Concept cars have a reputation for sporting some of the most unique designs in the history of the automobile industry. A concept car that had a memorable design was the Alfa Romeo Canguro, which was penned by a young Giorgetto Giugiaro. The Canguro took inspiration from the Alfa Romeo TZ that had a lot of racing success. We’re looking into the history of the Canguro to find out how it was designed.
Origins
After the racing success of the Alfa Romeo TZ, the company started exploring the possibility of a road version. Zagato had developed the TZ’s coachwork, so Alfa Romeo gave two TZ chassis to rival coachbuilders Pininfarina and Bertone. Giugiaro was present at Bertone, so he set about creating his own unique vehicle.
Giugiaro built on the low shape of the TZ chassis, developing a svelte glassfibre body. He installed a Kamm-tailed rear to reduce drag, which also added to the aerodynamic shape. Giugiaro also added his own features, including a glue-in windscreen, distinctive air vents and Alfa cloverleaf-shaped heater vents inside.
Reception
The car was given the name Canguro, meaning Kangaroo in Italian. The Canguro debuted at the 1964 Paris Motor Show, where it received universal praise, though Alfa rejected the concept, due to the company’s racing department being unable to produce the chassis on a large scale.
The Canguro received another blow when it was involved in a crash on the Monza circuit. During a promotional shoot for the film Shell, the Canguro crashed into the Chevrolet Testudo. It suffered a significant amount of front end damage, with Nuccio Bertone believing the car to be beyond repair. He was quoted as saying “the construction of a prototype involves around 15,000 hours of work.”
The Canguro was left in a state of disrepair until it was purchased by a German journalist called Gary Schmidt. He tried to restore it, though he never completed the project. Japanese businessman Shiro Kosaka picked up Schmidt’s work and the Canguro was restored in time for the 2005 Ville d’Estate, where it was voted Best in Show.
The Canguro is a reminder of the beauty of concept car and a testament to Giugiaro’s genius.
