Alfa Romeo Nivola by Ugur Sahin is a modern 33 Stradale based on the 4C

In the past 12 years we have covered many designs by Ugur Sahin: his latest creation is a stunning virtual concept designed with limited production in mind.

The Nivola is the designer’s personal tribute to the legendary Alfa Romeo Stradale 33, penned by the Italian designer Franco Scaglione in 1967.

As Ugur explains, the development of the Nivola came to life after he “visited the Pebble Beach concours last year in Monterey, Ca.”

“I was so impressed with the best of show Alfa 33 Stradale that I decided to try and pay homage to the Alfa Romeo brand as well as the original 33 Stradale by creating a modern interpretation of the original design by Scaglione.”

When setting up the design brief, he decided to raise the bar for the project and – instead of just replicating the original design  – he planned to develop a production ready concept based on based on an existing Alfa Romeo rolling chassis.

Given the nimble size as well as the ultra-light weight of the original vehicle, “it was only common
sense to develop a design based on the fabulous Alfa Romeo 4C underpinnings.”

Speaking about the design process, he continues “That [decision] created a huge challenge, as the proportions and hard points of the 4C chassis are quite different to the original Alfa 33 Stradale.”

“In order to get closer to the proportions of the Stradale 33, the rear of the car was extended in length in order to create sleek rear fenders that extend all the way back to the edge of the rear end.”

The result is very impressive: the Nivola successfully blends classic Italian proportions and elegance, iconic styling cues of the Alfa Romeo brand, as well as design elements that – particularly in the rear end – pay homage to the original inspiration.

All this was achieved without resorting to “easy” spectacular solutions that would have made the project impractical for production.

On the contrary, the design of the Nivola Concept was entirely developed from a stock Alfa Romeo 4C chassis scan,  so if there is enough demand, a very limited and exclusive production could be arranged – with either carbon fiber or aluminum body panels.

Regarding the name, Nivola was the nickname used by Tazio Nuvolari, the racing legend who epitomized courage and daring for 30 years, winning titles with both motorcycles and sportscars and earning numerous victories for Alfa Romeo, including two Mille Miglia, two Targa Florio races as well as the 1933 Le Mans 24 Hrs.

For more information on the project and Ugur Sahin Design you can check the official website or the Instagram account.

(Image Courtesy: Ugur Sahin for Car Body Design)