Alfa Romeo protagonist of Milan Design Week 2023 with the Carabo concept car, an exceptional style project based on the iconic 33 Stradale

• The very futuristic Alfa Romeo Carabo concept car is presented at Milan Design Week, in collaboration with LARUSMIANI, the emblematic Milanese fashion house,

• The Carabo concept car inaugurates the brand new LARUSMIANI boutique and kicks off “The Automotive Gallery”, a permanent exhibition project for the brand.

In this week dedicated to design in Milan, Alfa Romeo is in the spotlight with one of its most precious treasures: the spectacular Alfa Romeo Carabo from 1968. A style prototype created by Bertone, this car is one of the most most striking features of the brand in terms of design.

The opening of the brand new LARUSMIANI boutique, a prestigious Milanese fashion house established for over a century in the heart of the Quadrilatero della moda – Via MonteNapoleone, offered Alfa Romeo a unique opportunity to participate in Milan Design Week.

The new LARUSMIANI store was created in collaboration with the famous architect Benedetto Camerana, who had already worked in 2015 on the renovation of the Alfa Romeo Museum in Arese, the Carabo’s usual exhibition venue. During the inauguration of the new store, the Alfa Romeo concept car was highlighted and became the first car to participate in “The Automotive Gallery” project, a permanent exhibition area dedicated to the world of automobile. It was only natural that this Milanese initiative would be sponsored by Alfa Romeo.

Alfa Romeo and LARUSMIANI are both ambassadors of Made in Italy, united in particular by their close link with Milan, their hometown. These two brands have created products that have become emblematic in terms of style, quality, elegance and know-how, which have left their mark and entered the collective imagination.

The Carabo is a concept car designed by Marcello Gandini and produced by the coachbuilder Bertone. Developed around the mechanics of the iconic Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale, the Carabo has become an ultimate expression of the functional design and elegance in the service of performance, which characterize the Milanese brand. The height of the car remained less than one meter, but the rounded lines were replaced by sharp styling, a wedge-shaped profile and “scissor” opening doors. Only one prototype was assembled, but it inspired many other successful vehicles. The Carabo remains one of the brand’s most iconic models.

The name of the Carabo finds its inspiration in the “Carabus Auratus”, a beetle with bright, metallic colors, which are reflected in the styling prototype with its luminescent green and orange details. In the late 1960s, Alfa Romeo became particularly interested in bright colors and innovative painting techniques that highlighted the bold uniqueness of the brand.

Raffaele Russo, Managing Director of Alfa Romeo Italy, said: “I am convinced that the presence of our very futuristic Carabo will arouse great astonishment among those participating in Milan Design Week. I am also certain that an object of such stylistic value is in itself an invitation, for all lovers of Made in Italy, to visit the fascinating Alfa Romeo Museum in Arese, where some of the most exceptional cars that have written the pages of history are kept of the automobile”.