Alfa Romeo Caimano
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| Alfa Romeo Caimano | |
| Presentation year: | 1971 |
| Vehicle fair: | |
| Class : | Sports car |
| Body shape : | Coupe |
| Engine: |
Otto engine : 1.3 liters (64 kW) |
| Production model: | none |
The Alfa Romeo Caimano was a concept car that was built on the basis of the Alfa Romeo Alfasud . The one-off was made by the body and design forge Italdesign , where the series Alfasud was also developed.
The vehicle was commissioned by Alfa Romeo as a pure show car with no prospect of series production . The aim was to use the Caimano as an advertising medium for the sporty and progressive technology of the new Alfasud model and to exhibit it at trade fairs. That is why the floor pan, including the engine and transmission, comes from the standard Alfasud. However, the wheelbase was shortened by 200 millimeters.
technology
The drivable study is powered by the 1.3-liter four - cylinder boxer engine , which was later introduced in the Alfasud. The unit also makes 86 hp here. Due to the horizontal cylinders of the engine, the engine is extremely flat, which favors the low design of the Caimano. The kink in the bonnet is, however, due to the design.
To get in and out, the plexiglass dome is folded forward. The designer Giorgetto Giugiaro had already worked on a similar concept at Bertone in 1963 . The result at the time was the Chevrolet Corvair Testudo, whose roof and windshield construction made of Plexiglas was very similar to that of the Caimano. Instead of side windows, there are two small air holes on the right and left that can be closed. A spoiler is attached to the B-pillar, which serves as a roll cage , which can be set up in four stages at a maximum incline of 32 °.
In the interior, the fittings are very specially designed: the pointers on the instruments are immobile. The displays rotate around the horizontal axis to indicate a change in the values.
The car was for a long time an exhibit in the Alfa Romeo factory museum "La Maccina del Tempo" in Arese. Today the unique piece is in Germany and can be seen in the classic city of Frankfurt.
Technical specifications
- Engine: four-cylinder boxer / two valves per cylinder
- Power: 86 PS (64 kW)
- Displacement: 1286 cm³
- Drive: rear
- Year of construction: 1971
Web links
- Jürgen Pander: Alfa Romeo Alfasud Caimano: Give a glass! In: Spiegel Online , April 3, 2016.