Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale ‘Fixed’ By Man Behind The McLaren P1

To call the recently-revealed Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale one of the best-looking cars in recent years isn’t a stretch. This reimagination of the 33 Stradale from the ‘60s undoubtedly fits the bill in adding a suitably modern twist to the original, itself considered a design icon. One man thinks Alfa could’ve done better, though.

In fairness, it’s not just any man. Rather, it’s Frank Stephenson, a designer behind some of the most memorable cars in modern history - including the McLaren P1, Maserati MC12 and Ferrari F430.

Stephenson opens up his self-published video detailing his redesign with his admiration for the original Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale, revealing it as his joint-favourite design ever, even showcasing a scale model replica he has owned since a kid.

He says his first impression of the new car was “OMG, they’ve actually gone and done it” and praised the “courage” of Alfa to take on the task. With all the praise though, it doesn’t take Stephenson too long to chip in with how he feels it could be improved.

His first point of critique is the loss of a smooth, continuous curve between the front wheel arches and into the bonnet, as well as the “overly-sharp and defined edges” of the ‘power dome’ within the bonnet itself. Even going as far as to describe its intention to replicate the Alfa logo as “too cheesy.”

This is the first example of Stephenson showcasing his reworking of the 33 Stradale though, presenting his take on a much smoother bonnet – along with detailing a few other small changes to the front of the car including a simplified front grille.

As for the side of the car, his largest critique is of the intake, stating “It's so bad that it almost turns me against this car” and lamenting a lack of subtlety, comparing it with a much simpler intake on the original. His reworking takes out the carbon element and reduces the footprint, alongside some tweaks to the C-pillar and reshaped wheel arches.

At the rear, Stephenson takes issue with the raised upper edge of the ducktail and believes it should swoop down in the same way as the original - and that active aero could’ve been used to help get around any downforce complications.

Check out the video for Stephenson’s complete reworking of the new Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale, and we’ll let you make your mind up if it’s any better.