1962 Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ Sitting In Basement For 35 Years Sells For $650K

With just 217 cars ever made, the Giulietta SZ isn’t just one of the prettiest Alfa Romeos ever, it’s also one of the most sought after. So you can imagine why the discovery of a 1962 example in a basement in Turin, Italy is big news.

Finished in the beautiful Blu Chiaro Metallizato, this Alfa Romeo Giulietta SZ was owned by a mechanic who was unable to get it out of the basement he parked it due to a broken elevator, according to Alfa Romeo Giulia & 105-series Facebook page.

Apparently he just left the car there sitting for 35 years, until someone made the discovery last November. With the owner having passed away, leaving no will behind, the car headed to an auction by the government on January 31, selling for 567,000 euros (around $650k in current exchange rates).

The Giulietta SZ (Sprint Zagato) is considered to be the high-performance version of the iconic Alfa, featuring the iconic hand-built aluminum bodywork on the shorter chassis of the Giulietta Spider. Further weight-saving measures include the Perspex windows and a stripped-down interior.

Zagato’s magic hand resulted into a car that tipped the scales at just 785kg (1,730lbs). Combined with a highly tuned 1.3-liter four-cylinder that made 100hp, the Giulietta SZ was capable of reaching speeds of up to 120mph (200km/h), surpassing race cars with much bigger engines.

Most of the Giulietta SZs were raced in many events, including the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Targa Florio and the Nurburgring. The specific car appears to be in all-original, never-restored condition, which makes the discovery even more fascinating.