Alfa Romeo's take on the Dodge Viper has one very odd feature that stands out

The Alfa Romeo TZ3 paired Dodge Viper hardware with Zagato design, then added a pickup tailgate that made it stand out for unexpected reasons.

It was built in 2010 to mark Alfa Romeo’s 100th anniversary and used the same chassis and engine as the Viper ACR-X.

Zagato reshaped the entire body with its signature design language and produced only nine cars.

But the most unusual part wasn’t its rarity or performance. It was the tailgate.

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Why the Alfa Romeo TZ3 needed that unusual tailgate

Instead of a traditional rear hatch, the Alfa Romeo TZ3 used a pickup tailgate design.

The carbon fiber panel at the rear, which included the window and round brake lights, opened downward like the bed of a truck.

This was not a stylistic gimmick. The layout was necessary to fit the tight lines and steep angles created by the Zagato design.

The result was a narrow cargo opening. Space was limited, and the tailgate itself wasn’t meant to hold weight.

Owners had to load with care, especially considering the material and shape. But the decision reflected a clear priority.

The Alfa Romeo TZ3 was built around styling, not luggage capacity.

This approach was typical of Zagato design. The rear glass wrapped fully around the cabin, leaving no room for hinges or a lift-up hatch.

A pickup tailgate was the only feasible solution, even if it looked completely out of place on a car built from a Dodge Viper.

Under the skin, still pure Viper

The Alfa Romeo TZ3 was built on the Dodge Viper ACR-X platform and retained its 8.4-liter V10 engine.

It produced 640hp and sent power to the rear wheels.

Nothing about the performance was changed. The goal of the project was to showcase a design collaboration, not create a new driving experience.

Inside the cabin, the blend of Alfa Romeo trim and Dodge Viper parts was obvious.

The leather seats and custom upholstery were contrasted by Chrysler-sourced switches and a familiar infotainment unit.

The Alfa Romeo TZ3 looked exotic on the outside but shared much of its interior with a standard Viper.

One car recently came up for auction. It had minor accident damage shortly after delivery, but the repair was handled by Zagato.

The listing passed $300,000 with several days of bidding left, showing how much interest still surrounds the Alfa Romeo TZ3.

This car was never meant for mass production or motorsport. It was a design exercise and a tribute to Alfa Romeo’s history, created by Zagato using Dodge Viper parts.

Its pickup tailgate was a byproduct of that fusion. It remains one of the most unusual outcomes of a transatlantic partnership in modern car history.

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