Behold the Alfa Romeo Doppia Coda Zagato
The 8C Competizione was one of Alfa's modern masterpieces; now it has a Zagato twist
They’re busy folk at Zagato right now. Not content with tailoring the BMW M4 for Bovensiepen, nor transforming the Alpine A110 for living out '60s Le Mans fantasies, there’s now this: the 8C DoppiaCoda Zagato. It’s a unique reworking of the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, one of this century’s prettiest super GTs, and is said to be both ‘a historical homage and a visionary concept’.
Alfa Romeo and Zagato have history here, of course. That’s not wishing to state the bleeding obvious, because Zag-bodied, race-winning Alfas go back more than a century, but in more recent times and commissions as well. One of this decade’s coachbuilt highlights was the Giulia SWB Zagato of 2022, combining the manual Quadrifoglio powertrain with a stunning two-door body; presumably the reaction to that was sufficiently effusive for Zagato to consider similar projects. You’d like to think the idea of reimagining an 8C didn’t require too much persuasion.
It's more recognisable as the donor vehicle than the SWB, but in the best coachbuilt tradition the more that you look the more that you see. The new rear Kamm tail and spoiler arrangement give the back of the 8C a very different look, especially with the redesigned lights. This is also a shorter wheelbase 8C, which isn’t immediately obvious. ‘Beyond reaffirming Zagato’s authorship of the short-wheelbase or “Monza” 8C bodywork,’ reads the press release, ‘this new creation fuses two of the Milanese Atelier’s most distinctive design codes: the Kamm-tail (Coda Tronca) and the rounded tail, brought together in an entirely new and character-defining rear-end design.’ Hence Doppia Coda, or Double Tail. And you thought Zagato just did double bubble roofs…
It’s a more voluptuous-looking car than the standard 8C, with every curve more pronounced. We’ll hand over to the professionals to describe the side view, because again it’s another aspect that doesn’t seem so different until you really give it attention. ‘The sharp line flowing from the front wheel arch rises at the rear fender and continues toward the rear wing. But instead of fading softly, this surface is intentionally cut off almost vertically. Seen from behind, the wing forms a ring, giving the impression it is set into the tail of the car. In this way, the wing is completely detached from the body, yet appears to be part of it from the side.’ You know it when you see it, and won’t have been the work of a minute. This is going to give one very lucky collector plenty to ponder and appreciate in their collection, that’s for sure.
Of course nothing as crass as performance or weight are mentioned by Zagato, or any stats at all for that matter beyond the number one. Because that’s how many are going to be made; you’ve definitely made it when you’re the custodian of a one-off Zagato-built Alfa. Given they say this is based on the ‘mechanical platform’ of the 8C Competizione, we’ll assume the 4.7-litre, 450hp V8 has continued unchanged. Hardly like the Alfa struggled for power, or sound, or theatre, after all.
It never really wanted for jaw-dropping good looks either, but since when has that stopped coachbuilders putting their stamp on things? Zagato suggests that the DoppiaCoda ‘adds the final missing link’ to its ‘modern interpretations of the most legendary Alfa Romeo models.’ The Giulia-based car celebrated the 6C lineage; this one, understandably, pays homage to the 8C of the '30s that won every endurance epic going. Presumably there’s a space reserved right next to one of the racers for this one to occupy very soon.
And if you did have a spare 8C to chop about, wouldn't you give it the Disco Volante treatment instead?
Whether you like them or not is subjective.
(* A quality that could be possessed by, for example, a Khan-modified G-Wagon.)
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