[alfa] TZ

["John Hertzman" <johnhertzman@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Several opinions have been posted on the meaning of "TZ"  almost as many as on the meaning of "Duetto"  along with some doubts about the "1" on the "TZ1". Perhaps the most useful and explicit question was posed by Fritz Schmidt: "every source I have, Braden, Benson, Centerline, AR Ricambi, Fantastic Alfa Romeo from Italy, David Styles' Alfa Romeo: The Legend Revived , all say: GTZ= Giulia Tubolare Zagato. No one says Turismo. Anybody else have other sources....???"
 
Two sources which have not been cited (unless I missed them) are Luigi Fusi's great catalogue and the later joint work of D'Amico and Tabucchi, two historians with impeccable credentials and unparalleled access to company records. D'Amico and Tabucchi do write "Originally baptized as the G.T.Z. (Gran Turismo Zagato) this model soon came to be known as the TZ (Tubolare Zagato) after its small diameter steel tube chassis construction". Fusi lists the car as "The Giulia TZ (Tubolare Zagato)" and does refer to the two versions as the "Giulia TZ1 e TZ2".
 
Does it make much difference? Probably not, but "originally baptized as" and "came to be known as" do suggest a formal or official name and an informal and familiar name, both understood and both right in context. Similarly I would suggest that D'Amico and Tabucchi's use of TZ and TZ2, and Fusi's use of TZ1 and TZ2, are both correct.
 
I would add that there was nothing innovative about the space-frame and small tubes of the TZ  the Mercedes 300 SL had a similar frame a decade earlier, and the use of light chassis frames of steel tubes goes back to 1886. The Sportiva could have been called the Tubolare Bertone, but wasn't; the 6C 3000 CM could have been called the Tubolare Colli, but wasn't; the Disco Volante could have been called the Tubolare Touring, but wasn't. "Tubolare" makes sense as an easily understood nickname, but is out of context in the range of company-chosen names. 

John H.
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