--- title: "Alfa Romeo Giulia SWB Zagato Is a One-Off, 533-HP Tribute to 1990s Design" description: "The Alfa Romeo SWB Zagato is a one-off project with a design inspired by the classic Alfa Romeo SZ from the 1990s." date: "2022-12-20" modified: "2022-12-20" authors: - name: "Nico DeMattia" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/nico-demattia" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/alfa-romeo-giulia-swb-zagato-is-a-one-off-533-hp-tribute-to-1990s-design" categories: - "Alfa Romeo News" - "News" - "News by Brand" --- # Alfa Romeo Giulia SWB Zagato Is a One-Off, 533-HP Tribute to 1990s Design ![]() Alfa Romeo and Zagato are reviving a classic design from the early '90s, one whose quirky coolness makes it one of the Alfisti's most desired cars. It's called the[ Alfa Romeo ]()Giulia SWB Zagato, and it's inspired by the early '90s [Alfa Romeo SZ](). However, this time, they're only making one, which should be a crime. This one-off Alfa Romeo SWB (short wheelbase) [Zagato]() is a gorgeous throwback to one of the funkiest-looking cars of the '90s. To create it, Zagato took an Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio with a manual transmission, shortened its wheelbase from the rear, and gave it a completely unique carbon fiber body. Alfa Romeo's design chief, Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos, helped with the design, but Zagato produced and developed what you see here. ![]() ![]() ![]() The design is nearly perfect, too. The front end is clearly inspired by the classic wedge-like shape of the original SZ, but it's curvier and prettier. It borrows the SZ's triple headlights but utilizes the current Giulia's headlight style, and they're sunken into the front end, behind the hood line. There's no physical Alfa Romeo badge, either. Instead, the iconic man-eating snake is seen through the triangular Alfa Romeo grille. Out back, Zagato may have copied one of its other partner automakers, Aston Martin, as this new Alfa has almost the exact same taillight bar as Aston's DBX SUV. Inside, the cabin isn't that different from a standard Giulia Quadrifoglio, except for its special seats and green accents, which match the gorgeous exterior color. ![]() ![]() ![]() Zagato then threw out the standard Giulia Quadrifoglio engine and stuffed in an upgraded twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter V6 from the hardcore Giulia GTAm. That should bump up the power to 533 horsepower versus the normal Giulia Quadrifoglio's 503 horses. The GTAm normally only comes with an eight-speed automatic, so Zagato mated the motor especially to a six-speed manual. There's very little to dislike about this new Alfa Romeo SWB Zagato. It's a great looking, retro-styled sports coupe from one of the most iconic automotive design houses in history, and it packs a killer engine with a manual transmission and rear-wheel drive. The only downside is that Zagato is only making one and it's for a specific loyal German Alfa Romeo customer. It's always frustrating when a car company finally has the courage to build something special and unique but only makes one. Almost no one will see this new Zagato in the light of day, which is a shame because, with a design like that, it should be something that's celebrated by car fans all over the world. ![]() ![]() ![]() *Got tips? Send 'em over to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Nico is a writer and reviewer from New Jersey who probably thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is. His love of cars began when he was just a kid playing Gran Turismo 3, grinding out enough race wins with a Mazda Miata to save up for an in-game RUF 911. That passion for small, lightweight sports cars drove his desire to learn more about the industry, get his hands on as many cars as he could, and bring those experiences to life on the page. He cut his teeth writing about BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, mostly, and has owned far too many of each. He’s on his fourth 3 Series sedan, but all of his old, cheap German cars have forced him to learn more about car maintenance than his mechanical capability can handle. Too many late nights have been spent scrambling to get a car running by morning so he could get to work. For some reason, he never seems to learn that old Bimmers probably aren’t the best daily drivers. But he loves more than just old German cars. He’ll gladly drive and discuss anything with four (or even three) wheels. Cars aren’t his only passions, though. Nico is also a big nerd and loves movies, video games, comic books, and cares far too much about the New York Giants. So don’t be surprised if you see football references or dumb, obscure movie quotes in any of his car reviews. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()