Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale: the 690T V6 reaches 620 hp

Some hearts beat louder than others. For Alfa Romeo, none beats quite as fiercely as the latest evolution of the 690T - the engine that powers the most special creation to leave Arese: the 33 Stradale.

Developed by Alfa’s engineering team under the technical direction of Gianluca Pivetti, the 690T first appeared in the Giulia Quadrifoglio in 2016, producing 510 hp.

That was an eye-catching figure, yet it was only the starting point. Over time - and after extensive fine-tuning - it rose to 540 hp in the hard-core Giulia GTA/GTAm and in the rare Giulia SWB Zagato.

In the new Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale, this unit steps up again and becomes the most powerful production-engine ever fitted to an Alfa Romeo: 620 hp at 7,500 rpm.

Roots in Maranello

The 690T’s layout traces directly back to Ferrari’s F154 V8. Even so, the 690T was engineered specifically for Alfa Romeo and it also served as the basis for Nettuno - the engine that powers Maserati’s Modena-built supercar, the MC20.

As a result, Nettuno shares a number of technical solutions with the 33 Stradale’s engine, but the two are not the same. For one thing, the Alfa Romeo unit does without the clever pre-chamber combustion system used in the MC20 - Alfa’s engineers chose a more traditional route, relying on direct injection.

Numbers worthy of an icon

The 33 Stradale is designed around driving pleasure, backed up by figures that secure its icon status - even if it has two fewer cylinders than the aluminium engine used in the original 33 Stradale.

Displacement for the V6 grows from 2.9 litres to 3.0 litres, and it gains optimised turbochargers and pistons. It is paired with an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox.

There are differences from the Maserati MC20 here too. While the trident-branded supercar uses a Tremec dual-clutch transmission, the 33 Stradale’s unit is supplied by ZF.

What they do share is the way 730 Nm of torque (at 3,000 rpm) is sent exclusively to the rear wheels. That’s right: there is no four-wheel drive and no electrification of any kind to smooth out the experience.

Top speed? 333 km/h (can you guess why? Here’s a clue: three hundred… and thirty-three!). As for 0–100 km/h, it takes 3s - something Guilherme Costa was able to verify at the Balocco test track. Take a look:

The last dance?

It is unclear whether this is “the last dance” for Alfa Romeo’s 690T, or whether it will live on in future Giulia and Stelvio Quadrifoglio models - or even in new limited-run series with the same calibre as this 33 Stradale.

If it does turn out to be the end, then it is fair to say it bows out in style. There’s a reason why, here at the Automotive Reason editorial team, the Giulia Quadrifoglio has always been our favourite sports saloon in its class.

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