At this weekend's Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este Zagato revealed its 'gift' for Alfa Romeo's 100th anniversary; Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa. As the name suggests the all-new machine was very much inspired by the TZ racing cars built in collaboration by Alfa Romeo, its racing department Autodelta and Zagato. The new TZ3 has also been constructed as a full fledged competition car and comes equipped with only the bare necessities. Among them is a 420 bhp version of the Maserati/Alfa Romeo V8 engine and a beautifully crafted aluminium body. The exterior design is very much a continuation of the classic Zagato Alfa Romeos but still remains very modern. Commissioned by a German enthusiast with a sizeable Alfa Romeo / Zagato collection, the TZ3 will most likely remain a one-off. The new owner has no intention of racing the car at the highest level but instead plans to use it for more leisurely track-days.
While we were chasing racing cars through France for the Tour Auto (much more about that in a later update) and jet-setting in Villa d'Este, the majority of the motoring press was found in China for the annual Beijing Motor Show. That the quickly expanding Chinese market has unique demands was underlined by several concept cars revealed by European manufacturers. Most illustrative is the Citroen Metropolis, which features an unusually long wheelbase. It could very well be a design exercise for a new exclusive model for China.
German rivals Mercedes-Benz and BMW were once again hard at work creating new niche markets. The giants from Stuttgart showed this Shooting Break Concept, which should be placed somewhere between a sedan and a proper estate. It takes no math-wizard to see that Mercedes' interpretation of a Shooting Break has two too many doors. BMW on the other hand displayed this Concept Gran Coupe; a mix of a sedan and a coupe. The car boasts a new, more subtle design language and BMW enthusiasts will welcome the return of the famous 'Hofmeister kink'.
Ford addressed the other end of the spectrum with the tiny Start Concept. Powered by a 1-litre engine, it promises to be both frugal and affordable if it ever hits the market.
Enjoy the links:
2010 Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa - Images, Specifications and Information
2010 BMW Concept Gran Coupé - Images, Specifications and Information
2010 Citroën Metropolis Concept - Images, Specifications and Information
2010 Ford Start Concept - Images, Specifications and Information
2010 Mercedes-Benz Shooting Break Concept - Images, Specifications and Information
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