Guide: Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Stradale Pininfarina P33 Roadster
Background
Within a few months of the Tipo 33 Stradale’s September 1967 launch, Alfa Romeo knew the model was not going to hit the 50-car homologation requirement for the Group 4 Sport category.
Rather than scrap their surplus naked chassis, the firm decided to commission a series of show-stopping design concepts from some of Italy’s top coachbuilders.
First to arrive was the Bertone Carabo on chassis 109. This seminal metallic green wedge was unveiled at the 1968 Paris Motor Show which took place from October 3rd to the 13th.
Less than three weeks later, another of Alfa Romeo’s long term partners, Pininfarina, took the wraps off their own Tipo 33 Stradale Speciale: the P33 Roadster.
Built on chassis 108 (delivered to Pininfarina in the spring of 1968), the P33 Roadster made its international motor show debut at Turin between October 30th and November 10th.
Bodywork
Designed by Paolo Martin, the soft white wedge successfully mixed flat surfaces with complex curves.
At the leading edge, a black rubber bumper would have appealed to road safety campaigners but the enormous downforce-inducing canards less so.
Like several Pininfarina show cars of the era, the half dozen headlights were centrally mounted under an etched perspex cover.
The P33 Roadster came with a wraparound Speedster-esque windscreen flanked by a tiny pair of butterfly doors.
Mounted amidships was the car’s most dramatic feature: an enormous orange basket-handle spoiler located directly above the engine.
Pininfarina kept the rear deck as flat as possible to merge neatly with the boxy truncated tail.
Interior
The two single-piece seats were upholstered in orange fabric to match the aerofoil.
Directly behind the space age four-spoke steering wheel was a 10,000rpm tachometer housed in its own projecting binnacle. Supplementary gauges were located far away at the leading edge of the windscreen.
Rubber mats were used instead of carpet (there was no roof of any kind).
Most of the interior surfaces were painted satin black.
Conversion to P33 Spider Speciale Cuneo
After its show career was over, Pininfarina removed the P33 Roadster’s bodywork and fitted a new design to chassis 108.
The resultant P33 Spider Speciale Cuneo was displayed at the Brussels Motor Show in January 1971.
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Alfa Romeo - https://www.alfaromeo.com
