Alfa Romeo SZ & RZ

(1989-1994)
Overview
Manufacturer	Alfa Romeo
Also called	ES-30, Il Mostro
Production	1989 to 1991 (SZ) 1992 to 1994 (RZ)
Assembly	Terrazzano di Rho, Italy
Designer	Robert Opron, Antonio Castellana
Class	Sports car
Body style	2-door coupé (SZ) 2-door convertible (RZ)
Layout	Front-engine, rear-wheel-drive
Engine	3.0 L V6 12v
Transmission	5-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,510 mm (98.8 in)
Length	4,059 mm (159.8 in)
Width	1,730 mm (68.1 in)
Height	1,311 mm (51.6 in) (SZ) 1,300 mm (51.2 in) (RZ)
Curb weight	1,256 kg (2,769 lb) (SZ) 1,380 kg (3,042 lb) (RZ)

The Alfa Romeo ES 30 was a sports car that the Italian car manufacturer Alfa Romeo produced as a Coupé ( SZ ) or ES-30 (Experimental Sportscar 3.0 litre) and as a Roadster ( RZ ) in limited numbers between spring 1989 and the end of 1993. 

It was unveiled as ES-30 in 1989 Geneva Motor Show as a prototype by Zagato, although the car was mainly built by them - not designed mechanically. The designation ES 30 is derived from the term Experimental Sportscar, 3.0 liter . The vehicle revived the traditional connection between Alfa Romeo and Carrozzeria Zagato .Initially, Alfa Romeo and Zagato produced a hatchback coupe called the Alfa Romeo SZ (Sprint Zagato).The car was presented at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1989. The vehicle was only available in the color Alfa Rosso , a shade of red typical of the brand. However, a unique piece for Andrea Zagato was made painted in black. Natural colored leather was used inside.

After Fiat had taken over the previous state-owned company Alfa Romeo in 1986, the new owner wanted to prove the unchanged technical strength and exclusivity of the Alfa Romeo brand with an exclusive two-seater vehicle.

The striking shape is the result of a collaboration between the design centers of Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Zagato. The design was initially described as a Zagato draft. In fact, however, the base line went to the French designer Robert Opron back , the Citroën models in the 1970s, SM and CX had designed and now its time for the Fiat Style Centro worked; numerous details were also worked out by Antonio Castellana. Carrozzeria Zagato only developed a few details on the front and rear. The declared aim of the management was to develop an unusual, sensational form. Accordingly, the design was generally not described as beautiful, but as independent. The pronounced wedge shape and the three-eyed headlights gave the car an independent appearance. Even before production began, the ES 30 was given the name Il mostro (the monster) in the factory.

The technology of the Alfa Romeo 75 in the competition version, which had been developed for Group A a few years earlier, was used as the basis.  This V-engine had six cylinders, a displacement of 3.0 liters and 210 hp (154 kW). The gearbox was on the rear axle and was interlocked with the differential ( transaxle ). The top speed was 245 km / h. A hydraulic level control (40 mm adjustment range) was also available, but only for driving over obstacles such as curbs. Damper system was made by Koni. The SZ was originally equipped with Pirelli P Zero tyres (front 205/55 ZR 16, rear 225/50 ZR 16)

The body consisted of a steel frame , the outer skin of glass fiber reinforced "Modar", a methacrylic resin . In addition to high rigidity, it enabled a particularly smooth surface for plastic superstructures for the first time. The body panels were made at Carplast, a company run by Giuseppe Bizzarrini, a son of the Italian engineer Giotto Bizzarrini .

The dashboard was laminated from plastic reinforced with visible carbon fibers. Because of the high purchase price and a decline in demand for exclusive prestige cars, only a few examples were built until mid-1992. The exact details regarding the production around 1,000.

Initially, Alfa Romeo and Zagato produced a hatchback coupe called the Alfa Romeo SZ (Sprint Zagato).The car was presented at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1989. The vehicle was only available in the color Alfa Rosso , a shade of red typical of the brand. However, a unique piece for Andrea Zagato was made painted in black. Natural colored leather was used inside.

The dashboard was laminated from plastic reinforced with visible carbon fibers. Because of the high purchase price and a decline in demand for exclusive prestige cars, only a few examples were built until mid-1992. The exact details regarding the production around 1,000.

The vehicles were handcrafted in the Zagato factory in Terrazzano di Rho .

The two-seater hard roof version also saw a convertible version, the RZ (for Roadster Zagato), produced from 1992 until December 1994. Although almost identical to look at the two cars had completely different body panels save for the front wings and boot. At the Mondial de l'Automobile in Paris in autumn 1992 the open version appeared under the name Alfa Romeo RZ (Roadster Zagato). The vehicle was largely based on the SZ, but had been given considerable stiffening. The windshield was much flatter and longer. The drive technology remained unchanged. Instead of the planned number of 350 units ,production finished with only 284 car built , making the RZ the lowest production Alfa Romeo ever produced.Another 37 cars were built and sold by Zagato itself The vehicles were available in red, yellow, black and silver metallic (three copies).