looks, the 1/2 finished interior, and the incredible cornering forces it generated …. Not the engine noise.
It is definitely heresay when it comes to the engine for me because I've never experienced it. So it is disappointing to hear that it isn't very good noise wise then, especially with how many good things that I've read/heard about it over the years. It reminds me of all the hype that the E46 M3 CSL/Yaris GR have got as well in many ways too. If something is said lots of times and repeated...then you tend to believe it I reckon.
Agree that herd mentality blinds us to what is and isn’t really good. You put some good examples and I would add MX5 to that list but it’s very subjective.
'Not as expensive as you might think' - Incorrect, they're way more expensive now than I thought!
Looks ungainly from nearly all angles. Remember seeing my first one (red like this) in Chiswick in the early 90's.
Friend tried to drive one to an event 6 miles away. It overheated 5 miles into the journey. Obviously something not right there, but just reinforced the 'fragile' Alfa reputation.
I'm glad they exist, really like the interior & engine, but another Alfa 'almost' but not there car for me.
Looks ungainly from nearly all angles. Remember seeing my first one (red like this) in Chiswick in the early 90's.
Friend tried to drive one to an event 6 miles away. It overheated 5 miles into the journey. Obviously something not right there, but just reinforced the 'fragile' Alfa reputation.
I'm glad they exist, really like the interior & engine, but another Alfa 'almost' but not there car for me.
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