Model year: 2026
Number of cylinders: 4
Engine capacity: 1.752 cc
Empty weight: 1.350 kg
Emission class: Euro 0
Registration number: PM-68-90
Manufacturer: Metropole Classics BV Meubellaan 1 6651KV DRUTEN, NL 0031653328817 http://www.metropole.nl [email protected]

The 6C 1750 GTC "Fugientem Incurro Diem," a Coupé Royal with a history that stopped society in its tracks

When Carrozzeria Touring delivered this Coupé Royal in 1931 on the chassis of the Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Turismo Compressore, no one yet knew that the car would rise again half a century later from a state of near-complete disassembly. Today we present an example that stands out, both technically and in terms of documentation, within the world of pre-war Alfas.

In the early 1930s, the GTC represented Alfa Romeo's answer to its own 8C 2300: a refined, supercharged grand tourer powered by a detuned 1,752-cubic-centimeter inline six, claimed at the time to produce 80 horsepower. Beneath the bodywork lay advanced engineering for its era, including semi-elliptic springs, adjustable shock absorbers, and components shared with the 8C. Only 66 examples of this specification left the factory in 1931, and well-heeled clients chose their coachwork themselves from among the great Italian carrozzerie.

This particular chassis received the rare Coupé Royal body by Touring, coachwork number 1103. The design reflects early aerodynamic thinking, with streamlined fenders, an unusually domed roof, and a sloping rear designed to house spare wheels without creating turbulence. Touring itself gave this style the wistful name "Fugientem Incurro Diem," Latin for "and time flies."

The findings within the accompanying documentation make this car exceptionally traceable. Historical photographs support the possibility that this chassis is the two-tone GTC that appeared at the 1931 Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, where it won its class. The same coachwork variant went on to compete successfully at the 1932 Mille Miglia. Details such as the single chrome trim spear on each door, rather than the three found on another known example, lend further support to this provenance.

The car underwent a thorough restoration during the 1980s. Photographs from that period show the GTC in a severely deteriorated state, without an engine, before specialist Italian coachbuilders returned the bodywork to its original specification, including the characteristic upswept trunk and overlapping running boards. A complete mechanical overhaul followed shortly after, during which a correct, supercharged 1,752-cubic-centimeter six-cylinder engine was sourced and installed. The car has worn its striking yellow-and-black livery ever since.

Under more recent ownership, the GTC has been carefully maintained and sparingly driven. Prior to its import to the United States in late 2016, the car underwent several preventive works, including to the clutch and radiator. The car currently carries Dutch registration.

This GTC comes with a documentation file that is rarely matched, including an ASI Certificate of Omologazione from the Automotoclub Storico Italiano, a FIVA Identity Card from the Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens, a RIAR Certificato di Rilevanza Storica from the Registro Italiano Alfa Romeo, the complete Italian registration history, comprising the Carta di Circolazione, Certificati di Proprietà, and Certificato Cronologico, dating back to 1983, U.S. title documents together with EPA and DOT import forms from 2016, an extensive photographic record of the 1980s restoration, from forgotten bodywork to a roadworthy car, including workshop photographs of the engine, chassis number, and interior, correspondence with coachwork expert Angelo Tito Anselmi regarding the choice of color, and both historical and recent photographs of the car in situ, including images from a concours event in Padua in 2010.

Also included are photographs of the 1980s restoration and invoices for recently completed maintenance work.

While no document can confirm with absolute certainty the identity of the car's original first owner, extensive research by marque specialists points strongly in that direction. What is certain is this: as possibly the only surviving example of the 1931 6C 1750 GTC Coupé Royal restored to factory specification, this car represents an opportunity that will rarely present itself again to the discerning Alfa Romeo collector. As a pre-war Alfa Romeo built in 1931, this GTC also falls within the eligible period for the modern Mille Miglia, and the model proved its suitability for this event as early as 1932, when a related, lightweight version of the same GTC won its class in the original race. As such, this car qualifies for entry into one of the world's most celebrated regularity rallies.

Interested, or have questions about this GTC? Please feel free to get in touch for further documentation, photographs, or a viewing.