Alfa Romeo 8C DoppiaCoda Zagato unveiled at Villa d’Este

Alfa Romeo and Zagato have been closely linked for more than 100 years, and that century-old relationship is still producing results. Their latest joint project is called the 8C DoppiaCoda Zagato, revealed at the Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este in Italy, where it was awarded the Design trophy.

A century-long Alfa Romeo and Zagato partnership

This is a one-off example, commissioned by a brand collector who wants to pay tribute to the racing heritage of the marque from Arese. As you might expect, it takes the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione as its starting point, but the bodywork now carries Zagato’s signature lines.

Alfa Romeo 8C DoppiaCoda Zagato: two rear-end signatures in one

Rather than being a mere styling exercise, the DoppiaCoda combines two of the atelier’s most recognisable visual hallmarks: the truncated tail (coda tronca) and the rounded tail.

Norihiko Harada, Zagato’s head designer, presents it as a GT that balances beauty with function, likening the flow of its surfaces to a Bach cantata. In side profile it reads as a pure coda tronca, with the sweeping lines ending in an abrupt, almost vertical cut as they reach the rear.

Even so, the elegance and visual lightness remain. Viewed from behind, the wing forms a kind of hoop that appears to rest on top of the bodywork. It is separated from the main structure, yet in profile it looks integrated into it.

“It seems we have started a new chapter in Zagato design, focused on researching rear sections and exploring new aerodynamic and stylistic solutions to stimulate innovation - exactly as the coachbuilders used to do”.

Andrea Zagato, CEO of Zagato

This programme also underlines Zagato’s experimental streak. After exploring a convertible “twin tail” idea with the Alpine AGTZ Twin Tail in 2024, the studio has now chosen to merge the two styles into a single form.

Following the Giulia SWB Zagato, unveiled in 2023, Zagato says this new one-off represents the missing link in the modern interpretations it has been creating of Alfa Romeo’s most legendary cars. It is the high point of a narrative that pays tribute to the 6C and 8C lineages-so closely tied to Alfa Romeo’s history in the 1920s and 1930s-and which Zagato helped to immortalise.

A one-off with track-bred spirit

Despite its status as a unique piece, the Alfa Romeo 8C DoppiaCoda Zagato remains firmly rooted in Italian engineering. Underneath is the 8C Competizione platform, fitted with a front-mounted, naturally aspirated 4.7-litre V8, paired with a six-speed robotised gearbox and rear-wheel drive.

The Alfa Romeo 8C DoppiaCoda Zagato is likely already being delivered to its owner, following its debut at Villa d’Este.

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