The Alfa Romeo 75 is remembered as the last rear-wheel drive sedan to be produced by the Milanese brand. Yet, its claim to glory is much bigger than that as the 75 underpinned one the most bizarre Alfa Romeos to date: the SZ. Initially presented as a Zagato concept at the 1987 Geneva Motor Show, the ES30 (Experimental Sports 3.0-liter), as was its internal designation, debuted in production form at the same show two years later as the SZ, which stands for Sports Zagato.
And it caused quite a commotion, thanks to its angular styling and angry looks. Some 25 years later, the SZ's exterior styling is still divisive, but nevertheless, it does stand out from the crowd… It was available in one trim level in a red color with a dark-grey roof and tan leather interior – save for one example finished in black that was built exclusively for Andrea Zagato himself.
Hiding under its bonnet is a 3.0-liter, 210HP V6 that transfers power to the rear wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox. According to Alfa, the SZ accelerated from 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in 6.9 seconds, reached a top speed of 153 mph (246 km/h) and recorded a 1.01 g lateral acceleration figure on the skidpad - quite impressive figures at the time.
In 1992, Alfa introduced an open-top variant named the RZ, which remained in production until 1993 when both models were axed after approximately 1,000 units were built.
One low-mileage example of the SZ coupe was sold on Wednesday, October 26, by RM Auctions in London for £20,720 (US$33,413). It's a 1990 model first registered in 1996 with only three previous owners, the second one being a Middle Eastern man who kept it in Knightsbridge, England from 1998 until 2007.
The next owner covered a mere 4,000 miles with the odometer now reading just 22,400 miles (36,020 km). Prior to its sale, the SZ was restored to restored to as-new with all mechanical work done by WAD Wolverhampton.
