- The Alfa Romeo 1900 dates its introduction all the way back to 1950, when it launched with the slogan “The family car that wins races.”
- The 1900C Super Sprint followed shortly after, bringing additional horsepower and a body by Touring.
- This car is one of approximately 854 Super Sprints built during four years of production and has been owned by the seller since 1971.
The past week has been a bit of an emotional roller coaster for us. We were devastated by last week’s announcement that Alfa Romeo is discontinuing its Quadrifoglio models for North America after 2024. Then we spotted the Bring a Trailer listing for this stunning 1957 Alfa Romeo 1900C Super Sprint, and we were immediately brought back to life. There is good in the world! Not that we could afford it. But fortunately for us, we can be content to gaze at the beauty and charm wrapped up in the little Alfa.
When it was launched in 1950, Alfa Romeo marketed the 1900 as “The family car that wins races.” It was the first Alfa Romeo vehicle to be built and produced on an assembly line, which more than cut manufacturing time in half. The 1900C Super Sprint quickly followed as a more powerful model. This particular 1900C is one of approximately 854 Super Sprints built during four years of production.
According to the Bring a Trailer listing, the vehicle was completed on June 10, 1957, and delivered in Heidelberg, Germany, later that month. The car made its way to the United States in the 1960s, before the current seller—a former Alfa Romeo Owners Club president —purchased it in Connecticut in 1971.
The Alfa has a 2.0-liter DOHC inline-four that received a later-style cylinder head before being raced, to spare the factory cylinder head (and the removed cylinder head is included in this sale). The engine pairs with a five-speed manual transmission. The twin Solex downdraft carburetors were retained. The car also features independent front suspension and finned hydraulic drum brakes. Inside, there’s a wood-rimmed Nardi steering wheel; outside, there’s a set of Borrani wire wheels.
The listing describes the car as undergoing a recommissioning after it was brought to the U.S. before the seller spent several years campaigning it through Vintage Sports Car Club of America racing in the Northeast. The Alfa was then placed in storage until 2003, when it began a restoration process that included repainting the original blue Touring coachwork in dark red with an aubergine roof and retrimming the blue leather and cloth interior.
While we’re not the biggest fans of the current color scheme, there’s no denying it’s a conversation starter. Plus, the cognoscenti have decided it was worth awarding some ribbons throughout the years. After the restoration was completed, the Alfa won awards at the 2009 Greenwich Concours d’Elegance, 2010 Lime Rock Sunday in the Park Concours, 2016 Amelia Island Concours, 2018 Atlanta Concours, and the 2022 Hilton Head Concours, as well as the Certificato d’Oro at the National Alfa Romeo Convention.
The car comes with paperwork and model-related literature, along with a title that labels the car as a 1958 model. The auction ends on Saturday, February 24.
Jack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1.
After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf.