1954 Alfa Romeo 1900C Super Sprint Coupé
Coachwork by Carrozzeria Touring
Registration no. Not UK registered
Chassis no. AR 1900 C 01678
Engine no. AR 1308 00792

'The final flowering of the 1900 was the Super series, of which the Berlina, or saloon, and the 1900C Super Sprint were produced from 1953 to 1958... the Super series was mainly distinguished by the fact that the engine was enlarged... raising capacity from 1,884cc to 1,975cc. The 1900C Super Sprint could achieve 118mph...' – 'Alfa Romeo - A History', Hull and Slater, 1964.

Its factory devastated by wartime bombing, Alfa Romeo did not resume car production until 1947, the pre-war 2500C standing the Milan marque in good stead until 1952. The firm's first all-new offering of the post-war period arrived in 1950. Designed by Dr Orazio Satta Puliga and intended for volume production, the 1900 was the first Alfa to employ unitary construction and - in keeping with the company's sporting heritage - was powered by a twin-overhead-camshaft engine. A four-cylinder unit, the latter displaced 1,884cc and produced 90bhp, an output sufficient to propel the four-door saloon to 93mph.

Launched in 1951, the 1900C Sprint featured bodywork by Pinin Farina (cabriolet) and Touring (coupé), both models utilising the 100bhp engine of the 1900TI sports saloon. The Touring-bodied Sprint Coupé attracted such public acclaim that it was subsequently adopted as the basis for all future 'aerodynamic' Alfa Romeo coupés. One direct descendant was, of course, the lovely little Giulietta Sprint in which the family resemblance is immediately obvious.

The Sprint Coupé was designed to offer sporting performance together with '2+2' accommodation - guaranteed to appeal to the sports car enthusiast with a family - while the heart-shaped vertical grille with matched horizontal side intakes became an Alfa trademark on later models. In June 1954 the engine was enlarged to 1,975cc and the model re-designated as the 'Super Sprint'. With 115bhp on tap and possessing an excellent power-to-weight ratio courtesy of the aluminium-alloy body, these cars could reach 118mph, a mightily impressive speed for 1954. They shone in competitions of all kinds. A total of 949 Sprints and 854 Super Sprints had been made by the time production ceased.

According to information supplied by the Centro Documentazione Alfa Romeo, this stunning 1900 SS left the factory on 22nd March 1954 and was sold to its first client via the Alfa Romeo importer in Lugano, Switzerland, on 9th July of that year. This delightful car from the second series, regarded by many as the best of its kind, features the 115bhp engine with twin Solex carburettors. The car was extensively restored prior to its acquisition by the current owner in 2004 and is still beautifully presented in dark red with tan leather interior. Since acquisition it has resided in an exclusive UK-based collection, sharing the garage space with many other fine Italian classics. Eligible for the most exclusive events including, of course, the Mille Miglia Retrospective, it is equally capable as a fine Gran Turismo, just as its designers intended.