1957 Alfa Romeo 1900 CSS

The destruction caused during World War II delayed Alfa Romeo's postwar production until 1947, and when it did start, it resumed production of the pre-war 2500C, continuing through 1952. The company's first all-new offering of the post-war period was the 1900, introduced in 1950. Designed by Dr. Orazio Satta Puliga and intended for volume production, it was the company's first model to employ unitary construction and was equipped with a twin-overhead-camshaft engine. The four-cylinder unit displaced 1,884cc and developed 90 horsepower. Approximately 16,593 examples of the Alfa Romeo 1900 were built by the time production ceased.

Throughout its lifespan, the 1900 was endowed with sporting designs that were complemented by its mechanical underpinnings. Period advertising declared it as 'the family car that wins races.' The 1900's potential was quickly realized with the arrival of the 1900C Sprint of 1951, wearing cabriolet coachwork by Pinin Farina and a coupe body by Touring. Both were equipped with the 100-horsepower engine of the 1900 TI sports saloon. The popularity of the Touring-bodied Sprint Coupe resulted in the subsequent adoption of its basic design for all future 'aerodynamic' Alfa Romeo coupés. Several other coachbuilders would cloth the 1900, and from 1951 to 1958, Alfa Romeo built five different variations of the 1900 unibody chassis specifically for independent coachbuilders. The famous B.A.T. cars (Berlina Aerodinamica Technica) developed by Alfa Romeo and Bertone were based on the 1900.

The close personal friendship that existed between Alfa General Manager Alessio and Carrozzeria Touring co-owner Ponzoni led to Touring assuming a position as the factory's preferred coachbuilder for 1900C models (the 'C' in 1900C denoted 'Corto' or Short Chassis - a wheelbase of 2,500mm, down from 2,630mm). All Corto chassis were completed with coachbuilt bodies.

The bodies built by Touring and Pinin Farina utilized mostly steel bodies with some alloy opening panels, while those from Zagato and Ghia featured all alloy body construction. The steel-bodied examples weighed approximately 2,400 lbs, while the lightweight alloy versions were in the neighborhood of 2,000 lbs.

Touring was commissioned to produce the factory's official coupé using their patented Superleggera technique. Pininfarina also built a small number of closed coupés on the 1900C using aluminum for the doors, bonnet, and boot.

Zagato clothed their first Super Sport in September of 1954, giving it an aluminum alloy body with Plexiglas windows. Approximately 39 Berlinettas (possibly fewer than 30) and two spiders were eventually built by Zagato (unofficial designation of 1900 SSZ), all of them prior to mid-1956. As many as six Super Sprint Zagatos raced in the 1955 Mille Miglia. Joakim Bonnier notably took first overall in his car at the 2-liter Sverige Grand Prix on August 7, 1955.

Swiss coachbuilder Worblaufen is believed to have created six 1900 CSS bodies. Worblaufen's first collaboration with Alfa Romeo was in 1934, when it created a body for the 6C 2300, and the relationship between the two companies continued on and off through 1958.

Ghia is known to have built a series of similar bodies to designs by Giovanni Savonuzzi on the 1900C SS, with each subtly different from the next.

The 1900C by Touring
Alfa Romeo identified the Touring cars in three series depending on the specification and body style, and the Alfa Romeo Register in the UK and USA now recognizes four.

First Series by Touring
The 'first-series' Alfa Romeo 1900C by Touring was produced from 1951 to 1953 as a five-window Superleggera Berlinetta with approximately 650 examples constructed (some sources say approximately 300). Styling elements of the five-window Berlinetta included lower rooflines, small rear windows, flush door handles, and longer doors. The 1,884cc four-cylinder engines were paired with four-speed gearboxes.

Second Series by Touring
Shortly after the Series 2 arrived in early 1954, the model was mildly restyled and upgraded as the Super Sprint, gaining a 1,975cc, 115bhp DOHC aluminum engine and five-speed gearbox. The Series 2 cars were set up with a single-chain camshaft drive, which differentiates them from the later Series 3 cars, which utilized double chains. The high-performance Tipo 1308 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder powerplant and twin Solex carburetors improved upon the base 1900's already respectable performance, with the 115 horsepower stated output enough to propel the lightweight car to a top speed of nearly 120 mph.

The five-speed gearbox had synchromesh on the second, third, and fourth gears, and there were front disc brakes with large Alfin drums at the rear. Suspension is independent in the front with double wishbones and hydraulic telescoping shock absorbers. Notwithstanding its solid rear axle, the suspension provided excellent all-around driving performance.

Approximately 540 examples of the second-series three-window 1900C Super Sprint with Touring coachwork were built (some sources say fewer than 160).

Series Three by Touring
The hand-built alloy body by Touring had Perspex rear windows that replaced the heavier glass. The Borrani wire wheels have alloy rims and are mounted on large Alfin double-leading shoe, self-adjusting brake drums with cooling ducts in front. The column shift five-speed all-synchro gearbox had carefully selected ratios to match the torque and RPM curve of the high specification, twin-cam 'Tipo 1308' series engine.

Approximately 477 examples of the Series III were built.

Series Four by Touring
The Alfa Romeo 1900 model was updated in late 1955, gaining the 1975 cubic centimeter motor from the outgoing SS and TI versions. Henceforth known as the Super Sprint (1900C Super Sprints (CSS)), the factory-specified coupe bodywork continued to be tasked to Touring of Milan. Touring introduced a new version, known as the Tipo 4, of their prior 1900 coachwork for the Super Sprint. It had one window per side, while the outgoing coupe had a two-window configuration. The prior car's rear-fender bulges were eliminated in favor of straight, streamlined haunches.

Production continued through 1958, and fewer than 600 examples (approximately 571) of the Touring Tipo 4 Coupe were built.

by Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2019