1988 Alfa Romeo Spider on 2040-cars

Auto blog

This modernized Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint looks great, sounds even better

No matter how good something may be, there's always room for improvement. A UK company called Alfaholics builds an overhauled version of the famous Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint that's supposed to be capable enough to hassle a modern Porsche 911 around the Nordschleife. It's difficult to spot any of the upgrades from the outside, but Charles Morgan shows off the updated performance in a new video from Carfection. The Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint is a memorable sports coupe that was made in the '60s and '70s, and it sports a gorgeous body from the pen of a then-17-year-old Giorgetto Giugiaro. Alfaholics takes this fantastic platform and adds modern suspension components, upgraded brakes, carbon fiber body panels, and a 240-horsepower engine. These tweaks bring the weight down to about 1,830 pounds and allow for a lap around the Nordschliefe in less than 8 minutes at the hands of a skilled driver. As opposed to just going for outright performance, Alfaholics tries to keep its tuned Giulia Sprint somewhat authentic to the original version. As Morgan shows in this video, the result of the company's work is a coupe with superb handling and an intoxicating exhaust note. Related Video:

Dodge Viper-based 2010 Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale Zagato rarity could be yours

It has been a decade since it was launched, but the 2010 Alfa Romeo TZ3 Stradale Zagato is just as bizarre and beautiful as the day it was revealed. It's what you get when you have Italian design house Zagato give a Dodge Viper an Alfa Romeo body. And this one, number six of a total of nine examples, could be yours. It's going to be auctioned in Elkhart, Indiana, by RM Sotheby's along with several other rare vehicles. Now when we described this car as a Zagato take on an Alfa but using a Viper, that's exactly what it is. All the mechanical bits are from the 2010 Dodge Viper ACR, down to the 8.4-liter 600-horsepower V10 and six-speed manual transmission. The body does do an impressive job disguising this, from the signature Zagato double-bubble roof, to the unique, almost shooting brake-style rear roofline and Kamm tail. The Alfa grille in the nose also throws off the scent. But look closer, and Viper elements start showing up. On the outside, the push-down flush door handles remain. Inside, the gauges feature the same fonts and layout as in the Viper, the only change being the TZ3 logo sitting in the middle. Particularly glaring is the audio head unit, which was shared with every other Dodge product on the market since the early 2000s. But the leather appointments throughout do make it nicer. Also amusing is the fact that all the owner's manuals are simply Dodge examples, with no changes to the covers or names. One other bizarre thing, since this is a 2010 car, it was built at the very early start of Fiat and Chrysler joining up. As omens go, this was a pretty solid one. Regardless, it is an extremely striking car that's sure to be exhilarating to drive. And that's not something the previous owner experienced much, because the photos suggest it's only been driven about 200 miles. RM Sotheby's doesn't give an estimated sale price, but it should go for well into six figures, if not more. And it will sell, as it's being offered with no reserve. The auction starts May 1. Related Video:    

Leno samples Corvette Z06, steam cars, supercars and the wonders of Pebble Beach

While Jay Leno's Garage was conceived to highlight the wonders of The Big Chin's eponymous storage facility, Leno does occasionally get out an into the larger world. Pebble Beach and the festivities around Monterey recently provided a great excuse for a road trip, and Leno seemingly had a pretty full dance card.
In an episode aptly dubbed The Ultimate Car Week, our host takes us through a pretty representative selection of great things to see in and around Pebble. Starting with a ride-along in a steam car, Jay manages to check in on the latest McLaren supercar and drive the Alfa Romeo 4C along the way. Oh, and he takes a good look at the all-new Corvette Z06 (next to the original Z06) before hitting the Concourse d'Elegance, too.