When Carlos Tavares discovered the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale project: "You're crazy! But I'm listening".

Some cars aren't born from a product plan, a market study or an Excel spreadsheet. They are born of a moment, a place, and above all, a conviction. L'Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale is one of them. And it all begins on a summer Monday, July 5, 2021, at the museum. Alfa Romeo of Arese.

July 2021: Arese, the weight of a legacy

Jean-Philippe Imparato remembers the day well. Appointed CEO of Alfa Romeo a few months earlier, he was going through an intense period. The mission was clear, almost brutal: turn the brand around, make it financially viable, cut costs, cut to the quick. The decisions were heavy, the energy draining, and every meeting was a reminder that Alfa Romeo's future was at stake. The visit to the Arese museum is not just a parenthesis. It's a reminder. A reminder of the immense weight that Alfa Romeo represents in the history of the automobile. For Imparato, this responsibility is all the stronger for being personal. In the book dedicated to the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale, he recounts how he was born in Sète, surrounded by Italians, raised among Giulias, Alfettas, GTVs and Alfasuds, he is not only the head of a legendary brand: he is also its child.

Faced with the 1967 33 Stradale, it's obvious

As you move through the rooms, the models come and go. All inspire, all tell the story of an era. But in front of the 1967 Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale, designed by Franco Scaglione, something crystallizes. This car sums it all up: performance, innovation, purity of gesture. If Alfa Romeo were to be embodied by a single car, this would be it. The idea is not to look back with nostalgia. Quite the contrary, in fact. In Imparato's mind, the 33 Stradale becomes a bridge between past and future. A car capable of paying tribute to history while laying the stylistic and emotional foundations for the Alfa Romeo of the future. On that day, without an official strategic plan or corporate approval, the 33 Stradale project was born.

"You're crazy": the decisive meeting with Carlos Tavares

Then comes the most delicate stage. Transforming an intimate conviction into an industrial project within Stellantis. Jean-Philippe Imparato flies to Paris and gets straight to the point. He explains to Carlos Tavares that Alfa Romeo wants to create an ultra-limited series production sports car. Not a concept car. A real car. Sold to real customers. The reaction was immediate. Carlos Tavares is surprised. Bewildered. His answer is direct and to the point: "You're crazy". Then, after a meaningful silence: "But I'm listening". The door isn't closed, but a non-negotiable condition is laid down. The car would only be produced if all thirty-three examples were sold in advance. No financial risk for the group. No safety net.

Fear, global context and collective courage

Back in Turin, the project can move forward. And with it, doubt. Times are anything but favorable. The world is just emerging from Covid-19. War broke out in Ukraine, triggering a major semiconductor crisis. There are no internal procedures for such a project. Everything had to be invented. The question is simple, almost brutal: is it really possible? The answer comes from the team itself. Fear is quickly replaced by commitment. External skepticism, particularly about Alfa Romeo's ability to sell a luxury model, becomes a driving force. The project moves forward, driven by a rare, almost militant passion.

Monza 2022: selling a car that doesn't yet exist

The 2022 Italian Grand Prix at Monza marks a turning point. The first customer appointments are made. At this stage, the 33 Stradale exists only on paper. A few digital renderings, sketches, a promise. It's a perilous exercise. Selling an icon before it has even taken shape. And yet, the magic happens. Three cars were sold that weekend. The rest quickly followed. In just a few months, all thirty-three examples found buyers.

Two years later, in September 2024, the first 33 Stradale rolled onto the Balocco track. A great moment. Not a record, but an immense reward for those who believed in the project from day one.

An industrial and emotional success story

Looking back, Jean-Philippe Imparato speaks of more than just commercial success. The 33 Stradale strengthened Alfa Romeo's image worldwide. It proved that a large group like Stellantis could allow a passionate, almost artisanal project to grow within its structure. Each chassis is partly customized by its owner. Each car is unique.

And when the 33 Stradale arrives at the Arese museum, the emotion is palpable. For many, this project will remain the work of a lifetime. A probably unique opportunity to contribute to such an important chapter in the history of Alfa Romeo. And somewhere between Arese, Paris, Monza and Balocco, one sentence will remain as the turning point of the whole adventure: "You're crazy... but I'm listening".