Whether Alfa Romeo plans to introduce a new Spider remains an open question, but one coachbuilder isn’t waiting around for an answer. Castagna Milano has taken to social media to unveil one of its own, a stunning two-door convertible based on the modern Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, and not just any Quadrifoglio. Its creation uses the limited-edition Giulia GTA as its starting point.
Right now, the design exists only as a series of computer-generated images, but Castagna is open to building one, and only one, for a wealthy collector.
Castagna’s Alfa Romeo Convertible Is Begging to Be Built
We see plenty of impressive designs that promise production but never go anywhere. Castagna, however, is no fly-by-night operation. Its name comes from the original Italian coachbuilder founded in the mid-1800s, known for its work on the Orient Express and the groundbreaking ALFA Aerodynamica prototype of 1914. The modern company based in Milan was founded in the 1990s and specializes in custom Fiat 500s, including a funky pickup.
The Alfa Romeo convertible is a much more ambitious project. Its striking design appears to draw inspiration from Alfa Romeo’s iconic BAT concepts of the 1950s, while the wedge shape and strong, straight character line along the flanks recall the more modern Alfa Romeo GTV Spider. At roughly 185 inches long, it’s the same length as the Giulia it’s based on, but this is a strict two-seater.
Where does all that length go? The new hood takes up much of it, with the designers moving the dashboard and front seats back by a full 13 inches. The result is a set of proportions rarely seen on a production car, giving the convertible an impressive stance.
Much of the body is made from carbon fiber, or at least it would be if the car was real, and all the glass panels are new. The windshield, side windows, and fabric top form a single, uninterrupted oval canopy. This is helped by Castagna’s patented method of bonding the windshield over slimmed-down A-pillars, which improves visibility while creating the effect of one continuous glasshouse.
What’s Under The Hood?
Castagna Coupe-Cabriolet Based On Alfa Romeo Giulia GTACastagna Milano
There are no performance specifications yet, naturally. However, the donor Giulia GTA, of which Alfa Romeo built just 500 examples alongside a more extreme GTAm version, packs the same twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter V6 found in the Giulia Quadrifoglio, but with output bumped to 532 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque.
Interestingly, the Giulia GTA weighed around 220 pounds less than a regular Quadrifoglio, tipping the scales at about 3,350 pounds thanks to measures such as carbon-fiber body panels and Lexan polycarbonate resin in place of glass. Castagna claims its convertible can weigh even less, at just 3,130 pounds, thanks to the removal of the roof, rear seats and other components.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters
Castagna’s concept is a cool reminder that Alfa Romeo’s design themes can be reinterpreted for the modern era without losing their appeal. Alfa Romeo itself demonstrated as much at this month’s Paris Motor Show with its breathtaking Cuorerosso concept.
While we would love to see Alfa Romeo apply some of the concept’s lines to give us its own modern Spider, the chances look slim given that it even struggles to sell SUVs. However, with any luck, some wealthy collector fronts up whatever ungodly sum Castagna wants to build this drop-top. It definitely could happen, as we saw just a few years ago with the equally stunning Alfa Romeo Giulia SWB Zagato.
Sources: Castagna Milano
