1963 Alfa Romeo SZ Coda Tronca
Chassis AR 126 00213
Engine 00120 0820
Swiss registration document
Temporary import into the European Union
- One of the last SZs produced
- Only 44 produced

The story of the SZ Coda Tronca began with an accident. In 1961, driver Francesco De Leonibus had his SZ re-bodied by Micheloti following an accident, and the latter created a longer, tapered line. On the Monza circuit, Francesco De Leonibus recorded a breathtaking top speed (222.22 km/h). Following this achievement, Zagato immediately set about designing a new body for the SZ.
He redesigned the body firstly by lengthening the muzzle and the tail (the rear), then by also modifying the roof and finally, to obtain an even more aerodynamic shape, he decided to truncate the rear of the car, based on the theories of the German aerodynamic engineer Wunibald Kamm.
Zagato did not have a wind tunnel, so he carried out a series of tests on the motorways, using the cornerstones as a reference and the faithful designer Ercole Spada as a timekeeper sitting on the ground.
The final result was ready a few months later, and Zagato himself entered the new SZ in the 1961 Monza Grand Prix, winning the race ahead of Micheloti's revised SZ. Following this success, production of the second series of SZs was launched. Mechanically, the second series retained all the attributes of the first SZ. The notable difference was that, despite the lengthening of the car, it lost 15 kg and weighed just 840 kg. Thanks to these improvements, the top speed is now well in excess of 200 km/h, flirting with 215 km/h.
The car we are presenting here left the Zagato workshops on 7 December 1962. On 15 January 1963, the car was delivered by Dutch importer Louwman & Parqui in Leidschendam. It was one of the few chassis equipped from the outset with front disc brakes.
The car then passed into the hands of collector and dealer Roy Karsten, a great fan of the marque. He exhibited the car in his showroom in Noordwijk for around ten years, and at the same time took part in numerous events, including the commemoration of Alfa Romeo's 80th anniversary in 1990. The car was painted in a pale yellow.
Towards the end of the 1990s, the SZ joined the collection of Gérald Bugnon, who drove it for a few years before embarking on a major restoration, wishing to integrate his SZ into his personal VHC team, il Biscione Corsa Romand. The work was entrusted to the Dante workshops, who built a new body for the SZ based on Zagato's plans. The original bodywork was retained and given to the buyer. The powertrain was completely revised and perfected, as were the running gear.
The car took part in a number of events before being redesigned for more regular and touring use.
It was a pivotal car in the history of Zagato, bringing innovations that would be carried over to the TZ.
Exceptional roadholding and a legendary design are just two of the reasons to buy this superb Alfa Romeo SZ.