1947 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500

The Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 was among the first Italian sports car to go into production when World War II came to a close and peacetime resumed. The 6C 2500 replaced the Alfa Romeo 6C 2300 in 1939 and was a favorite to be clothed by coachbuilders. The engine design of the 6C 2500 can trace its roots to the grand pre-war racing machines, beginning with the 6C 1500 first used in 1927 and based on the P2 Grand Prix Car, the work of Hungary-Italian designer Vittorio Jano. The twin overhead-cam six-cylinder engine helped establish the marque's reputation and was used for both competition and touring cars. In 1934, the engine increased to 1,750cc and then 2,300cc in 1934, and from 1936 was fitted in the 6C 2300 B which featured all-round independent suspension. By 1939, the displacement of the engine had grown to 2.5-liters and powered the very expensive 6C 2500. The fairly rigid bodies of the early 1930s evolved alongside the engineering, developing into a much more streamlined design. A variety of coachbuilders applied their skill and expertise to these sporting chassis, leading to very elegant Berlinetta and cabriolet versions.

The Portello factory was devastated by the bombing during the war, and Alfa Romeo did not resume car production until 1945. Coachbuilders adapted the 1930s design to quickly deal with the immediate demand. Production of the 6C 2500 remained exclusive and expensive, offered in limited numbers until 1953. Over a fourteen-year period, 2,594 examples of the 6C 2500 were built (all versions). Between 1942 and 1953, 425 Super Sport chassis were built, with 171 of these given to Pininfarina. Of these 171, it is believed that 63 were bodied as cabriolets. These were the last of the 'grand style' Alfa Romeos, as the company shifted production to more affordable models that could be produced in greater numbers.

The post-War 6C 2500 was the last of the separate-chassis Alfas. Although the box-section chassis was no longer modern or state-of-the-art, it had an all-independent suspension, large brakes, fast-geared steering, and a column-mounted gear-change. The engine was the latest version of Alfa's 2,443cc engine with power ranging from 90 bhp in single-carburetor Sport guise to 105 bhp in the triple-carburetor Super Sport. The Turismo, Sport, and Super Sport had different wheelbases, with the Turismo being the longest.

The majority of bespoke, hand-built examples were bodied by Touring as Superleggera coupes, with many of the remainder bodied by Pinin Farina as cabriolets.

by Daniel Vaughan | Mar 2020