Alfa Romeo Swiss Grand Tour: Aigle-Gstaad-Aigle, Pure Driving Pleasure

# Discovering the Thrills of the Alfa Romeo S.Z. on a Scenic Route

A delightful route through the mountains awaits, featuring selected stops and the engineering thrills of the Alfa Romeo S.Z. With its 6 cylinders and 210 HP, this car is perfect for discovering the racing spirit of the “Biscione” even off the track.

Words Alessandro Giudice

Photography Alessandro Barteletti

Video Andrea Ruggeri

Swiss Grand Tour is a project to discover itineraries driving classic Alfa Romeo cars, in partnership with Astara, the distributor and importer of the Brand in Switzerland.

| Canton | Vaud |

|------------|----------|

| Route | Aigle-Gstaad-Aigle |

| Distance | 101 km |

| Travel time | 2h 15min |

| Driving pleasure | 5/5 |

| Panorama | 4/5 |

The appointment was at Aigle Castle, perched on a slight hill surrounded by vineyards. Driving up towards it, the last 100 metres of a narrow road are flanked by high, plastered bastions. This creates a feeling as if you're driving between two walls of snow. It was a bright day, and the blue sky contrasted beautifully with the red object shining ahead after the last bend. The Alfa Romeo S.Z. looked more like a spaceship than a car. Its extraordinary clean lines, smooth polished shapes, and large windows blending into the shiny black roof made it resemble an airplane cockpit more than a passenger compartment.

[click to watch the video]

(Map by Sansai Zappini)

The Alfa Romeo S.Z. still catches the eye today, 36 years after its launch. It demonstrates that originality and genius withstand the test of time. This is a hallmark of Zagato, who has always infused their special cars with an unmistakable touch of personality: “who dares wins.” The S.Z. remains part of this tradition. It looks like an aerodynamic study and has divided Alfa fans between those who criticise it and those who love it unconditionally. One such enthusiast is Daniel Imhof, who has owned one for 18 years. He has turned his passion into a life’s work with a workshop in Bex, located at Route des Tioleires 3. This workshop focuses solely on Alfa Romeos, whether modern or vintage, road or racing models.

He met us in Aigle with his magnificent S.Z. ready for a spin. We embarked on a thrilling sixty-mile journey, following a ring around the slopes of the Vaud Prealps. The start and end of the route was Aigle, the capital of a district renowned for its wine-making traditions. This is expressed by a famous fragrant dry white wine and the vineyards that surround the town for miles. In addition to the historical centre, with its characteristic Rue de Jérusalem, the bike racing track, which is home to the International Cycling Union, is also noteworthy. The medieval castle is the most interesting site in the town. Inside, the Wine Museum narrates the age-old local culture with exhibitions, objects, and artefacts. We took the main road no. 11, a major road that runs east to Wassen, even though we would take a turn off way before there.

Right from the first bends, as the road climbed upwards, we realised that the route was a playground for the S.Z. The 6-cylinder engine roared in different tones with each gear change. You could feel how it followed the bends along the road: safe, precise, and without any jerks or rolling. Following in a hybrid Junior, the road was a bit tougher for us. However, the dynamic attitude of the new Alfa crossover was a pleasant surprise in terms of setup and stability, especially when braking.

The climb from 436 metres a.s.l. in Aigle to 1445 metres at the first mountain pass, Col des Mosses, is just over 10 miles. But beware: this beautiful stretch of road is also a favourite with motorcyclists, who often come in large groups. So take care, especially near the bends.

Over the pass, we descended towards Chatêau d’Oex and Rougemont. This area, due to its microclimate and lack of wind, has become a paradise for hot air balloons. There is even a museum devoted to them in Chatêau d’Oex, and trips are possible all year round. This is the Pays-d’Enhaut district, the holiday destination in the Canton Vaud and the nearby Bernese Highlands. A few miles from the two towns lies Rossinière, a village with 500 inhabitants renowned for the artistic façades of its wooden houses. It is well worth the detour. One of these houses is the impressive Grand Chalet, which has 5 floors and 113 windows. Originally used to age the traditional Etivaz DOP cheese, it was later bought by the painter Balthus in 1977, who lived here for a long time. If you like chalets, another place to see is Saanen, where many chalets nestle in a large plain among the meadows and along the road.

Here we were already in the Canton of Bern, where we turned off the main road to the right, towards Gstaad, the most famous and elegant hamlet in Saanen. The Gstaad Palace, a 5-star hotel, dominates the town from above like a castle. Built in 1913, it has welcomed the international jet set, who satisfy their desire for high-quality shopping in the cosmopolitan boutiques and local luxury brands. Chalets are the most representative and exclusive architecture in the pedestrian town centre, whether private homes, stores, or hotels, many of which have spas. The quality of these establishments has made this mountain town a point of reference for the whole country.

After some luxury pampering, we still craved driving pleasure. The road to Ormont-Dessus, although straight, demands a stop at the start of the cable car leading to Glacier 3000. This spectacular, magical place at the foot of the glacier offers an amazing view of the over-4000 metre peaks that surround it. But the S.Z. called, and Daniel answered. When we reached Ormont-Dessus, we could have chosen to backtrack and return to Aigle along the same road. Instead, we opted to take the cable car to Les Diablerets and headed up to Col de la Croix at 1778 metres. The road here was less busy and much narrower. It took around forty minutes to cover the 10 miles and 5/6 bends to Villars-sur-Ollon, putting pressure on both the Alfa Romeo and its driver. Upon exiting the car, Daniel smiled broadly, ready for a coffee. “For me, Alfa Romeo means performance, beauty, and sound. These are the ideal roads for a car like the S.Z. Pure emotion, mile after mile.”

The last stretch of road descends towards the pretty town of Ollon, where our paths separated. As Daniel Imhof took his red coupé back to the workshop in nearby Bex, we returned to Aigle. Twenty or so miles separated us from a glass of fragrant, dry white wine gifted to us by the vines that shine more than ever in the sunset.

---

THE COLLECTOR: Daniel Imhof

I’ve been mad about cars since I was a child. When I was 15, I began an apprenticeship as a mechanic. But I wasn't interested in all cars, just Alfa Romeos. At that time, in the Seventies, Alfas were unique. They had aluminium engines, double overhead camshaft, and 130 HP when their competitors stopped at 80: it was a different world. As soon as I finished my apprenticeship, I went to work for Alfa Romeo. From that day, I was able to live the dream, every day, with the brand I loved. A few years later, I set up my own firm and since then have always worked with Alfa Romeos. My clients are wonderful, all true enthusiasts. Some come from far away just to have the carburettors tuned or some other special job. I take care of every mechanical detail. It’s an all-consuming passion.

Anyone who has an Alfa Romeo likes to drive it like a sportsman. Although I’ve never been a professional, I’ve been taking part in track events for over forty years, just for the pleasure of driving. Of all my Alfa Romeos, the S.Z. has a special place in my heart. It has a legendary, slightly larger 3-litre V6 engine, height-adjustable suspensions, and holds the road like a dream. Driving pleasure at its best. Once there was a slogan: “Alfa Romeo thrills the road.” For me, it’s not just the road but the spirit too. It’s pure emotion with the S.Z. For me, Alfa Romeo means performance, beauty, and sound.