1995 Alfa Romeo RZ

Highlights

• Known ownership from new
• Full and comprehensive service history 
• Upgrades by Autodelta 
• Just 32kms 
• Guide price: £80k - £90k (hammer) 

General Description

Originally code-named ES-30 (Experimental Sportscar 3.0), the Alfa Romeo SZ and RZ was introduced as a limited-production run exercies between Zagato, Alfa Romeo and Fiat. The idea was to revive Alfa Romeo's sporting heritage with the legendary Robert Opron providing the original sketches.  The RZ (Roadster Zagato) was produced with different body panels to the SZ and available in only red, yellow or black with most being opted for in yellow. Power was supplied by the legendary 3-litre V6 that is also found in the Alfa 75, a car that it shares a lot of underpinnings with. 

The bold angular Zagato body shocked the world when it was released in 1990, dubbed ‘Il Monstro’ by the Italians, and the shape whilst now over 30 years old, still looks remarkably fresh and modern today thanks to its completely unique looks and characteristics. 1,036 SZ were supplied with just 278 RZs, making it an extremely collectable car today. 

About this specific vehicle

This particular RZ is car number 205, and unusually for these cars – that were often shipped overseas to Japan and the Middle East in period – resulting in patchy and opaque histories. This example has always remained in Europe, and boasts a full and comprehensive ownership and service record.

Initially supplied to an Italian living in Germany was then sold to its first UK owner in 1997 and has remained in the UK ever since with only 4 owners and just 32,000 kms. For the past 25 years the car has been looked after by the renowned London specialist Autodelta London, and is presented in exceptional cosmetic and mechanical condition.

Furthermore we are confident this is one of the best driving RZs available today, having recently benefitted from significant investment with detailed servicing, replacement of any worn parts, and most importantly with a raft of subtle but significant Autodelta enhancements.

Over the past 4 years during covid, the previous owner decided to commission Autodelta to make it as good as it could be. Naturally any worn or perished bushings, mountings, couplings, etc were replaced, but significantly the two weak spots of these cars were addressed – the brakes and the engine. Whilst the chassis of the RZ and SZ cars was based on the Alfa Romeo 75 Group A IMSA touring car, and was reported to develop the highest lateral G of any car on sale at the time, period road testers always wanted a little more from the brakes, and the glorious Alfa 3.0 V6. 

Autodelta London are well known for their work on Alfa Romeos of this era, and this car has benefitted from their 3.5-litre engine upgrade with associated ecu mapping, exhaust system, and 4 piston front brakes.

These upgrades are pretty much invisible but hugely improve the driving experience, and the car feels as if it was always meant to be this way. Autodelta carried out this raft of upgrades on several SZ cars, but this is the only known RZ with these improvements.

This matching numbers car is also complete with all of its original owner’s manuals, service books, tools, sales brochure, heritage certificate and even the original paperwork and envelopes these manuals were supplied in when new. Unlike the SZ which was only available in red, the RZ was made in yellow, black and red, with red being the rarest of these three colours.

This cars are offered as a trade sale only, all the cars have been mechanically inspected and any work required can be carried out with Furlonger at the purchasers cost.