There is something so unmistakably compelling about the sports cars produced in the 1960s. Beautifully formed, sculpturally exquisite, and modestly detailed, no country did it better than Italy and no car company was more adventurous with their cars than Alfa Romeo. Hundreds of books have been written on the engineering and design innovations of Alfa Romeo, spanning more than a century of racing and road cars, all developed with a keen and willful passion that can be seen in every one of their offerings.
Two early TZ1’s on display at the Alfa Romeo Museum in Arese, Italy.
Known for their competitive spirit and constant experimentation with new ideas, Alfa Romeo embarked on their quest to build a formidable GT sports/racecar exhibiting the very best and most highly developed ideas for that time. Though conceived around the 105 platform, construction would employ a lightweight tubular steel chassis (tubolare) with light alloy coachwork by Zagato, forming the moniker TZ, Tubolare Zagato. The chassis design employed clever use of structural members allowing for flexibility and durability when mated to the aluminum body. Each TZ was fitted with unique front and rear independent suspension, front disc brakes and rear inboard disc brakes, with much of the parts exclusively constructed for this series using light alloy Electron components to save weight. The design innovations also included a dramatically lowered hood height, achieved by slightly tilting the engine from its typical upright position.
