Guide: Alfa Romeo TZ2 Bertone Cangur
Background
In mid 1964, Alfa Romeo commissioned their official motor sport partner, Autodelta, to develop a replacement for the enormously successful Tubolare Zagato (TZ).
Like its predecessor, the new TZ2 was based upon a special lightweight chassis equipped with all the latest racing technology to include fully adjustable suspension.
At the TZ2’s heart was an all-alloy 1570cc dual overhead camshaft inline four cylinder engine. Each power unit was prepared by Virgilio Conrero’s famed Autotecnica Conrero speed shop in Turin.
Now dry-sumped and fitted with hot camshafts, larger valves, magnesium casings and a twin plug head from the GTA, these units produced an astonishing 170bhp at 7500rpm.
The TZ2s were cloaked in lightweight fibreglass bodies designed by Zagato. At 620kg, they were good for around 160mph.
13 TZ2s were built. The first, chassis 101, was a special commission from Alfa Romeo to assess the feasibility of a road-going version. Bertone were handed the task of designing a body for the new car which was subsequently unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in October 1964.
Bertone’s creation, the Canguro, was one of two special order TZ2s. The other (built on chassis 114) received coachwork by Pininfarina. This later example was subsequently displayed at the Turin Motor Show in November 1965.
Bodywork
The Canguro was created by Bertone’s young design chief, Giorgetto Giugiaro.
Giugiaro was arguably the most influential automotive stylist of the 20th century and he came up with an extraordinarily curvaceous design for the low slung Alfa.
Covered headlights, a panoramic rear windscreen and doors that cut into the roofline were among the most striking details. Such was the curvature of the side glass that only the quarterlights could be opened. To assist with cockpit ventilation, a Quadrifoglio-shaped opening was housed on each sail panel.
Aside from a bank of seven vertically stacked vents cut from each flank, barely any straight lines were to be found on the fluid aluminium shell. A few years later, these distinctive engine cooling vents were copied for the Alfa Romeo Montreal.
Unlike TZ2 competition cars, which came with GTA-style wheels, the Canguro was originally fitted with Campagnolo’s off-the-shelf magnesium rims. These were of a 13-inch diameter and shod with Dunlop tyres.
Body panels were fabricated entirely from aluminium but production versions would almost certainly have been manufactured from fibreglass.
Interior
Inside, a new dash was installed that, like the racing version, positioned the speedometer in a separate binnacle ahead of the passenger.
Bucket seats were channelled below the floorpan to help accommodate tall drivers. The bolsters were upholstered in black vinyl and the perforated centres were woven cloth.
Black vinyl was also used to trim the dash, transmission tunnel, sills and ribbed door panels.
There was no carpet, only a rubber mat in each footwell.
CHASSIS
The TZ2 was based around a custom tubular steel spaceframe fabricated by aviation company SAI Ambrosini in Perugia. The wheelbase was 2200mm (the same as the first generation TZ), but for this latest application the suspension mounting points were moved downwards along with the steering column.
Suspension was fully independent all round with double wishbones per side up front. Out back was a lower wishbone with the driveshaft acting as the upper link and track control taken care of by the radius rod. Coil springs were fitted at both ends along with an anti-roll bar. Everything was fully adjustable.
The brake system comprised a twin-circuit four-wheel disc set-up with 283.5mm diameter rotors up front and 291.1mm items at the rear (the latter mounted inboard, next to the differential).
Dished twelve-hole Campagnolo magnesium alloy wheels were unique to the TZ2 (6 x 13-inches front, 7 x 13 rear).
Mounted behind the rear axle underneath the spare wheel was a long-range 100-litre fuel tank.
ENGINE / TRANSMISSION
In the TZ2’s engine bay was the latest evolution of Alfa Romeo’s legendary all-alloy dual overhead camshaft inline ‘four’ designed by Giuseppe Busso.
Bore and stroke dimensions of 78mm and 82mm gave an overall displacement of 1570cc. A brace of sidedraught Weber 45 DCOE twin choke carburettors were installed and the engine was canted to the right to facilitate the lowest possible hood profile.
The TZ2 set-up differed from the original TZ arrangement on account of a new dry-sump lubrication system and twin plug head. Bigger valves and uprated camshafts were also fitted and magnesium was now used for the likes of the cam cover, sump, timing cover and bellhousing
With a compression ratio of 11.4:1, peak output was 170bhp at 7500rpm.
Each TZ2 motor was meticulously prepared at the legendary Autotecnica Conrero speed shop in Torino
Transmission was through a single dry-plate clutch, five-speed gearbox and limited-slip differential
WEIGHT / PERFORMANCE
With its fibreglass body and bare bones interior, a competition spec. TZ2 tipped the scales at 620kg. As Bertone used an aluminium body for chassis 101, it likely came in around the 670kg mark.
Top speed was probably in the region of 150mph and going from 0-62mph would have required about six seconds.
Developments
After it was unveiled on the Bertone stand in Paris, the Canguro was handed over to Alfa Romeo in December of 1964.
Unfortunately, the firm chose not to go ahead with a production version as the TZ2 was considered too competition-focused to make a saleable street car.
Text copyright: Supercar Nostalgia
Photo copyright: Alfa Romeo - https://www.alfaromeo.com
