1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B

Arriving at Alfa Romeo in 1923, Vittorio Jano oversaw the development of the P2 Grand Prix car that won several Grand Prix victories and claimed the first manufacturer's champion for Alfa Romeo in 1925. His expertise was also used on its road cars resulting in some of the most exciting vehicles of its era. A series of six-cylinder models were produced between 1927 and 1933, known as the 6C, and built in various specifications. Among them were the Super Sport and Gran Sport equipped with twin overhead camshafts, hemispherical combustion chambers, and a Roots-Type supercharger.

The P2 had been powered by a straight-eight-cylinder engine displacing 1,987cc, but it did not use the 8C designation. That designation was applied to the eight-cylinder road and racing Alfa Romeos built from 1931 to 1939. The engine initially displaced 2,336cc, eventually growing to 2,905cc. The engine used two alloy four-cylinder blocks with a common crankcase that also incorporated the heads. The bore and stroke were the same as the 6C 1750, and so were the pistons and rods. A central gear tower drove the superchargers, overhead camshafts and ancillaries.

Production cars using the 8C engine included the 8C 2300 of 1931 through 1935, and the 8C 2900 of 1936 to 1941. Racing versions included the Tipo B or P3 Monoposto, the first genuine single-seat racing car in Grand Prix racing and it dominated the competition in the 1932 season, winning almost at will.

The Alfa Romeo 8C 2300, initially designed as a racing car, had 188 examples produced for road use. Tazio Nuvolari drove an 8C 2300 Spider to victory at the 1931 and 1932 Targa Florio race in Sicily, and the 1931 Italian Grand Prix victory at Monza gave the 'Monza' name to the twin-seater Grand Prix car, a shortened version of the Spider. The 8C 2300 Tipo Le Mans won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1931, 1932, 1933, and 1934.

As the well-funded German Grand Prix teams became more dominant during the mid-1930s, Alfa Romeo shifted its goals, putting more focus on sportscar and road racing, including Italy's most famous road race, the Mille Miglia. Mercedes-Benz and Auto-Union (the 'silver arrows') entered Grand Prix competition in 1934, and it soon became clear that the Alfa Romeo suspension system of rigid axles on semi- or quarter-elliptic springs was outdated. Since the Auto Union's suspension had proven effective, Alfa Romeo contracted their designer - the Porsche design office - to design new all-independent suspension systems for the 6C2300B (Project number 63) and the 8C2900 (Project number 69). At the same time, Alfa Romeo's technical department in Milan was working on a new rigid frame to replace the prior flexible frames.

Alfa Romeo had introduced the 6C2300 model in 1934 as a replacement for the previous six-cylinder models but featured chain-driven overhead camshafts rather than gear-driven ones. The following year, the semi-elliptic spring suspension and chassis were replaced with a new all-independent setup employing double trailing arms with enclosed spring/damper units in the front and torsion bars at the rear. In this guise, it was called the 6C2300B.

Alfa Romeo would use a similar suspension as on the 6C2300B for the replacement of the 8C2300 model, the 8C2900. Although similar, it used a completely different rear setup with swing axles, radius arms, and a transverse leaf spring. A pair of shock absorbers were located on each side, one hydraulic, the other an adjustable friction type. Adjustments were made by cable on the early cars, and hydraulic in later examples. To cope with swing axle effects, a system was designed which effectively shortened the spring length independently on either side.

The Tipo C Grand Prix cars used in the Italian Grand Prix in September 1935 had similar design features, however, early examples (as well as the first 8C2900 sports car), used horizontal spring/damper units at the front. By 1936, these were changed to vertical.

Instead of the 8C2300, the engine powering the 8C2900 was a development of the Grand Prix Tipo B, with fixed head and block units, magneto ignition, twin updraft Weber carburetors, and twin superchargers.

The first 8C2900A appeared in October of 1935 at the Paris Salon wearing open spider coachwork built 'in house' by Carrozzeria Alfa and was painted in two different colours, separated by a curved line along the side. It was devoid of louvers in the bonnet, an unusual design feature of the era, but utilized several small openable vents down each side of the bonnet. Later in the year, a second similar example was displayed at the Milan show.

Alfa Romeo's production of civilian and racing vehicles declined drastically in 1936 as its resources were focused on supporting the Italian war effort in Africa. They built military equipment, trucks, and aero engines, and did manage to build four cars for Scuderia Ferrari wearing minimalistic bodies similar to those of a Tipo C Grand Prix car but with cycle wings. In this guise, they won the Spa 24 Hours and the Mille Miglia in convincing fashion, placing 1st, 2nd, and 3rd.

A Carrozzeria Alfa Spider was displayed near the end of the season, at the Paris Salon wearing a similar paint scheme as the 1935 Milan show car. A few months later, that same car was displayed at the 1936 Milan show but with another spider with white central bodywork and red wings. In the first part of 1937, another spider was displayed at the Berlin and Geneva shows wearing a single dark color.

Scuderia Ferrari placed first and second in 1937 Mille Miglia, and Pietro Ghersi won the Pontedecimo-Giovi Hillclimb in October of that year. This was the final event run by Scuderia Ferrari as the Alfa Romeo Works racing team.

Alfa Romeo built ten examples of the 2900A, with five in 1935 and five in 1936. The 2900A cars rested on a 2.75-meter wheelbase and one example was sold with the Mille Miglia style bodywork. The other examples wore Carrozzeria Alfa bodywork and two original examples survive today, however, their firewall plates identify them as 8C2900B (perhaps to convince buyers they were a new car?).

The 8C2900B was built on two wheelbase platforms, a Corto (short chassis) version measuring 2.80 meters and a 3.00-meter wheelbase for the lungo. Several concessions were made in regards to comfort, including the detuning of the engine, a compression ratio of 5.75:1, and more aluminum castings compared to the magnesium ones on the race cars.

Carrozzeria Touring designed two drawings, number 977 (a coupe on a long chassis) and 979 (a spider on a short chassis). Number 979 had been built for an American client MacLure Halley. It is believed that the first spider on a short chassis was built on chassis number 412011 - the London Motor Show car displayed in October of 1937. The first coupe (a.k. Berlinetta) was chassis number 412020, the October 1937 Paris Salon car. 412011 and 412020 were later shown at the Berlin show in early 1938 and sold to German customers. Mr. Halley's car (chassis 412014) and the first Berlinetta were shown at the Mila Show in November of 1937.

Five spiders were built with Carrozzeria Touring coachwork for the 1938 Mille Miglia, where they finished first and second. The engine in the first place car was more similar to the 3-liter Tipo 308 Grand Prix car than a production 8C2900B. Works cars were also victories at the Spa 24 Hour race in Belgium along with several hill climbs.

For the 1938 Le Mans 24 Hour race, a one-off racing Berlinetta (chassis 412033) was created. While most cars had open configuration, the Alfa Le Mans Speciale wore a streamlined coupe body built by Carrozzeria Touring. Driven by Sommer and Biondetti, it proved to be exceptionally quick during the early part of the race before it was forced to retire due to a blown front tire that exploded with such force that it severely damaged the bodywork. Tire trouble was followed by a dropped valve. At the time of its retirement, it had a lead of over 160 km over the next car.

Along with chassis 412011 and 412014, Touring built four additional spiders (412024, 412029, 412035, and 412036) on short chassis before switching to long chassis platforms. These larger vehicles were generally heavier than the Berlinettas due to the steel used in the bodywork compared to aluminum in the Berlinettas.

A total of thirty-two examples of the 2900B were built during regular production, with ten in 1937, and twenty-two the following year. Another 2900B was assembled from parts in 1941. Carrozzeria Touring provided coachwork for most of these, with a few by Pininfarina. Chassis number 412012 began life as a cycle-fender competition car, later lengthened and re-bodied by Pinin Farina with Cabriolet bodywork. Later in life, it came to the United States where it received a Chrysler engine.

After Scuderia Ferrari's departure, Alfa Corse (an in-house racing team for Alfa Romeo) took over the racing duties. They

by Dan Vaughan

MM Spyder by Touring

This 1938 Alfa Romeo 2900B MM is one of four created by Alfa Romeo to compete in the 1938 Mille Miglia race. It was powered by an engine that produced an impressive 255 horsepower and fitted into an advanced chassis that featured an independent adjustable suspension.

This is the actual car that won the 1938 Mille Miglia race. It was driven by Clemente Biondetti, an individual who would have a very distinguished racing career, winning the World Formula One Championship in 1950 driving a Ferrari 166S. He won the Mille Miglia in 1938, and 1947-1949. He won the Targa Florio on two occasions, 1948 and 1949.

The current resting place for this car is the Simone Foundation Museum located in Philadelphia, PA.

by Dan Vaughan

MM Spyder by Touring
Chassis number: 412030

Four 8C-2900 team cars were built by Alfa and Carrozzeria Touring for the 1938 Mille Miglia. Alfa dominated the race, and this car, driven by Carlo Pintacuda, led for most of the thousand-mile contest. At the last checkpoint, a brake problem sidelined it for 14-minutes, causing it to finish second by a mere two minutes. The car was later bought from Alfa Corse by Count Felice Trossi, and in the 1940s it came to the US in the ownership of Tommy Lee, who raced it at Pikes Peak and Watkins Glen. A young mechanic by the name of Phil Hill bought the car from the Lee estate and he drove it to victory at Pebble Beach, winning the Del Monte Cup in 1951. Ralph Lauren purchased the car in 2004. After restoration by Paul Russell and Company, returning the car to its Mille Miglia configuration, it was featured in an exhibit in the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston called 'Speed, Style and Beauty; Cars from the Ralph Lauren Collection.'

Coupe by Touring

Evolving from the successful 1936 8C 2900A, the 1938 2900B is the highly cultured son of the grand champion athlete. Hidden under the long and graceful hood lives an engine with a racing heritage. The 2900 cc straight eight cylinder supercharged masterpiece features dual camshafts, dual magnetos and dry sump oiling. Despite reduced compression compared to 2900A, it still produces an astounding 180 horsepower, delivered through a four-speed gearbox.

Two of Italy's finest designers provided appropriate coachwork for the 2900B, Carrozzeria Touring and Stabilimenti Farina. Only thirty examples were produced and each is somewhat unique.

This car is one of five coupes bodied by Touring. Delivered new in Italy, the car was raced prior to World War II. Postwar, Frank Griswold purchased the car and claimed the inaugural Seneca Cup at Watkins Glen. This race eventually became the United States Grand Prix. The current owner acquired the car in 1980 and undertook a four-year restoration. The car participates in rallies regularly in the United States and South Africa and has accumulated 40,000 kilometers since.

Roadster by Farina

This Alfa is believed to be one of the prototypes for the 1938 Mille Miglia. The car was owned in 1938 by the famous Italian racing champion Giuseppe Farina. The coachwork was made by Stablimenti Farina of Torino, Italy. This is the only example of a 2.9 Alfa with Stablimenti Farina coachwork.

The 2.9 liter Alfas, with a top speed of 109 miles per hour, were the fastest sports cars built before the Second World War. There were fewer than forty 2.9 Alfas built. This particular car has all the original parts, chassis, engine and body.

Berlinetta by Touring

No sports car in the world of the thirties was faster than the immortal Two-Nine. That it was also the most elegant high-performance automobile of its era is widely believed as well.

The 8C 2900B was built because Alfa Romeo wanted to continue dominating Italy's Mille Miglia race. It also needed a production car to replace the 8C 2300. The 2900 chassis with its supercharged 2905 cc, 180 bhp engine proved to satisfy both needs. Three cars were entered in the 1936 Mille Miglia and finished in order.

Only a handful of 2900Bs - not more than 30 - were produced from 1937-1939. Several of the long-wheelbase models were produced in 1938, including this car, which was exhibited at the Paris Automobile Salon that fall.

In 1947, dealer and sometimes racer Emillio Romano acquired the car to race in the Mille Miglia with co-driver Clemente Biondetti. Their victory represented the fourth for the Two-Nine, and the eleventh and last for the Alfa Romeo.

by Historical notes courtesy of The Collier Collection

Spider by Touring

The '8C' in this car's model name refers to the fact that the engine has eight cylinders. The straight-eight engine was designed by legendary engineer Vittorio Jano, and variants powered a wide range of Alfa Romeo racing and road cars from 1931 to 1939.

The '2900B' designation indicates that it was the second variation of the engine with 2900cc displacement.

This model was a forerunner of future Alfa Romeos. It featured 17-inch hydraulic brakes, fully independent suspension and a four-speed rear transaxle.

The engine is a dry sump design with twin magnetos and twin Roots-Type superchargers fed by two Weber carburetors, putting out 220 horsepower.

When it was built, the 8C 2900B was the fastest production car in the world, with a top speed of 140 miles per hour. Not surprisingly, 8C 2900B's took first and second place in the 1938 Mille Miglia.

The 8C 2900B displayed here, with a body by Touring, was originally owned by the Maharaja of Indore, and spent 20 years in the Ralph Lauren collection before being purchased by the current owner.

Berlinetta by Touring
Chassis number: 412035

The 8C 2900B was Alfa Romeo's most prestigious grand touring car of the 1930s. Only 33 examples were ever completed for road use, and most were bodied by Carrozzeria Touring. The body on this car was unique; one of six privately commissioned Berlinettas, it was used in several advertisements by Alfa during the period. Based on the successful motorsports engineering of the 2900A, this road version of the 2900B featured a 180 bhp 8-cylinder engine with dual superchargers and twin overhead camshafts installed on a box-type chassis with all-around independent suspension. This car won the first Watkins Glen Grand Prix in 1948, when it was owned and driven by Frank Griswold. It was more recently owned by David Cohen for 25 years; he used it in local rallies in East London, South Africa, before moving it to Vancouver, Canada.

The Alfa Romeo 8C2900B was an elegant blend of advanced styling and engineering. It was the most technically advanced and sophisticated sports car of its era. The men responsible for this model were engineer Vittorio Jano (designer of Alfa Romeo's P-Series Grand Prix racers and road-going sporting models) and body stylist Felice Bianchi Anderloni (founder of the coachbuilding firm Carrozzeria Touring in Milan). With the help of chief designer Aquino Gilardi, Anderloni helped pioneer Superleggera (super light) body construction. Instead of using heavy frames and rigid axles like so many other competitors, Alfa Romeo employed an intricate latticework of lightweight but rigid steel tubes that formed the framework for the elegant, hand-fashioned aluminum body shell. Shapes were tested by attaching felt strips to the body and the car was photographed while moving to record how wind flowed over and around it.

This Berlinetta (Italian for 'sports coupe') has a sharply raked windscreen, fastback roof, and teardrop-shaped rear fenders. In total, Alfa Romeo built just thirty 8C2900s on two-wheelbase sizes. This car sits on the longer-wheelbase version (the long were known as 'lungo' while the short were 'corto') and has unusual bonnet-side louvers that extend into the cowl scuttle, extended front fenders, and distinctive slotted rear spots (fender skirts).

Powering this car is a slightly detuned 2.9-liter Alfa Romeo competition powerplant that has 16-valves, dual overhead cams, and a supercharged inline-8. It produces 180 horsepower in this form, while the competition motors were rated at 220 horsepower. The wheelbase measures 118 inches, top speed is achieved at around 115 mph, and there is a four-speed manual transaxle.

This Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B with its Superleggera (super lightweight) body first appeared in several Alfa ads. It is one of six similar couples but is subtly different from the other five. Moreover, the car holds an important place in racing in the United States; it won the very first race at Watkins Glen in 1948 - a full decade after its creation. The car was first registered to the Societa Anonima Montecatini in Milan, then passed through the hands of M. Wehrli, M. Berchtold, Adolf Scherz, Frank Griswold (who brought it to the United States from Switzerland and piloted it to the win at Watkins Glen), David Park, Paul Hatmon, Donald Vershley, and David Cohen before being purchased by Jon Shirley in 2005, who restored it and brought it to Pebble Beach, taking the top prize in 2008.

Spider by Touring
Chassis number: 412022

The Alfa Romeo 8C 2900s were at the forefront of engineering and streamlining in the late 1930s. This together with lightweight Superleggera body from Touring made the 8C one of the fastest and most sought after motorcars of its day. Despite appearing on their stand at the 1938 London Motorshow, the Brooklands-based Thompson and Taylor company first sold this car, the second spider built, in 1945. Over the years the car has been owned by many notable collectors including two Lords and several noted marque aficionados. Some have raced it and some have enjoyed its racing pedigree only on the road. After a test drive Alfa expert Ed McDonough said, 'It is the epitome of a vastly expensive and valuable collector's classic, but in its heart, it's a race car with a 70-year-old engine still zinging down the sweeping lanes.'

Berlinetta by Touring

The high-performance Berlinetta 8C 2900B is powered by a 2.9-liter 8C engine derived from the grand prix single-seat Tipo B from 1934. It has twin superchargers and suspension and brakes based on Alfa racing cars from 1935 to 1937. These were some of the fastest road-going cars of their time. The Superleggera body by Touring of Milan is built in lightweight alloy over a latticework of small-diameter steel tubes assembled over the chassis. An 8C 2900B Lungo bodied by Touring won the 1947 Mille Miglia, driven by Romano and Biondetti, the last of the eleven wins at the Mille Miglia by Alfa Romeo.

Spider by Touring

The 8C-2900 Alfa Romeos were among the fastest production cars of their day. Powered by a 180HP DOHC 2905cc inline eight-cylinder supercharged engine, they were tough to beat on racing circuits throughout the world. Combined with a 'Superleggera' or super lightweight chassis from Touring of Milan, they were pretty much considered unstoppable by their contemporaries of the era. Cloaked in equally beautiful coachwork, these Alfas remain one of the most sought-after cars in the world today as they were when new. Available in both short- and long-wheelbase versions and in a variety of body styles, records indicate that a total of 36 2.9-litre Alfas were produced from 1935-1939.

This car is one of five short-wheelbase (110-inch) versions built of which four are known to exist today. Other than having been repainted in 1950, it is totally unrestored and in its original condition. As one of only five built, it has distinctive features expected on individually coachbuilt cars - side cowl vents for cockpit ventilation, large headlamp nacelles nestled in the catwalk between the fender and hood, a slightly narrower body, rear wheel spats, and sleek flush-mounted triple taillights on each side of the rear deck. Little is known of the car's history prior to WWII other than it spent time in Switzerland as evidenced by a pre-war 'Kanton-Bern' registration tag on its firewall. It became a part of the current owner's collection in 1986.

Lungo Roadster by Touring

The 8C 2900 Alfa Romeo was among the fastest production cars of its day. Powered by an 2905cc/180 HP DOHC inline eight-cylinder supercharged engine, they were tough to beat on racing circuits throughout the world. Combined with a Superleggera (super lightweight) chassis and cloaked in equally beautiful coachwork from Touring of Milan, Italy, the 2900 has become among the most sought-after cars. Available in both short- and long-wheelbase versions and in a variety of body styles, records indicate that a total of 32 2.9-liter Alfas were produced from 1935-1939.

Derived from the 1936 8C 2900A, the 1938 2900B is the refined offspring of a grand champion. Under the long and elegant hood is an engine with a racing heritage, the supercharged 2.9 liter straight eight with dual camshafts, dual magnetos and dry sump oiling. It produces 180 horsepower through a four-speed gearbox. On the track, the 2900 competition cars became the most successful of their time, a testament to Alfa's racing experience. A trio of 2900As placed first-second-third at the 1936 Mille Miglia, while three more achieved the same results in 1938.

Carrozzeria Touring, one of Italy's finest coach builders provided most of the bodies for the 2900B. Just 30 examples were produced; each somewhat unique. After producing six Spyder bodies on the shorter Corto chassis, Touring produced another set of Spyders on the longer Lungo chassis. The Spyder was particularly graceful in silhouette, longer and decidedly more elegant than the shorter Corto. A soft top was provided, but didn't offer any side-window protection except for chassis 412023 which had full-size side windows. Just seven Lungo Spyders were built.

The 2900 chassis was prepared similarly to the competition cars with twin trailing arms up front and swing-arm suspension in the rear with both friction and hydraulic shocks. The engine was similar to the Tipo B unit but made from new castings in aluminum instead of magnesium.

The early history of this car is unknown. The first documented sighting of it was in Cairo, Egypt, in 1942, most likely in the hands of a diplomat. From there, it has had numerous owners in both Europe and the United States. Its restoration was completed in 1995 and it has been in the collection of its current owner since December of 2008.

Spider by Touring

The 8C 2900 was built in two series, the racing 2900A and the road-going 2900B. In May of 1938 Touring delivered the first of their Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Long Wheelbase Lungo Spiders. These early 2900A supercars were capable of matching most other cars on the racing circuit and many of the 2900B models were also raced. Touring-bodied Alfa Romeos were first to see the checkered flag at the Mille Miglia in 1938 when a 2900B Spider and a 2900B Berlinetta won in 1947, both driven by Clemente Biondetti.

This car is the 4th 2900B Lungo to be bodied by Touring and was delivered to its first owner in England through Alfa's British importer, Thompson & Taylor of Brooklands. After the war, it was brought to the United States and was owned for a time by Luigi Chinetti.

Vittorio Jano was responsible for the design of the magnificent engineering marvel, the 8C 2300. The name was formed by following Alfa Romeo's naming convention; the 8C represented the eight-cylinder engine while the 2300 represented the cubic-capacity. The engine is comprised of two four-cylinder engines with the cylinders aligned in a row. Central gearing drives the overhead twin camshafts. A Roots-type supercharger was used to force air to the carburetor aiding in the production of 140 horsepower. Further modifications to the OHV engine increased the horsepower output to nearly 180.

The first 8C 2300 made an appearance in prototype form at the 1931 Mille Miglia. Two Grand Prix 8C 2300 models were later entered in the Italian Grand Prix at Monza where they finished first and second. In honor of this achievement, Alfa Romeo used the name 'Monza' on all their 8C 2300 Grand Prix vehicles. In 1932 the 8C 2300 became a dominant force, winning at Targa Florio followed by three consecutive victories at Le Mans. It was undefeated at the Grand Prix circuit, defeating the powerful Mercedes SSK and SSKL models and brining an end to their dominance. It achieved many prestigious victories such as the Spa 24 Hours and the Monaco Grand Prix and more. Compliments of the vehicle's capabilities and durability.

The 8C 2300 was available in a wide variety of body styles including short and long wheel-based chassis. The long-wheelbase was dubbed 'Lungo' while the short-wheelbase was 'Corto'. The Lungo models were suitable for traveling on the open roads at high speeds while the Corto models were smaller, lighter, and more agile, suitable for racing, many being prepared by Scuderia Ferrari. The Lungo series produced 140 horsepower with a 4.25 final drive. The Spider Corsas often featured a 165 horsepower engine built specifically to satisfy customer specifications. A 3.76:1 or 4.08:1 final drive was left to the customer to select.

As was customary at the time, many of the automobiles were supplied to custom coachbuilders such as Pininfarina, Figoni, Touring, Castagna, and Zagato. The results were uniquely designed and eloquently outfitted automobiles that were both works of art and high-performance machines.

The 8C 2300 was produced from 1931 through 1933. During their production life span, only 188 examples were produced. By today's standards, many 8C 2300 models easily sell for over a million dollars.

8C 35

The Alfa Romeo 8C-35 was a Scuderia Ferrari works car which raced at Monza, Modena, Nurburgring, Lucca, Monaco, and more. They were driven by famous drivers such as Dreyfus, Farina, Brivio, and Nuvolari.

One of the most historical races for the 8C-35 was at Coppa Cieno. Nuvolari's Alfa Romeo Tipo C 12C-36 suffered a broken transaxle after only two laps. He ran to the pits and got into an 8C-35. By the time Nuvolari re-entered the race, he was already seven laps down. By the time the race concluded, Nuvolari was in first place.

8C 2900

The 8C 2900 was built in two series, the 2900A and the 2900B. The 8C represented the engine size, a straight-eight powerplant while the 2900 represented the size of the engine, 2905 cc. The engine was created by mounting two four-cylinder alloy blocks on a single crankcase. With the twin Roots-type superchargers attached, the 2.9-liter engine could produce between 180 hp for the 8C 2900B and 220 hp for the 8C 2900A. The suspension was all-independent with wishbones in the front and the rear had swing-axles.

The Alfa Romeo 8C 2900A was a two-seater with Grand Prix-style bodywork. They were purpose-built to race and win at Italy's famous Mille Miglia. In 1936, three examples were entered and were able to capture a first through third finish. A year later, they repeated their success again capturing the top three places. The success of the 2900A spawned the decision to create a road-going version that Alfa Romeo could supply to its customers. The 8C 2900B models were built upon two different wheelbases and had bodies that were very aerodynamic. Similar to the 2900A mechanically, the 2900B models were given a de-tuned engine that produced 40 horsepower less than the 2900A but still fast enough to be claimed the fastest production vehicle in the world with a top speed of nearly 110 mph. The Corto was short 2800mm wheelbase version while the Lungo was the long 3000 mm wheelbase version. As was customary at the time, custom coachbuilders were often tasked with building the bodies. The 2900B had most of its coachwork handled by Touring of Italy. The vehicles could be purchased in Berlinetta, Roadster, or Spyder bodies. These supercars were not only fast but they were expensive too. Since they were mechanically capable to match most vehicles on the racing circuit, many of the 2900B models were raced. Alfa Romeo constructed 13 examples of the 8C 2900B but with the 220 hp engine and most with Roadster bodies. In 1938 and in 1947, the 2900B with the 220 hp engine was able to capture the checkered flag at the Mille Miglia.

During its production lifespan, only 41 examples were produced. Three wee type 8C 2900 A with the remaining being the type B.

8C 2900B Spyder

Evolving from the successful 1936 8C 2900A, the 2900B is the highly cultured son of the grand champion athlete. Hidden under the long and graceful hood lives an engine with a racing heritage. The 2900 cc straight eight-cylinder supercharged masterpiece features dual camshafts, dual magnetos, and dry-sump oiling. Despite reduced compression compared to 2900A, it still produces an astounding 180 horsepower, delivered through a four-speed gearbox.

Two of Italy's finest designers provided appropriate coachwork for the 2900B, Carrozzeria Touring, and Stabilimenti Farina. Only thirty examples were produced and each is somewhat unique.

by Dan Vaughan