I love these history lessons on Alfa Romeo's past...so many beautiful cars! In regards to modern design needing to look forwards instead of backwards I would disagree. Seems to me that in the past car designers were much better at getting the styling of a car "just right" while today most cars seem a hodge podge of arbitrary creases and design cues that results in a mess of a car (the BMW XM being a prime example). If a modern designer can take inspiration from the past to make their designs more cohesive and attractive, it's a win for all of us

I have a soft spot for all Zagato Alfas! Not my favorite one, but nonetheless very beautiful and desirable! No surprise Gordon Murray, had one special made for him!

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

Wow, Gordon Murray's Zagato is an awesome build: tastefully modified in every detail, yet retaining the "soul" of the original.

Thank you Matteo for another amazing video. So I read the comments while waiting on all the advertising, with the volume down. I'm not wasting my time and you get all your money. Win, Win

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much for your appreciation and for bearing with the advertising instead of skipping it: it really does help, and I do the same for the Creators I follow :)

Looks as if they based the later GTV and Alfasud Sprint styling on this. Most Zagato styled cars leave me cold, but this is lovely.

You are so right, many brands use some old designs as a starting point, however cars changed allot and this mainly produces some funny looking car wannabes as regulations are much different now and do not allow for old designs. Alfa should not look at their past too much, Alfisti are maybe nostalgic but regular buyers need new technologies and modern cars. This is why I find problematic the new management's decision not to build cars with big touch screens, no matter I personally find this positive, regular humans do want their cars to resemble their phones, unfortunately I would add.

Such a unique desing! Thanks for this interesting history lesson. Ciao 🙋‍♂️

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you! Cheers!

Definitely one of my all time favourite cars. I saw one in 1974 near Hampton Court Palace and instantly fell in love with it.

Quite simply a beautiful little car. Viva Alfas Romeo

The most interestinf story about the junior Zagato is that it served as the inspiration to the Honda CRX. His designer owed a Zagato Junior.

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

Yes indeed! Who was the designer, by the way?

@AspectRatioPolice

2 жыл бұрын

@@Matteo_Licata I only see The ZJ was the inspiration for the CRX, and one of the designers owed one, Honda called it a "team effort"

Grazie mille, Matteo.

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

Grazie a te!

One of those designs wich looks even better at live. Capolavoro!! 👍

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

I agree!!

I saw the 1300 junior zagato for the first time when visiting the Alfa Romeo museum in 2018 on a Italian road trip . It is a beautiful thing to behold - amazing especially compared to other vehicle from the same era.. it was 20 years ahead of it's time.

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

Yes indeed! Please allow me to clarify one detail though: the green Zagato on display at the Arese museum is a 1600, not a 1300.

@richardholland7653

2 жыл бұрын

@@Matteo_Licata yes you are right! My mistake. :)

This is the first time that I hear about this model and I loved it!

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you discovered it through my video!

Another very interesting story of a quite rare model.

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it, thank you!

Spectacular car! Had the pleasure to service one in Pompei Giallo last week

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

Wow, that's cool! Was it a good example?

@agislycoudis4139

2 жыл бұрын

@@Matteo_Licata i dont want to brag, but it was the best i've seen yet. The owner took really good care of it!

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

@@agislycoudis4139 Cool! That must have been amazing

Another interesting back ground story to a rare model. Obviously , with the chassis/ floor pan in one factory , body assembly in another , then paint in yet another , made it an expensive process for what was an already limited production model . Interesting features , the aero dynamic lip on rear end , and cut out to allow Lh front wiper access besides the more obvious details . Seating restricted in rear due to shorter wheelbase than Bertone coupe though. Interesting vid , Matteo once again, thanks , Martin

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you! Yes, the Zagato was a strict two seater, nothing but luggage could really go behind the front seats.

Wonderful car!

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

It sure is!

This is a stunning car in the metal. The glasshouse seems at first to be too large for the size of the cabin, but it isn't. It is just right. I prefer the similar Lancia Fulvia Sport Zagato.... But both are jewels of their time. This is a visually arresting design and it looks so very light. Good video. Good story. Thank you.

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

The Fulvia Zagato is arguably prettier, and that's probably why it sold much better (7000 cars approx.) than the Junior Zagato, which is much more racy and uncompromising. I love its modernity and its dart-like dynamism

I must say I really enjoy your Alfa history detailing. I personally drive a twin spark 147, but am very interested in everything related to this brand.

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

I appreciate that, thank you!!!

I had a 1300 JZ with a 1750 Injection engine way back when. In those days there was an Alfa garage near where I was working in Holland and they did the transformation for me. Driving it was wonderful and then some! The chassis number was 0254. Last I heard, it was rusting away somewhere in Europe.

@Disques13Swing

Жыл бұрын

And before that 1300JZ, I had...wait for it...an ultra rare 2600 SZ!!!!!!! Wish I still had them both these days

Great video, the 1960's was such an innovative time for car design.

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

Couldn't agree more! Thank you!

What a little gem ❤️ It does indeed make the Giulia coupé look like a much older car. Thanks Matteo for another fascinating video. The story of the production process is hilarious. They were different times! Until the next one, ciao mi amici 👍

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

My pleasure! Glad you enjoyed it, cheers from Turin!

This is one of my favourite Alfas as well. The short rear overhang and long front overhang make it look like a FWD car. Giaguaro clearly took inspiration from it for the Alfasud Sprint.

This is a first - again, I've never heard of or seen this model (my limited exposure to this wonderful automaker is due to living in America and the small range of models sold here) I love the fastback shape, the airy, light greenhouse and the remarkable nose treatment - fantastic!

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

Well, one could argue that Americans only got the best Alfas, after all: the Spiders, and then only the top-range, better-equipped sedans. For example, the equipment that Milanos had was a world away from the average Italian-spec Alfa 75!

This is a beautiful car that I had never heard of before this video. The basic shape reminds me of a Saab Sonnet but is far more elegantly executed. I really enjoy your channel and the opportunity to learn more about the history of Alfa Romeo and other Italian automotive builders

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!!! Yes, the Saab Sonett does have a similar shape. I like that car, but here in Italy those are very rare, I’ve hardly ever seen one.

Another very interesting video on another rare Alfa that many of us know nothing about. Gratzie…

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it, thank you!!!

4:09 😍 This could have been a world wide best seller in the post-oil crisis world, if Alfa Romeo would have tooled up their factory for this model and produced it at a more reasonable price.

70’s into 80’s I had Lancias including a 1.6 Fulvia Zagato. I was aware of the Alfa Zagato and almost bought one. There was an Italian guy in the UK who was very knowledgeable and helpful about these cars and I did ask him some questions on the phone. Stupidly I stayed with Lancia and missed out on owning one of these spectacular cars. The design still makes me drool and I know I really should’ve owned one. I expect prices these days are super high. Great video, gratzie, ciao.

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you! The Italian magazine Ruoteclassiche puts Junior Zagato prices between 48.000 and 55.000 Euros... Which is not that high, considering how much the Bertone GTs have appreciated over the last decade.

as a Citroenthusiaste, I strongly approve of any such car that has a long nose/short tail, and additionally looks beautiful

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

I understand ;) By the way, I hope to film more classic Citroens this year: I'm currently waiting for a GS owner to tell me if his car is ready :)

I have something of a fondness for reading prices in the old lire. As a kid from the US visiting family in Austria in the early 90's I remember crossing the border into South Tyrol for a leg of the trip and needing a new toothbrush. When my grand aunt relayed the price to my grandmother I sort of froze as a 10 year old with no familiarity with exchange rates I only knew that L 6,000 sounded like a slightly used car in dollars. L 2,350,000 for a new car would have made me run for the border. Lol

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

Italy experienced double-digit inflation during the 1970s, so by the 1990s we become used to prices of several million and more! During the Lira's last years, the smallest banknote was 1000 Lire, just to give you an example. By then, the cheapest new cars hovered around the 10 Million Lire mark :)

@akr01364

2 жыл бұрын

@@Matteo_Licata the 70s sort of left negative mark on everyone outside West Germany. (looks out window towards a neighbor's garage with a '77 Ford Thunderboat in it)

Beautiful car , could only be italian!

superb channel , fantastic work you will leave for history

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

Wow, thank you very much! I'm so glad you like my videos so much!

The JR Zagato is an amazing looking car. The short rear “chopped” over hang shouldn’t work but it did with this Alfa. Another feature that amazes me is how thin the a, b and c pillars are. Is this even possible? It looks light and airy inside despite the size. I could just imagine what this car looks like speeding on the highway.

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

Well, back then roof pillars could be thin because crash safety simply wasn't a concern. Unfortunately, the thick, obtrusive pillars of today's cars are needed to maintain the survival space in case of a crash.

@delahayenator

2 жыл бұрын

@Emmanuel: From the days of active safety: Just dont roll it 😁

@TheInstructor66

2 жыл бұрын

Actually todays carcabins can survive a crash, while the human body can not. We have not change as rapid as our cars. I read that the A-pillars now are at is max, so next will be screens inside them and cameras outside. Like its pillarless. Indeed the Zagato have thin pillars. Even comparing to my Gt Junior. Great video as allways, Matteo. 👌

Such a brilliant little car. I’ve promised not to buy anymore Alfa projects until my current collection is all finished, but if I come across one of these for a reasonable price I may have to get it.

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

To your knowledge, have any Zagatos been sold in South Africa? I'm curious now! By the way, I'd love to own a 1300 Junior Z... But it's unlikely, given good ones go for at least 50k Euros, with many vendors asking significantly more.

@JethroBronner

2 жыл бұрын

@@Matteo_Licata I’ve never seen any here, not even at the big Alfa events. I’ve also never seen a Sprint GTC, but I know there must be a few around. Maybe there’s a one or two Junior Zs hidden away.

Grazie Matteo!

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

Grazie a te!!!

1:07-1:15...Beautiful styling.😎😎😎Excellent video.

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

Fantastic video, Matteo!

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

Cars would had been boring without Alfa Romeo.

@studiocalder818

2 жыл бұрын

👍🏼👍🏼😃

What would you consider as a good example of forward looking auto design today? I really enjoy your channel and being Italian/American myself (not Norwegian) I am really learning a lot about Italian industry and design on this channel. Thank you!

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much! I'm not seeing much aesthetic innovation lately, but I can tell you which are the brands that are doing it "right" to my eyes and taste. Volvo has been doing a great job throughout its range, for example. I like the Peugeot 208 and love the 508, and in general the latest Peugeot interiors. I like the Lexus LC500 coupé a lot, and that's perhaps the most "progressive" we've seen lately. The latest electric Hyundai hatch is very interesting too

My favorite to.

Il designer della Honda CRX aveva una Junior Z e infatti si vede che la piccola coupé giapponese era praticamente una copia carbone della creatura di Zagato. Di questa vettura mi stupisce la pulizia di linee che ha superato benissimo la prova del tempo, ma la parte più affascinante è il suo cockpit.

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

Vero, la CRX era proprio ispirata alla Junior Z! Il "coraggio della semplicità" era uno degli ingredienti del miglior design Italiano... Ma è una cosa che sembra un po' dimenticata ultimamente.

@studiocalder818

2 жыл бұрын

@@Matteo_Licata I agree with you. On the other hand, it is in the nature of things: when you are close to perfection you try to go further, then from the Renaissance you go to Mannerism, then to the Baroque, and then

@rustybearden1800

2 жыл бұрын

My thoughts exactly - an italian CRX!

The plexiglass front end seems to have inspired the 2005 European Honda Civic.

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

It's believed Honda took inspiration from the Zagato for the CRX, by the way!

I am an Indian, and I compliment you on your grasp over English which is superior to most Americans and frankly, quite a few Britishers. I presume your accent is what is affectionately termed Italian. A small suggestion, "often" is pronounced "of'n".

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

Wow, thank you very much! It's rare that I get complimented on that and it's a pleasure every time :)

@BanerjeeGaurab

2 жыл бұрын

@@Matteo_Licata I also like your videos although unfortunately, Italian cars are rarely visible on Indian roads.

Such a simple but fine Sports-Car 👍 Happy , the few wich bought one in the early 70ties and hold it. I prefered the 1600…😉😎👍✌️🇮🇹🤟

Thank you for a great video! I really appreciate the insight you bring to this era and these cars. Mille grazie! (Btw: how about a story on DeTomaso?)

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much!!! De Tomaso is a great suggestion, yes... Let me work on it ;)

@jonnection

2 жыл бұрын

@@Matteo_Licata I had the great privilege of getting to know Tom Tjaarda in person (he designed De Tomaso Pantera among other things). He had fantastic stories about the life as a car designer at Ghia in Milan during those times. IMHO, Tom Tjaarda's story as an American working in Milan and the cars he worked on would deserve a video also. Just like his native Italian colleagues, Tom's work was also all about proportions and aesthetics first. The original Pantera (not the later versions) is very very elegant in life.

What a beauty! I wonder if Giorgetto Giugiaro was inspired by this car when he was designing the VW Scirocco? The basic outline and proportions of the two cars are very similar?

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

I don't know. I've often read that Honda took inspiration from the Zagato for the CRX, but no idea about Giugiaro and the Scirocco.

@liminal-m3g

2 жыл бұрын

@@Matteo_Licata Yes, thank you for pointing this out, the Honda CRX design definitely looks like it was inspired by the Zagato, which (as you say in the video) shows how the the late 1960's Junior Zagato design anticipated and influenced later 1980's car design. Very impressive!

Bella!

Love it! ❤

@Matteo_Licata

Жыл бұрын

Thank you! 😊

Such lovely cars.the nose design is great and the complete shape and design is really timeless. Somehow it might even have inspired Giugiaro for the design of the Alfetta GTV. Speaking of whom. Wouldnt it be something if Alfa also would have produced the Kanguro?. That is also a beautiful car.

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

The Canguro was very pretty indeed. Yes, I think it did deserve to be produced, it was a great design!

@delahayenator

2 жыл бұрын

Ah with a C ;) yes, r3ally stunning.

It seems to me that Giorgetto Giugiaro took more than a few stylistic cues from the Junior Zagato when he penned the Alfetta GTV...

Beautiful car! I believe that Gordon Murray owns a Junior Zagato modified by Alfaholics.

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

Yes indeed. Murray's Zagato is an astonishing build, tastefully modded in pretty much every detail, yet retaining the "soul" of the original. I'd love to have one like it!

@tamasszabo8824

2 жыл бұрын

@@Matteo_Licata You and I both. Or pretty much anything from Alfaholics. Congrats on your channel, subscribed yesterday after watching the Scaglione episode.

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

@@tamasszabo8824 Hey, thank you very much and welcome onboard! Hope you'll enjoy the upcoming videos!

@jimspackman8527

9 ай бұрын

Yes, he was good fun to work with and a really nice guy. The only problem we had was fitting him in the car because he's very tall. I made a joke with him that he only chose the JZ to see if we were as clever as we told him we were!

@tamasszabo8824

9 ай бұрын

@@jimspackman8527 Great story Jim, I love Alfaholics!

The early short model is indeed the best looking. The transparent sheet at the front to improve aerodynamics is a them that would still work well today. It could be used to avoid the ugly stub noses of most recent cars. They often have internal aerodynamic channels to move the air away from the front i a controlled way. Imagine making these visible. Maybe cars would then look less like boiled potatoes. So start sketching Mateo. by the way: What do you think of the Ionic 5? It's the first car in years I really like. It reminds me of the "architectural" style of Bertones best

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

I like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, I think it's a breath of fresh air, compared to the rather stale stuff we regularly see. I won't start sketching, not anymore: my job now entails teaching history here on this channel, through my books and articles, and live to future designers at university. And I couldn't be happier: I don't miss my days as a car designer.

This makes me wish I had been born a decade earlier.

@Matteo_Licata

Жыл бұрын

Well, you can still buy one of the surviving examples. There aren't many and they generally ain't cheap, but they do come up for sale fairly regularly.

Quite restrained for a Zagato,But still a gorgeous car nonetheless.Wonder what Zagato think of these SUV cars that Alfa Romeo are now building.... Maybe a crazy offshoot will appear!

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

Well, Ercole Spada has voiced his unfavorable opinion about current car design more than once. Regarding Zagato... The company still exists by name, but it's not the same entity of the 1960s

Lots of rare limited run Italian cars… 👍

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

True that! Our industry churned out tiny numbers of pretty much everything!

That dipping nose looks like the inspiration for the GTV

Nice car, but i see this car a lot here in Holland. Eeuh a lot is a little bit to much, but sometimes i see them here, and there were only made 1100 of these beauties? I suppose that a lot of Dutchies drive these things.

@studiocalder818

2 жыл бұрын

The Dutch Alfisti are the world's largest collectors of this model in fact (and I would say they appreciate many Zagatos), particularly attracted by its modern, functional, essential design

There’s one sitting in an old lot with gadded red paint near me and I’d love to ask whoever owns it to sell it to me such an interesting car

@Matteo_Licata

Жыл бұрын

It's definitely one worth saving, if you can get its owner to sell it to you!

Junior Zagato 1300 hasn't the Montreal fuel tank, it is indeed very similar, but that's all. Junior Zagato 1300 has it's own designed fuel tank.

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

That's good to know. I heard about the "Montreal" fuel tank from Ercole Spada himself, but maybe he was mistaken. After all, it's a long time ago!

@cedwards7987

Жыл бұрын

@@Matteo_Licata The top half of the fuel tank is from the Montreal.Under side is custom made for JZ.Less deep

Ricordo di averne vista una (bianca) oltre 30 anni fa, abbandonata su un marciapiede. Pensavo che fosse stata l'auto su cui un piccolo modellino della Hot Wheels fu basato! Solo chre quella aveva la facciata con una rete metallica nera invece di plexiglass?

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

Forse il proprietario aveva rotto il plexiglass, e non trovava il ricambio...

By the way, is Ercole Spada the owner of IDEA design?

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

No he wasn't. He was employed by the IDEA Institute during that studio's "golden years" in the late 80s and early 90s

Gordon Murray's alfaholics version brought me here.

@Matteo_Licata

Жыл бұрын

He truly built the ultimate Zagato, very tasteful, symphathetic modifications that respect and enhance the original design.

Looks like Saab Sonett

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

I like the Sonett too :)

Hilariously inefficient production - on the one hand you may be right with that, Matteo. But let me offer you another view: when Piëch introduced Volkswagen‘s platform strategy in the zero years, he was glorified for that. AR had it 35 years earlier. When they transported Phaeton bodies through the city of Dresden by street car (not kidding you), people admired VW for the public attention they got from it. At the end of the day it’s all a question of perspective.

Honda CRX....

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

Yes, the Honda CRX was inspired to the Zagato, indeed!

The Junior Z is an amazing car, but the Montreal is just pure ear porn.

@Matteo_Licata

2 жыл бұрын

Agree!