The Amazing Story Of The Spectacular Alfa Romeo 33 Dream Cars

The gorgeous Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale from 1967 is rightfully considered among the most beautiful and desirable automobiles ever produced.
Yet, despite the model's legendary status today, just 13 examples were ultimately constructed between 1967 and 1969, including two prototypes. Finding itself sitting on five more unused 33 Stradale chassis, Alfa Romeo lent them to Italy's most preeminent design houses of the day to be transformed into spectacular motor show prototypes.
The 33's low-slung, race-bred mid-engine chassis provided an ideal platform for advanced design experiments: some of these creations would end up having a lasting impact on the evolution of car design, while others were soon forgotten once the motor show's spotlights switched off. Here's their story. #alfaromeo #history #classiccars #cardesign
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Lancia Gamma Berlina & Coupé 1976 - 1984
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Six Appeal - The Story Of The Alfa 6
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Alfa Romeo Alfa 6 - La Storia 1979-1987 (ITALIAN)
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Alfa Romeo Giulietta - The Story 1977 - 1985
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[@BanjoLuke1]

The Carabo was sold as a toy car in the early 70s in the UK, made under the brand name "Matchbox". I had one. Almost all boys my age had one. I had no idea at the time that such a thing had been built full-sized. Another excellent glimpse at the dreams of designers that were turned to metal. Thank you.

[@Matteo_Licata]

I’ve owned a Matchbox Carabo myself, too! Loved those as a child, even more than the French Majorettes, which were more common though here in Italy. Glad you enjoyed the vid!

[@anthonypetty9288]

I still have mine.😉

[@studiocalder818]

I still have the Mebetoys 1:43 one that my classroom mates gave me as a birthday present at elementary school

[@alastairwatson3201]

Yes, I’m one of those boys who owned a Matchbox Carabo! If only I could find it now!

[@paullacey2999]

Yes it was a weird purple and yellow colour scheme.I had it too!

[@elioboezio7107]

I saw most of those cars when I visited the Alfa museum in 2004 - but to see the 33 Coupé Speciale "in the flesh" was an almost religious experience for me. It really is achingly beautiful!

[@DanielCurti]

Happened the same to me.

[@Stratoszero]

My experience too.

[@chrisfreemesser5707]

I was sitting at my desk watching this video and my wife (not really a car person) walks by and stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the Carabo and asked what it was. That speaks volumes for how stunning the Carabo's design is. And the rear end design of that 33 Coupe Speciale could be the most handsome I've ever seen...definitely wouldn't mind getting passed by that! 🙂

[@Matteo_Licata]

The Carabo really is an all-time masterpiece, and I’m glad they placed it in the museum with plenty of space around and good lighting, which allows it to really shine.

[@torresalex]

Proper DREAM cars! Utterly amazing

[@deepakhazareesingh44]

I was gifted a Matchbox model of the Alfa Carabo on my eighth birthday (1971!!!) and that marked my first encounter with the Milanese marque, and the rest, as we say, is history..

[@romanpaladino]

That 33 Coupé Speciale is just gorgeous! It looks like something right out of the old Speed Racer anime series. This should've gone to production.

[@tiagobelo4965]

in my opinion the alfa romeo 33 series wasn't just a stepping stone in the history of the automobile, it was a muse that sang a beautiful end, and the song of new begginings, something that perfected the past and initiated the future. As Alfa itself describes it, "Necessary Beauty", an elegance truly essential to the evolution of the car as a concept and object of desire.

[@Matteo_Licata]

I couldn’t have put that better myself, well said 👍

[@nrs6956]

Many unique and some gorgeous autos. Thank you. Viva Alfa Romeo.

[@studiocalder818]

The standard Alfa 33 (standard 😊) is a wonderful last example of an era, but we have to admit that the prototypes it generated are more interesting, because they looked to the future and they conditioned it

[@tiagobelo4965]

the 33 chassis allowed for the beggining of the future, and the perfect closing of the era. the stradalle prototype is the most beautiful car ever made in the eyes of many (myself absolutely included), was the magnificent end to the automotive design crescendo of the 1960s, absolute elegance and undeniable beauty. the carabo and cuneo were blueprints of the future, a starting point (well, maybe launching ramp would be more appropriate given their shape) of the designs that would stun the world and become the norm until the 1990s. like another commenter here said, few chassis had such small production numbers and large effects on the car industry at large.

[@studiocalder818]

Grazie Alfa. Also for having lovingly preserved them. I believe that no other model in the world, made in such a small series as the 33 Stradale, it gave rise to many models of coachbuilders and greatly influenced automotive design. And what an incomparable meaning between the production of the coachbuilders of that time and that of today.

[@Matteo_Licata]

Yes, The 33 may well be unique in its influence over car design, through these fantastic prototypes made on its underpinnings. The Carabo especially was a true game changer

[@gearhead9828]

The Coupé Speciale is just stunning. You can almost see a bit Ferrari Dino in it. Typical Pininfarina I guess. Thank you so much for another great video. Ciao 🙋‍♂️

[@Matteo_Licata]

Well, Fioravanti also had a hand on the Dino, so it’s perhaps natural the two cars have a certain similarity. Thank you for watching!

[@grant9301]

I remember the purple and yellow Matchbox one i had as a kid in the early 70's (and i still have it). Along with a beautiful limited edition 1/18 scale one in resin that looks exactly like the one in the Alfa collection i brought a year or two ago. Still the best looking of all the "Wedges" that followed. Enjoyed the video too well done!

[@Matteo_Licata]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it!

[@niklasstrand9010]

Amazing stuff, many thanks for doing this! I have met several of these cars irl and the Carabo is truly out of this world! from another Planet ...and the yellow 33 Coupe Speciale is surprisingly small - racecar!

[@Matteo_Licata]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it! Yes, all these cars are pretty small… So small in fact, that I doubt most people would actually fit inside

[@stephenswift9868]

The Carabo is spectacular! Both the shape and that shade of green. I also think the Coupe Speciale is very nice also and looks great in that light yellow. A pity it was never produced.

[@user-fb9os7hy2y]

Between them the 33 specials feature just about every interesting line on any of the production super cars to appear in the following two decades.. amazing project.

[@martinclapton2724]

I remember seeing all these cars in motoring books and magazines in my teenage years in the 1970s . I must admit the 1st edition of the P33 roadster with the larger wing on the back was very reminiscent of the prototype Fiat X19 was was styled and originally intended for Autobianci . That of course was styled by Bertone, so I was even more surprised it was Pinnifarina that styled the P33 although similarities remain.

[@Matteo_Licata]

During the late 60s Gandini’s best work put Nuccio Bertone’s firm well ahead of Pininfarina in terms of design innovation, and it seems Pininfarina was kind of scrambling to catch up… With mixed results, shall we say.

[@marchutchings8834]

Hi and kindest regards. I love the Iguana. The metalic paint reminds me of the American tv show Lost In Space as it had glitter paint all over the place. This car looks very much to me like a Lamborghini Urracco! What a beautiful car. Imagine if they manufactured it. Kindest regards Marc Sydney Australia

[@Matteo_Licata]

Thank you! Cheers from Italy!

[@Suprahampton]

Like most people, my favourite is the Coupe Speciale, that pale yellow, those seductive curves. I would be comfortable in saying that it's even better looking than the Stradale

[@rabit818]

I had a purple Matchbox Carabo when I was a kid. The Carabo simply nailed it

[@Stratoszero]

Years ago when the museum was closed and the collection was on the point of being disbanded I joined with others in petitioning the Arese authorities to intervene. Eventually visiting the new building was a religious experience, seeing cars I had olny dreamed of in books like the Carabo and P33 Speciale. Sadly many of the cars I would like to have seen like the Navajo and Proteo were in storage. I cant wait to go back and do the "vault "tour. PS the Iguana, while not being terribly attractive, inspired many details on subsequent cars, the Maserati Bora/Merak being obvious but take a look at the greenhouse of the Lotus Elite/Eclat for the same brushed stainless framing. Agree that metalflake belongs on beach buggies, if you recall the Miura Spyder was also painted that way against Gandini's wishes.

[@Matteo_Licata]

Yours and many other enthusiasts' work truly helped save the museum, as it spurred the Italian government to declare it an item of national cultural interest, which made it legally impossible to sell off the collection piecemeal and/or export it. Well done!

[@Stratoszero]

@@Matteo_Licata After the factory closed and the collection was trapped in the abandoned site, I emailed the Arese authorities asking why someone like me as a foreign tourist would ever vist Arese without the return of the museum? 😆 A little bit rude perhaps but the truth.

[@joneveritt1898]

Superb video, I think the iguana has aged well, personally I love it and the carribo of course.

[@Matteo_Licata]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it!

[@patrickhenz996]

For me, the world's most beautiful car museum. Just see the Carabo's wedge design which you may see today again in Formula E cars.

[@benzinapaul7416]

Great film as always....am I the only one who sees hints of the Iguana in the Ferrari SF90s rear three quarters? I remember going to the old Museo in the late 1980s and all these Tipo 33 variants were on show.

[@Matteo_Licata]

Thank you! I visited the museum in its old form twice myself, the last time in 2007… Which was pretty sad, given Arese was all but abandoned by then, giving off a sense of decay.

[@jordiperez2519]

Absolutely truth : I LOVE this videos, I love your work ....... and I love the wedge lines

[@Matteo_Licata]

I’m glad you appreciate so much my work, thank you!!!!

[@paullacey2999]

The 33 Coupe Speciale could be launched today its that beautiful!

[@Matteo_Licata]

It is very pretty indeed. With all that glass, it'd better come with air conditioning though :)

[@dough740]

You can see so many cars influenced by the Carabao - Countach, DeLorean, Lotus. I don't like to criticise Pininfarina, but the Cuneo is a challenge. I rather like the Iguana (but I also like the looks of the Pantera).

[@MicrobyteAlan]

Very interesting and well presented. Excellent videos of these beautiful cars. Thank you.

[@Matteo_Licata]

Thank you, glad you appreciated it!

[@gaetanoflorio6277]

Im so glad I saw all these wonderful models on display last year at Arese. I'm only disappointed we didn't het to catch up when I was there. Maybe another time, Matteo. Thank you again for the fantastic ppsts. Keep them coming. Saluti dall'Australia 🇬🇸 👋

[@lynnhooley7608]

Thank you Matteo

[@Matteo_Licata]

Thank you for watching!

[@dipling.pitzler7650]

Totally agree with the Iguana critique, but it seemed to have inspired the front design of 70ies Maserati models and the taillight assembly of the AR sprint .PS: I wonder what my all time favorite Carabo would look like if painted in a now technically possible iridescence green and golden colour inspired by the Carabus beetle. I further wonder what came first the Ferrari Dino with the typical oval side intake or the AR Coupe Speciale (possibly the Dino) The Coupe S obviously also used the windshield of the Stradale for best effect.

[@kelemenkaban2505]

Navajo - Straight out of a Schwarzenegger sci-fi (most probably from Total Recall)...

[@Matteo_Licata]

Yes, that’s the kind of movie I tend to associate it, too!

[@tamasszabo8824]

The Navajo reminds me of the Italdesign Aztec a little bit. Great content Matteo!

[@Matteo_Licata]

Thank you! :)

[@alastairwatson3201]

I generally agree with most things that you say, Matteo, but on this occasion I can’t back your opinion regarding the Iguana! It’s simply magnificent! There’s a also bit of Maserati Bora and Merak in its design, which should surprise no one seeing that they were both penned by GG.

[@Matteo_Licata]

Fair enough! Aesthetics is subjective, after all. But there's indeed a lot of the Bora and Merak into the Iguana, on which Giugiaro was surely already working at the time.

[@davidpeters6536]

Another cracking video, thanks.

[@Matteo_Licata]

Glad you enjoyed it, thank you!

[@joseantonioarandagarcia9966]

Very interesting video, Matteo! I like all of them but I've a soft spot for the 33/2 Coupé Speciale, one of the most beautifull cars ever IMHO. I've also liked the Navajo, maybe because my industrial designer background...

[@Matteo_Licata]

Glad you enjoyed it! In my view, there's not so much wrong about the Navajo, but it does lack finesse in the execution. The surfaces all lack that little bit of crowning that would make them look less flat and unforgiving.

[@joseantonioarandagarcia9966]

@@Matteo_Licata Never saw in the flesh the Navajo, but I think I understand what you mean.

[@william-131]

Very interesting video as always. Grazie Mille! Two cars I would very much like to see in a video are the Alfa Romeo Canguro and the Lancia Aurelia B20 da Corsa. Ciao!

[@Matteo_Licata]

Thank you! I’d love to do a Canguro video, but that’s unlikely, because the car is in a collection in Japan, so the chances of filming it are slim.

[@cancracker]

Going by the looks, it's too bad the Coupe Speciale wasn't put into production.

[@zedrahman8172]

Lovely video Roadster Lift. Alfa was always way ahead of its time - these designs all look like they're straight from Blade Runner / Cyberpunk (patched version!)

[@Matteo_Licata]

Thank you! 👍

[@vintageman91]

Cupe speciale and Carabo looks the best apart from the original 33 stradale.

[@Stratoszero]

I wonder if the first Pinifarina Roadster body still exists? It was not the best design on the chassis but I still think it was more of a success than the Cuneo with its amateur looking roll bar. There was a n article once that stated Lorenzo Ramaciotti was such a fan of the P5 he went looking in the factory for the "lost" bodyshell (before it was deduced it had been modified into the 33 Speciale). I am sure the article said he never found the P5 but did find the body of the P33 Roadster.....I wonder if it is still lying undicovered. Its like the hunt for the "missing" original Countach LP500, it is not exactly archaology! Someone who worked there 50 years ago must rmember what happened.

[@Matteo_Licata]

I wasn't aware that the P33 Roadster body panels still existed years after the car was transformed into the "Cuneo." I'll investigate into that!

[@JK061996]

Did you do a similar video back in January 2022? I remember commenting about the Carabo and the 33 Speciale

[@Matteo_Licata]

You have good memory, that’s for sure. Yes, this is a new take on the same subject, done a bit better to do it justice. Nobody was watching the old one anyways, so I deleted it and this replaces it.

[@JK061996]

@@Matteo_Licata thanks!

[@istvanburuzs9843]

Iguana reminds me very strong to DeTomaso Pantera. Is there any connection between these two?

[@Matteo_Licata]

Not really, except the similar technical layout and having been styled in Turin roughly in the same period. The Pantera was styled by Tom Tjaarda, and it’s perhaps his masterpiece.

[@ValdezJu]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@Pat_RickX]

Say Carabo...and say " 1968 "...and get flashed.

[@DavidM-mb1vx]

The Iguana is very nice. That Carabo though? Not so much. The coupe speciale is very beautiful. I hope to be in Italy this coming summer and to make a stop at the museo

[@Matteo_Licata]

It’s well worth a visit, indeed!