1996 - Espace SBarro

Issima - 1996

Issima is Italian for superlative. This roadster lives up to its name! Walter De Silva and Mario Flavilla, from the Alfa Romeo Style Center (Centro Stile Alfa), contacted Franco Sbarro and his students at Espace Sbarro to commission a roadster incorporating the various styling cues that characterize Alfa Romeo, not least the famous triangular grille.

With its eyelid-like doors and wicked stare, the Issima is a sculpture on wheels (photo by Dingo for Option Auto magazine).

A 12-cylinder Alfa Romeo

Styling is all very well, but Alfa Romeo is best known (at least at this time) for its fabulous 6-cylinder engines. A simple styling exercise was out of the question: the car had to be a concept car on the road, not a scale model. Sbarro wanted a 12-cylinder engine. But Alfa Romeo didn't have anything like it in the pipeline. No problem: 2 times 6 makes twelve! So Sbarro coupled two Alfa Romeo 164 3-liter 6-cylinder blocks to obtain the desired 12-cylinder engine. Note that for Franco Sbarro, this exercise is almost routine. Remember the Sbarro Royale with its two Rover blocks, or the Super Twelve with two motorcycle blocks.
This is how the Issima develops 500 horsepower, power that must be transmitted to the ground via 19-inch Antera wheels (an unusual diameter for 1996). The chassis is Dual Frame (a Franco Sbarro requirement).
Magnificent. Admire the windshield pillars (photo by Dingo for Option Auto magazine)

Style Alfa

Let's talk styling: the bodywork is reminiscent of 50's roadsters, with its rugged retro styling. The doors open in an "elytra" pattern (when it comes to showing off, it's hard to beat that). The interior is uncluttered, even Spartan. But it's in keeping with the car's style: efficiency, period! Facing the driver (pilot?) is a large rev counter, with the tachometer on the center console.
The 19-inch wheels were designed specifically for the Issima by Antera, before being offered for sale as standard.
The Issima's engine is simply enormous for the size of the car.

A unique model

Alfa Romeo's 1996 range already included the beautiful GTV and Spider coupé. Their styling, by Pininfarina, was intended to be more modern, bordering on the cold. Sbarro's students have shown us another possible way forward. The inevitable question remains: why make our mouths water and not dare to market the Issima? Even in small series, like the Zagato-bodied Alfa Romeo RZ. What a shame!
In brief
1- Official order from the Alfa Romeo Style Center (Centro Stile Alfa)
2- 12-cylinder engine made up of two 6-cylinder Alfa Romeo engines
3- Dual Frame chassis