Automotive Artisans R33 Stradale: a blast from the past
Worcestershire company’s tribute to Alfa’s beautiful 1968 sports car
Ferrari/Maserati F136 M139 90-degree V8 gives a little under 380bhp
Car of the month – Automotive Artisans R33 stradale
Goodness gracious…
Pretty, isn’t it? This is the R33 by Automotive Artisans, a beautiful tribute to the 1968 Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Stradale, one of the great beauties of motoring.
Wasn’t that a racing car?
Sure was. The Tipo 33 formed the basis of Alfa Romeo and factory team Autodelta’s sporting ambitions from 1967 to 1977, and appeared in a whole host of shapes
and sizes, with its prototype versions helping Alfa conquer the world in both 1975 (33TT12) and 1977 (33SC12). Alfa also produced a small batch of road-going Stradale versions, 18 to be exact, and at the time it was the most expensive car model you could buy – at £7000 on its launch in 1968, which is equivalent to £160,000 in modern money.
No ABS, traction control or power steering – “built for purists”, says its maker
What’s the story with this?
The project came about through a single enthusiast at first, David Hutchinson, who set out to recreate the 33 Stradale alongside a company called PPW (Pristine Panel Work). It went so well the decision was taken to build a total of 33 of them under the banner Automotive Artisans, in Worcester. It’s a faithful recreation too, with a steel chassis, beautifully hand-formed aluminium bodywork and a Ferrari-developed Maserati 4.2-litre V8 engine at its heart – the last naturally aspirated V8 to be used by Maranello. Add in a beautiful tan leather interior and butterfly doors and we’re totally sold.
Aluminium bodywork on a steel chassis – with butterfly doors
It’s not electric then?
Not even a tad. Alongside that 376bhp 90-degree V8 (breathing through throttle bodies in gloriously honest retro fashion) there’s a manual six-speed gated transmission. There’s Gaz suspension and unassisted Wilwood brakes, no power steering and no traction control, so it’s a fully analogue thing.
That’s not an Alfa badge
That’s a clever addition from Automotive Artisans featuring the black pears from the flag of Worcester alongside a castle evoking Broadway Tower in the Cotswolds, both nods to the car’s regional upbringing.
How do I get one?
You’ll have to get in line with 32 other people and be ready to hand over around £540,000, but that’s still a snip compared with the £10m+ for an original.