Alfa Romeo 6C

The Alfa Romeo 6C name was used on road, race and sports cars made between 1925–1954 by Alfa Romeo. 6C refers to a straight 6 engine. Bodies for these cars were made by coachbuilders such as James Young, Zagato, Touring, Castagna, and Pininfarina. Starting from 1933 there was also a 6C version with a factory Alfa body, built in Portello

6C 1500 (1925-1929)

6C 1500 Super Sport 1929 from Louwman Collection

In the mid-1920s, Alfa's RL was considered too large and heavy, so a new development began. The 2-liter formula that had led to Alfa Romeo winning the World Championship in 1925, changed to 1.5 liter for the 1926 season. The 6C1500 was introduced in 1925 at Milan, production started 1927, with the P2 Grand Prix car as starting point. Engine capacity was now 1487 cc, against the P2's 1987 cc, while supercharging was dropped. First versions were bodied by Young and Touring.
In 1928, a 6C Sport was released, with a dual overhead camshafts engine. Its sport version won many races, including the 1928 Mille Miglia. Total production was 3000 (200 with DOHC engine). Ten copies of a supercharged (compressore, compressor) Super Sport variant were also made.
Variants:

• 6C 1500, 44 bhp @ 4400 rpm, 109 km/h (68 mph) (1925–1929)
• 6C 1500 Sport, 54 bhp @ 4500 rpm, 125 km/h (78 mph) (1928–1929)- 171 cars
• 6C 1500 Super Sport compressore, 76 bhp @ 4800 rpm, 140 km/h (87 mph) (1928–1929)
• 6C 1500 TF, 84 bhp @ 5000 rpm (1928–1929)

[edit] 6C 1750 (1929-1933)

6C Gran Sport (1931)

6C 1750 GTC Touring (1931)

The more powerful 6C 1750 (1752 cc actual) was introduced in 1929 in Rome. Base model had a single overhead cam; Super Sport and Gran Sport versions had DOHC. Again, a supercharger was available. Total production was 369.
Variants:

• 6C 1750 Turismo, 46 bhp @ 4000 rpm, 109 km/h (68 mph) (1929–1933)
• 6C 1750 Sport/Gran Turismo, 55 bhp @ 4400 rpm, 125 km/h (78 mph) (1929–1932)
• 6C 1750 Super Sport/Gran Sport, 64 bhp @ 4500 rpm, 130 km/h (81 mph) (1929–1932)
• 6C 1750 Super Sport/Gran Sport compressore,85 bhp @ 4500 rpm, 145 km/h (90 mph) (1929–1932)
• 6C 1750 Gran Turismo compressore, 80 bhp @ 4400 rpm, 135 km/h (84 mph) (1931–1932)
• 6C 1750 Super Sport/Gran Sport/TF, 85 bhp @ 4800 rpm, 170 km/h (110 mph) (1929–1930)

[edit] 6C 1900 (1933)

6C 1900 Gran Sport (1933) at Auto e Moto d'Epoca 2008.

The last derivate of original 1500 version the 6C 1900 with an 1917 cc engine was introduced in 1933, now with an aluminium head for the first time. With 68 brake horsepower this version could achieve top speed of 130 kilometres per hour (81 mph). The 1900 version is very rare as only 197 copies were made before it was replaced by 6C 2300.
Variants:

• 6C 1900 GT, 68 bhp @ 4500 rpm, 130 km/h (81 mph)

[edit] 6C 2300 (1934-1937)

6C 2300B Touring

6C 2300 Sport Cabriolet

The 6C 2300 (2309 cc) was designed by Vittorio Jano as a cheaper alternative to the 8C.
Variants:

• 6C 2300 Turismo, 68 bhp @ 4400 rpm, 120 km/h (75 mph) (1934)
• 6C 2300 Gran Turismo, 76 bhp @ 4400 rpm, 130 km/h (81 mph) (1934)
• 6C 2300B Gran Turismo, 76 bhp @ 4400 rpm (1935–1937)
• 6C 2300 Pescara, 95 bhp @ 4500 rpm, 144 km/h (89 mph) (1934)
• 6C 2300B Pescara, 95 bhp @ 4500 rpm (1935–1937)
• 6C 2300 B Corto/Lungo (1935)
• 6C 2300 B Mille Miglia

[edit] Aerodinamica Spider

In 1935, Vittorio Jano, working with the brothers Gino and Oscar Jankovitz, created a one-off mid-engine prototype on a 6C 2300 chassis (no. 700316),^[1] which Jano had shipped to Fiume, Croatia in 1934. The brothers Jankovitz had been close friends with leading Hungarian aerodynamicist Paul Jaray,^[1] and the prototype, called the Alfa Romeo Aerodinamica Spider, was an especially early and clear example of ponton styling — a genre that would overtake automobile styling and last until the 1960s. Jano had intended to fit a V12 engine, though that possibility disappeared when Jano himself was fired from Alfa in 1937.^[1]

See: 1935 Alfa Romeo Aerodinamica Spider, front 3/4 view.

See: 1935 Alfa Romeo Aerodinamica Spider, profile view.

[edit] 6C 2500 (1938-1952)

6C 2500 Villa d'Este

6C 2500 Super Sport

6C 2500 Super Sport Corsa (1939)

Introduced in 1938, the 2500 (2443 cc) was the last 6C road car. World War II was coming and car development was stopped, but a few hundred 6C 2500s were built from 1940-1945. Postwar, the first new Alfa model was the 1946 6C 2500 Freccia d'Oro (Golden Arrow), of which 680 were built through 1951, with bodies by Alfa. It was sold to wealthy customers like King Farouk, Alì Khan, Rita Hayworth, Tyrone Power, and Prince Rainier.^[2][3]
The 6C 2500 Villa d'Este was introduced in 1949 and was produced until 1952, named for the Concorso d'Eleganza held in Villa d'Este;^[4] a Touring Superleggera-bodied version won the prize. Villa d'Este was Alfa's last hand built model, only 36 examples made. The last 6C was produced in 1952, and was replaced by the 1900.
Variants:

• 6C 2500 Coloniale 90 bhp @ 4500 rpm (1939–1942), 152 produced
• 6C 2500, 90 bhp @ 4600 rpm (1938–1949)
• 6C 2500 Turismo
• 6C 2500 Sport, 95 bhp @ 4600 rpm (1947–1949)
• 6C 2500 Super Sport
• 6C 2500 Super Sport Corsa 120 bhp @ 4750 rpm^[5] (1939–1953)
• 6C 2500 Freccia d'Oro 90 bhp @ 4600 rpm (1946–1951)
• 6C 2500 Villa d'Este 110 bhp @ 4800 rpm (1949–1952)
• 6C 2500 GT (1950)
• 6C 2500 Competizione 145 bhp @ 5500 rpm (1948)

[edit] 6C 3000 (1950-1954)

1956 Alfa Romeo 3000 CM Superflow IV is a Pininfarina design study.^[6]

A 6C 3000 was prototype made in 1950, basically a 2500 with a 3L engine. It did not appear until 1952, as the Competizione Maggiorata (CM), built for racing, with a 3.5L engine, in four coupé and two spider versions.
Variants:

• 6C 3000 (1948)
• 6C 3000 50 (1950)
• 6C 3000 CM (1952) 275 bhp, 250 km/h (160 mph) ("Competizione Maggiorata" for enlarged displacement)
• 6C 3000 PR (1954) ("Passo Ridotto" for shortened wheelbase)

[edit] 6C 3000 Competizione Maggiorata

The 6C 3000 CM at Goodwood Festival Of Speed 2009.

6C 3000 Competizione Maggiorata was born in 1952. The body was shaped by Carrozzeria Colli,^[7][8] a coachbuilder from Milan, with some remembrances from the style introduced by 1900 Disco Volante. The propulsion system of this model comes from a project by Giuseppe Busso. It was different from his ancestor: it still used several components of the 3-liters-volume/6-cylinders system from the 6C 3000 prototype, but engine capacity was increased to 3495 cc. After several evolutions, it reached a power of 275 bhp (205 kW).
3000 CM was realised in six copies: four coupé and two spider. With the coupé model Juan Manuel Fangio and Giulio Sala got the second position at Mille Miglia, in 1953.^[9] Fangio was leading the race, but a problem whit the chassis obliged him to slow down. Still with Fangio, the spider won the First Gran Premio Supercorte Maggiore in Meran, 1953; this car is shown today at Museo Storico Alfa Romeo.
One of the two spider was modified to cope with the new rules of the International Sport Category and the capacity was limited to 3-liters. This car was renamed PR, Passo Ridotto (Reduced Wheelbase).^[9] This second spider belongs to the Museo Storico Alfa Romeo’s collection.
During the sixties, at the end of the period of competitions, 6C 3000 CM was used by the Experience Department of Alfa Romeo for testing new components, one of which is the disc brake, which is still present today in this vehicle.



Alfa Romeo 6C è la denominazione di una serie di modelli d'automobile, presentata nel 1925, che nelle varie versioni ed evoluzioni è stata prodotta negli stabilimenti della casa milanese dal 1927 al 1950.
La sigla "6C" è l'acronimo di sei cilindri e descrive il frazionamento del motore che equipaggia le vetture, la cui primigenia realizzazione è dovuta a Vittorio Jano, importante progettista dell'Alfa Romeo che ha legato il suo nome soprattutto ai motori esacilindrici in linea, montati dalla 6C 1500.
Le prime versioni, la 6C 1500 Young del 1927 e la 6C 1500 Touring del 1928 (dai nomi del carrozziere inglese James Young e della carrozzeria italiana Touring) montavano un sei cilindri in linea con un solo albero a camme in testa e aveva 1.500 cc di cilindrata, capace di sviluppare 54 CV e far raggiungere all'auto i 125 Km/h. Il motore di Jano benché piccolo di cilindrata riusciva a sviluppare una così grande potenza proprio a causa della ridotta cilindrata unitaria (250cc) che aveva aumentato del 200% circa la resa termica rispetto agli standard dell'epoca.
Le versioni Sport del 1500 Alfa Romeo furono dotate quasi subito di un doppio albero a camme in testa e di un sistema di sovralimentazione permettendo alla 6C 1500 di poter vincere nel '28 la Mille Miglia, la 24 Ore di Spa, la Targa Florio e il circuito di Modena. Erano uscite così, nel 1928 le 6C 1500 Sport (carrozzata Young) da 76 CV e 140 km/h.
La 6C 1500 Sport Spider del '28 fu appunto la prima spyder dell'Alfa Romeo e una versione di essa venne chiamata 6C 1500 NR in onore di Nicola Romeo che abbandonava la guida dell'azienda. Il piccolo motore da 1500 cc stimolò l'intraprendenza di molti carrozzieri che sfornarono varie altre versioni della 6C. Nel 1929 per esempio la carrozzeria Farina propose un'elegante Torpedo.
Fra le versioni più potenti vi fu la 6C 1500 Sport compressore Zagato del '29 guidata da Antonio Ascari e da Giuseppe Campari. In totale del modello 1500 ne vennero prodotti 1.075 esemplari.
Nel 1929 entrò in produzione la versione successiva della vettura con la cilindrata del motore aumentata a 1.752 cc da cui il nome di Alfa Romeo 6C 1750. Esteticamente non vi furono modifiche importanti e la 1750 rimase in produzione sino al 1933 continuando anche a dominare il mondo delle corse del tempo grazie al suo propulsore ora in grado di erogare 85 CV anche nelle versioni destinate alla vendita. Nei quattro anni in cui rimase in produzione ne vennero realizzati 2.579 esemplari.
Nell'ultimo anno di produzione della 1750 venne anche introdotta la nuova versione Alfa Romeo 6C 1900 dove la cilindrata è portata a 1917 cm³ e su cui è stato introdotta per la prima volta la testata in lega leggera. Gli esemplari prodotti in totale furono 197.

Una delle ultime 6C 2500

La successiva versione della 6C fu l'Alfa Romeo 6C 2300 presentata nel 1934 e rimasta in produzione fino al 1937. Questa evoluzione presentò molte novità importanti tra cui, prima in Europa le sospensioni a ruote indipendenti.
Venne sostituita dalla Alfa Romeo 6C 2500, ultima vettura della serie prodotta dalla casa di Arese prima della seconda guerra mondiale e ripresa nel primo dopoguerra fino al 1950 in circa 2.800 esemplari.
Della serie 6C vi furono anche versioni speciali tra cui la Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Villa d'Este.
Nel 1952 venne realizzata la 6C 3000 CM, modello creato esclusivamente per gareggiare, ottenendo molti successi sportivi.
La 2500 fu l'ultima versione della serie 6C e venne ritirata dal mercato per far posto alla nuova Alfa Romeo 1900.

 

 Alfa 6C and Mussolini.

A 1935 Alfa Romeo 6C 2300 Pescara Spyder that competed in the Mille Miglia and was once owned by Benito Mussolini will be auctioned by H&H at The Centaur, Cheltenham Racecourse on February 27, 2008. Of huge historical importance, the stunning dark red Two-Seater carries an estimate of £600,000-800,000.

Chassis 700635 clothed in striking coachwork by Carozzeria Touring was built to the special order of Benito Mussolini. Before delivery he had it modified with a dickey seat and the engine was specially tuned to deliver 95bhp rather than the 68bhp of the standard model.

The car was driven in the 1936 Mille Miglia by Ercole Boratto – an ex-Alfa Romeo test driver who was Mussolini’s chauffeur at the time. The car finished 13th overall and 3rd in class. Mussolini retained the car until 1939, since when it has only had three owners, the latest of which had it restored by Dino Cognolato to a standard good enough to achieve second in class in the 2005 Pebble Beach Concours and victory in the New York Concours meeting of the same year.

This ‘matching numbers’ car of enormous historical interest even retains traces of the partial alcohol fuelling system it is believed to have operated during the Mille Miglia, when the fascist regime was promoting the use of alternative fuels in the face of stringent petrol sanctions.

This Alfa 6C 2300 Pescara Spyder achieve second in class in the 2005 Pebble Beach Concours (above) and victory in the New York Concours meeting of the same year. 

A 1935 Alfa Romeo 6C 2300 Pescara Spyder that competed in the Mille Miglia and was once owned by Benito Mussolini will be auctioned by H&H at The Centaur, Cheltenham Racecourse on February 27, 2008.

The car was driven in the 1936 Mille Miglia by Ercole Boratto – an ex-Alfa Romeo test driver who was Mussolini’s chauffeur at the time. The car finished 13th overall and 3rd in class.