Alfa Romeo Iguana

Vehicle Overview

The Alfa Romeo Iguana was previewed by Italdesign at the Sport Car Show in Monza and presented officially at the Turin Auto Show in 1969. It was the first (after the 1750 concept) Alfa Romeo model designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro as head of his own carrozzeria Italdesign, and was based on the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale road-going version of the Tipo 33/2. Although it did not go into production, the Iguana is reflected in Giugiaro’s later work. The body of the Iguana was painted a metal-flake grey, while the roof frame and cabin pillars were finished in brushed metal, a treatment Giugiaro later applied to the DMC DeLorean. The chassis inherited from the Stradale was of tubular steel. The fuel tank was lined with rubber. The body was a coupé executed in fibreglass. The low sloping nose between raised sections over the wheels and depth of the windshield would be revisited on the Porsche Tapiro and Maserati Bora, while the definition of the rear elements will also appear in other cars styled by Giugiaro, notably the Alfetta GT. The Alfa Romeo Iguana by Italdesign was initially equipped with a 1,995 cc (121.7 cu in) aluminium V8 engine delivering 171.5 kW (230 hp) of power at 8,000 rpm. The engine was capable of 199 kW (266.9 hp), but was detuned for reliability. This had been the first V8 engine produced by the House of the Snake, and in the Iguana was combined with a SPICA fuel injection system and a six-speed Colotti gearbox. Thus equipped the car was capable of a top speed of 260 km/h (161.6 mph). At some point, and for reasons unknown, the original engine was replaced with one of the 2,593 cc (158.2 cu in), 149.1 kW (200 hp) V8s built for the Montreal. Suspension was upper and lower A-arms at all four corners. Brakes were Girling disks, and the wheels were Campagnolo alloys.