Alfa Romeo Completes Dynamic Tests on 33 Stradale at Iconic Nardò Circuit

The Alfa Romeo engineering team has completed an intense test session on the ‘00’ prototype of the new 33 Stradale at the Nardò circuit, to test its driving dynamics and performance in extreme conditions at very high speed. The test team monitored and validated dynamic parameters such as aerodynamics, top speed, maximum temperatures, propulsive cooling systems and cabin soundproofing. All this ahead of the first delivery, which is scheduled to take place in Italy in late December.

Alfa Romeo chose the Nardò Technical Center (NTC), located in Salento, Italy, for these high-speed tests, as it is one of the most advanced testing and experimentation centres in the world. Built in 1975 by FIAT, the Puglia proving ground covers an area of 700 hectares, dotted with woods and Mediterranean scrub, and boasts 20 test tracks for experimentation and development activities at any level.

Of these tracks, the famous Nardò Ring stands out for high-speed tests of cars and motorcycles, with its diameter of 2.5 miles and length of 7.8 miles. Considered the fastest circular car track in the world, the circuit offers different inclines and relative compensation speeds on each of its four lanes. Thanks to its low parabolic profile, when driving on every lane at the compensating speed that balances centrifugal force, drivers feel like they are on an endless straight.

It was on this ring track that the Alfa Romeo team ran high-speed testing on the developmental 33 Stradale, validating the target top speed of 333 km/h (207mph) and the acceleration, which goes from zero to 62mph in under three seconds. All made possible by the meticulous work Alfa Romeo technicians have done on the aerodynamics, where every line of the car’s sculptural volume is functional to obtaining the best aerodynamic performance, to raise the performance of the 3.0-litre V6 twin-turbo engine delivering over 620hp, with an 8-speed DCT gearbox, rear-wheel drive and electronic limited-slip differential. An evolution of the V6 that already featured in the Italian brand’s highest-performance cars, the new engine is mounted longitudinally in the centre and provides exceptional performance, all of which was confirmed at Nardò.

The dynamic testing at the Nardò Technical Center follow a session held a few weeks ago at the Balocco Proving Ground. The iconic Alfa Romeo track has hosted the development and preparation of the highest-performance racing cars (Autodelta) that ran in international F1, DTM and Super Turismo competitions since 1962. In this historic location, the same team of Alfa Romeo engineers focused the entire session on specific medium and high-speed tests, with a focus on balance, braking system and road handling. On the other hand, the dynamic goal of the project has always been extremely ambitious, to offer the best driving experience in the category.

At Balocco, the first test was conducted at moderate speed, to evaluate the precision of the steering system and the response of the braking system, as well as the characteristic handling guaranteed by the system made up of the aluminium H-frame, the carbon-fibre monocoque and the refined configuration of the suspension. As everything is designed and aimed at the utmost human-machine involvement, the car offers two drive modes, which can be activated from the switches on the central tunnel – Strada (Road) and Pista (Track). The former, engaged when the car is started, ensures comfort and driving pleasure, smooth power delivery, usual pedal sensitivity, soft suspension, fluid transmission and active exhaust valves open only above 4,000 rpm. Alternatively, in Pista mode, the driver chooses an adrenaline-fueled drive, the power is at its peak, the pedals are even more responsive and the suspension is rigid, as well as offering rapid gearshift and active exhaust valves that are always open. One of the most exciting performance controls in this configuration is the Partenza Veloce (Quick Start) procedure.  By pressing the Quadrifoglio button on the central tunnel, it acts on the gearbox, traction control and power to maximise acceleration by avoiding wheel slippage.

On some sections of the circuit, the Alfa Romeo testers also disengaged traction control, taking the car close to its top speed to confirm that the 33 Stradale manages to combine supercar performance with surprising ease of driving. All this is made even more evocative by the sound of the twin-turbo V6, an authentic mechanical symphony that wraps around the passenger compartment and conveys unique emotions with every acceleration. The active suspension system also played a key role in the test, offering a perfect combination of comfort and performance. Specifically, the new custom-built car adopts a 100% Alfa Romeo dual-arm suspension scheme with active shock absorbers and semi-virtual steering on both the front and rear axles, which provides optimum control of the steering wheel and the highest degree of steering precision, as well as providing great lateral acceleration to ensure the best handling in all driving conditions.

Finally, the Balocco session highlighted the precision and capacity of the brakes to adapt to different drive modes, ensuring excellent control, so much so that the new 33 Stradale brakes from 62mph to zero in under 33 metres. All made possible by the built-in Alfa Romeo Brake-By-Wire braking system, which both controls braking pressure and ensures stability in the feeling of the pedal. Produced by Brembo for Alfa Romeo, carbon-ceramic brakes guarantee high performance and ensure reactive braking with a reduced fading effect at high temperatures. In the front and rear, the discs are ventilated and perforated, with a six-piston monobloc caliper in aluminium in the front and a four-piston system in the rear.