Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/2 Daytona

Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/2 Daytona

The Alfa Romeo Tipo 33/2, developed by Autodelta (Alfa Romeo's racing department), was one of the most beautiful and competitive sports prototypes of the late 1960s. The car was designed to compete in the 2-liter class of the World Sportscar Championship, going up against Porsche 910s and other lightweight prototypes on circuits ranging from the high-speed banking of Daytona to the treacherous public roads of the Targa Florio.

The heart of the Tipo 33/2 was its remarkable V8 engine. Displacing just 1995cc, this all-alloy unit featured twin overhead camshafts per bank, Spica fuel injection, and a flat-plane crankshaft that gave it a distinctive high-pitched exhaust note. In race trim, the engine produced approximately 270 horsepower, an extraordinary figure for a 2.0-liter engine of the 1960s. It revved willingly to over 9000 rpm with the mechanical precision and responsiveness expected from a dedicated racing powerplant.

The chassis was a lightweight tubular steel space frame, clothed in an exquisite body designed by Franco Scaglione. The Daytona version (also known as the Lungo or long-tail) featured an extended rear body section designed for high-speed stability on circuits with long straights. The overall weight was approximately 580 kilograms, giving the car an extraordinary power-to-weight ratio despite its modest engine displacement.

The Tipo 33/2 achieved considerable racing success. At the 1968 Daytona 24 Hours, a team of Tipo 33/2s finished first and second in the 2-liter class and fourth overall against much more powerful machinery. Similar results followed at Le Mans, Sebring, and numerous other endurance events. Perhaps the car's most significant achievement was its dominance of the Targa Florio, the legendary Sicilian road race where Alfa Romeo's intimate knowledge of the mountain roads gave it a decisive advantage.

The Tipo 33 program continued to evolve throughout the 1970s, with larger engines and more sophisticated aerodynamics, eventually culminating in the Tipo 33 TT 12 flat-twelve car that won the 1975 World Championship of Makes. But the original 33/2, with its screaming V8 and elegant Scaglione bodywork, remains the most iconic and desirable variant.

Approximately 20 Tipo 33/2 cars were built in various specifications. Today, they are among the most valuable and sought-after racing cars of the 1960s, with provenance from significant races adding enormously to their value.