1950 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Supergioiello Coupe

This Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Coupe is one of four 'Supergioiello' or jewel coupes built by Carrozzeria Ghia. The car is the only example constructed on an advanced tubular chassis built by Gilco Milano, the company owned by Gilberto Columbo, who later designed and built several special Ferrari and Maserati chassis through the 1950s. Three other similar cars were built on Alfa Romeo's own 6C chassis as well as a few Fiat 1100 and 1400 Ghia Supergioiellos designed by Giovanni Michelotti.

This unique Alfa Romeo was ordered by SIRCA, Milan's largest car distributor at the time, and the chassis was built to accept the standard Alfa 6C 2500SS mechanical components. The car's early history is not known, but by the late 1950s, it was registered in England, where, decades later, it resurfaced in unrestored condition in the late 1990s. Its current owner had just finished a full restoration before it was shown at the 2019 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.

Carrozzeria Ghia & Gariglio was established in 1916 by Giacinto Ghia and Gariglio in Italy as an automobile design and coachbuilding firm. The company was prosperous, and its lightweight aluminum coachwork was in high demand. Their fortunes, however, took a turn during World War II when the company's factory was destroyed during an air raid in 1943, and a year later, Ghia passed away. Its reputation and established nameplate attracted Mario Boano and Giorgio Alberti to purchase the firm. The Ghia-Aigle subsidiary was established in Aigle, Switzerland, in 1948.

Sig. Boano was a veteran of the Italian coachbuilding industry, and his resume included working for both Stabilimenti Farina and Pinin Farina prior to WWII. Boano left the company in 1953 following differences with the chief engineer and designer Luigi Segre; ownership passed to Segre in 1954 and continued through 1957, when Giovanni Savonuzzi became Direttore Tecnico Progettazione e Produzione Carrozzerie e Stile and continued to improve upon the legacy of Carrzoeria Ghia, helping it become one of the most influential styling firms in Italy.

Ghia built a reputation for its one-off custom coach-built bodies, but it was the limited-series production of bodies on more modest chassis that allowed it to remain in business. Among its 'bread-and-butter' line of coach-built bodies were for the Fiat 1100 and 1400 platforms. The so-called 'Gioiello' and 'Supergioiello' designs were sporting cabriolets, with the former believed to be built on the Fiat 1100 and the latter on the Fiat 1400. 'Supergioiello' translates to 'Super Jewel,' and its design is believed to be the work of Italian designer Giovanni Michelotti.

Ghia's Supergioiello was not strictly reserved for the Fiat 1400, as four coupe bodies were built atop the Alfa Romeo 6C 2500. Although hand built, the outcomes were similar, with steeply raked windscreens, compact greenhouses, graceful profiles, and wheel discs. Prince Igor Troubetzkoy acquired the first example for his wife, Barbara Hutton. The second example wore a traditional Alfa Romeo grille when it made its debut in May 1950 at the Torino Auto Show. A year later, it won first prize at the Concorso d'Eleganza della Carrozzeria at the Pincio Terrace in Italy. The third example wore a two-tone color scheme and was unveiled in August of 1950 at the Concorso d'Eleganza del Lido di Venezia. This particular example is the fourth and final Supergioiello Coupe in this series.

This example wears a two-tone color scheme and has flush door handles, subtle tail fins, and redesigned frontal treatment. The first three examples rested atop the Alfa Romeo 6C 2500's prewar-style ladder frame, the fourth example was given a modern tubular steel chassis manufactured by the Milan-based chassis specialist, Gilberto Colombo, or Gilco. Like the preceding three examples, this coupe employed Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 mechanical components, including the engine, gearbox, rear end, suspension, brakes, and radiator.

This Supergioiello Coupe was approved by the Ministry of Transportation in Milan on March 13th, 1951 (approval number 0064251). It is believed that it was built to special order for Societa Italiana Rappresentanze Commercio Automobili or S.I.R.C.A., the official agent for Carrozzeria Ghia in Milan.

Prior to 1961, little is known of the car's history. It appeared in an English advertisement in January of 1961 when it was offered for sale by Bunny Garage in Nottinghamshire. It was described as having right-hand drive, and a special Ghia body finished in blue/white. The car would pass through several English owners throughout the 1960s, including Alan John 'Adge' Cutler. In 1971, it was acquired by Douglas John Cartledge and remained in his family's ownership until October 1995. The car's next owner, Egon Zweimüller, acquired it at the Brooks Earls Court auction.

Following a 5,000-hour restoration, the car made its restoration debut in 1997 at Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este. It returned to the event in 2001, where it earned Best in Class honors.

Craig Davis of Pebble Beach, California, acquired the coupe in 2004 and sold it in 2007 to a collector in the Netherlands. Having regretted the decision, Mr. Davis re-acquired the vehicle a few years later. The current caretaker purchased it from Mr. Davis in 2016 and commissioned RX Autoworks of North Vancouver, BC, to perform a complete, concours-quality restoration. The work took two years to complete, and upon completion, it wore the color scheme of Bronze with a chocolate brown roof and matching interior. Restoration of the engine was performed by Phil Reilly & Company.

The Supergioiello Coupe was shown at the 2019 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance®, where it was awarded First in Class and Most Elegant Closed Car. Additional accolades include the Chairman's Award at Concours of Elegance Hampton Court Palace, Best in Class at The Quail, Best of Show at the Concours on the Avenue in Carmel, and Certificato d'Oro at the AROC National Convention.

By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2022