Foose-Made Alfa Romeo Carabo Replica Found on eBay

Originally made for Alfa Romeo by Bertone, the (real) Carabo was built atop a chassis donated by Alfa's 33 Stradale. Packing a 230-horsepower V8, it debuted at the 1968 Paris Motor Show. But this isn't it.

Don't worry, this isn't some tacky, Fiero-based kit car, either. The guy behind this replica wanted to purchase the original from Bertone (so the ad says) but the design firm wasn't willing to part with the masterpiece, so he decided to say to hell with that and have his own built...by Sam Foose. For those who just got out of bed, that would be Chip Foose's father.

This Carabo is built on a De Tomaso Pantera platform and uses its Ford-supplied power train, which means under that killer fiberglass body resides a 351 Cleveland V8 hooked to a 5-speed.

Here's where it gets fun: the seller says it's purely a driving car that's "too fast to handle", makes do without radio or air conditioning, and has fixed windows. Sounds terrible in a scary-awesome way.

Just to keep it as retro-futuristic as possible, it's even got power Lambo-style doors that open with hidden switches inside and out.

Said to have cost $200,000 in 1972, this Carabo is a beautiful imitation and one which definitely lives up to the age old adage about flattery.

I just wish it were wearing the concept's original green hue and black lower cladding. A roof would be nice, too.

By Phil Alex

Link: eBay

Original Bertone Alfa Romeo Carabo

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Bertone Alfa Romeo Carabo Replica

New Alfa Romeo Spider Design Study

Here are the names of the three designers behind this Alfa Romeo Spider: Alberto Gaiani, Massimo Paparella and Michela Zedda. They're from the Politecnico di Milano University, and this is the result of a project in conjunction with Alfa.

If ever built, this Spider would likely have an FR layout, a power cloth top, and retain the trademark Alfa nose. From these shots, it looks like a Pontiac Solstice / Saturn Sky from Alfa, a higher-luxury would-be Miata hunter.

Samuel Codegoni, a teacher at the university, explains the design like this: "One of the main ideas that drove this project was to express a sense of tension in action. This decidedly moves away from the first production model takes as a reference: the iconic Duetto of the 1960's - the second reference was the Alfa Spider from the '90s, with its typical wedge-shaped profile."

It seems like Alfa is getting closer and closer to prepping a new, smaller Spyder. Is it too much to hope for something like this in the States?

By Phil Alex

Via: Virtualcar & Carbodydesign

Zagato Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa: Official Specs and Photo Gallery from Villa D'Este

The Zagato-penned and developed Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa was finally revealed in a world premiere at this past weekend's prestigious Villa D'Este Concours.

As Zagato pointed out, the car is not a design exercise but a one off racing special that was commissioned by German collector Martin Kapp who owns, among other Alfa Romeos, an SZ coda tonda and SZ coda tronca, TZ, and TZ2, Junior Z and S.Z.

Inspired by its 1960s predecessors, the original Alfa TZ and TZ2, the TZ3 Corsa is based on a mono shell carbon fibre tubular chassis, coupled with a tubular frame and a lightweight aluminum body.

Power comes from the Alfa 8c Competizione's 4.2-liter V8 engine that develops 420-horsepower. According to Zagato, the racing car tips the scales at 850kg or 1,874 lbs, and is capable of accelerating from zero to 100km/h (62mph) in under 3.5 seconds while reaching a top speed in excess of 300km/h or 187mph.

Special thanks to Maurizio from Motorionline for the 'live' Photos!