If you ask us, cars are works of art that roam the roads and are essentially extensions of their owner's personality; Italians make some bewildering sports cars encapsulating just that. Whenever you hear anyone talk about the historical Alfa Romeo brand, words like beautiful, passion, and lively spring up like mushrooms after a rainy day.
Ironically enough, the company' wasn't actually called Alfa Romeo at first, but was founded by anonymous investors in the year 1910 and dubbed "A.L.F.A." which was actually an acronym meaning "Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili", that roughly translates to the Anonymous Lombard Factory of Automobiles. The Romeo part only came along half a decade later when the entrepreneur Nicola Romeo took control of the company and added his name.
Despite almost playing entirely bankrupt, Alfa managed to keep its head above the water and birth some of the foremost sports cars the world has ever seen accompanied by the most boisterous driving experiences imaginable.
So, let's get straight into the coolest sports cars Alfa Romeo has ever gifted us with.
10 Alfa Romeo Giulia TZ
The Tubolare Zagato was a highly successful vintage race car and touring car built for the road thanks to a partnership between coach-builder Zagato, Alfa Romeo, and ex-Ferrari engineer Carlo Chiti.
Their brainchild was named the Giulia TZ and it restrained a naughty little 160-hp inline-4 alongside some other incredible mechanics like two Weber carburetors, 4-wheel hydraulic disc brakes, double-wishbone front suspension, and independent rear suspension. Do keep in mind the Giulia TZ weighed a mere 1460 lbs, which meant it could rocket around any corner or straight as if gravity did not apply.
9 Alfa Romeo GTV
The GTV broke tradition in a sense because it abandoned Alfa's old school sports car recipe of front-engined, rear-wheel-drive sports configuration and rather went for a front-engined, front-wheel-drive layout. Change is good, even if it might not have sounded too promising on paper, in reality, the GTV mustered the iconic Busso engine's 237 hp in a way no normal FWD sports car should have been able to.
The new groundbreaking FWD system resulted in the handsome Pininfarina-designed Alfa to boast unworldly cornering capabilities and redefined what makes a true Alfa Romeo. These beauties might be escalating in value, but you can still pick one up for $12,000.
8 Alfa Romeo SZ
Whether you love or hate the exterior of the SZ, there is no denying it oozes cool-factor, and the Lego-like design actually amplifies the Sports Zagato's quirkiness. Powering "Ill Monstro" was a naturally aspirated 3.0-liter V6 with more than 200 hp, which sent all of its power to the rear wheels and could be harnessed via a 5-speed stick shift in order to maximize its agile driving personality.
Today, the Alfa Romeo SZ is a true collector's item since at its core it's a weird Italian sports car with a rev-happy 6-cylinder engine, limited-slip-diff, and only 1,000 production models were ever made.
7 Alfa Romeo GTV6
If the fact that Jeremy Clarkson owns one, and it that starred as a hero car in the 1983 James Bond film, Octopussy, is not enough to deem the GTV6 cool, we don't know what is. Which once was an Alfa Romeo Alfetta, has been morphed in collaboration between Alfa Romeo South Africa and Alfa Romeo Italy into something more mature and robust.
They upgraded the 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine to a 3.0-liter V6, engineered by Giuseppe Busso himself, which meant a power output of 183 hp was delivered to the rear wheels and tamed via a 5-speed manual gearbox. The GTV6 will go down in history as one of the most heroic fastbacks ever.
6 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrofoglio GTAm
The already malignant Giulia Quadrofoglio is a force to be reckoned with, it's able to seat 5 family members while thrashing around bends, but the GTAm went beyond the limit... It weighed as much as a cardboard box, had a significant power bump, widened fenders, carbon fiber plastered everywhere, and a rear wing the size of a large dog. Under Alfa's supersaloon's hood is a twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter V6 that squeezes out 532 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque.
The GTAm reaches 60 mph from a standstill in just 3.3 seconds, which is quicker than you can say Alfa Romeo Giulia Grand Turismo Alleggerita modificata. The Giulia is also tastefully modified on the outside with a large wing, carbon fiber rear fenders, dual-center Akrapovic titanium exhausts tips, and redesigned race-inspired front and rear bumpers.
5 Alfa Romeo Junior
There are an endless amount of different engine options with the GT Junior range, but they all convey the same message; a diverting experience in a small package. Juniors are considered by many to be rather underpowered since the GT badge could only offer up to 108 hp, and those with the GTV badge 130 hp, but they harness their power in such a way no power figures could justify.
See, the Junior might have looked like an elegant Italian tourer (and it was to an extent), but this 2000 lb sports car could be thrown around corners and behave like a proper delinquent when asked to.
4 Alfa Romeo 4C
One of the best sports cars ever made; the 4C weighed as much as 3 Italian pizzas, was powered by a turbocharged 1.75-liter engine on a sugar rush, sculpted out of carbon fiber, and had the looks to be mistaken for a true art piece.
The 4C ditches any form of practicality and rather focuses on giving the driver the most boisterous driving experience possible by utilizing its 237 hp, sub-2,000 lb curb weight, and rear-wheel-drive system. As a reward, the 4C has razor-sharp handling characteristics, gives off a symphonic engine noise right behind your head, and leaves you nothing but feeling overjoyed.
3 Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale
Alfa Romeo was famous for their sports cars, but they truly shook the world when they dropped their first supercar, the 33 Stradale, and it is was outrageously sublime. The Italian racer had butterfly doors was powered by a 2.0-liter V8 engine, which might sound a bit petite, but when you take the 10,000 rpm redline and 227 hp power output into consideration, these potent performance figures almost make sense.
The 33 Stradale had one remarkable feat, it was the first production car to cover a kilometer in 24 seconds, but if you'd like to pick one up, good luck - only 18 examples were ever produced and one will set you back about $10 million.
2 Alfa Romeo Disco Volante
Disco Volante is Italian for "flying saucer", and at first glance, you can see why the name is a perfect fit for the Alfa from the '50s. Designed by Milanese coachbuilder Carrozzeria Touring, the Disco Volante was a voluptuous sports car to stretch out Alfa's creative legs, and performance ones as well.
Inhabiting the Alfa was either a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine with 156 hp or a 3.5-liter straight-6 pushing out 227 hp, now add that power figure with its wind tunnel tested body, and you're left with a showpiece that could go 149 mph.
1 Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione
Alfa's supercar, the 8C, truly stands out from the other naughties supercars; not only did it feature some bodacious styling, but also somehow managed to keep a comfy GT ride and simultaneously sported an invigorating driving experience.
Powering the Competizione was a Ferrari-derived flat-crank 4.7-liter V8 that sounded just like a chocolate-dipped strawberry tastes, and punched out a respectable 444 hp figure, which in return could spin up the wheels on command taking you from 0-60 in just a tad over 4 seconds. Only 500 8C examples were ever made, and they are truly one of the most awe-inspiring cars to ever exist.