By CHRIS FURLONG · 2017. 11. 8. · The car, called the Giulietta Sprint Speciale, was fitted with...
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T his year, 2010, Alfa Romeo celebrates its centenary. One of the great sporting marques, over the last 100 years, Alfa have been one of the venerated companies of the European car industry. After the Second World War Alfa Romeo committed itself to mass production as distinct from it’s pre-war policy of low volume high performance road cars and racing cars. This policy was essential to survive. This led to a succession of models with characteristics that set them apart for most enthusiastic drivers, some of them in the tradition of the great Alfa sports cars of the 1920s and 1930s. The ranges have sometimes included fairly unsuccessful models, strategies have been uncertain in times of business stress, and racing fortunes were mixed. But the bread and butter cars have always been complemented by more sporting models which have contributed enormously to the lustre that surrounds Alfa Romeo’s name. The car featured in this article is one of the latter. Alfas have soul, the reasons for this being their styling, their engines, and the way they handle. Traditionally, Alfa Romeo have gone to the great Italian styling houses to have their body shapes drawn up. The majority of enduring designs have come from Touring of Milan, Zagato, Pininfarina, and Bertone. Alfa Romeo engines were designed by engineers with racing experience, all race proven and honed to something like perfection there. Similarly, the chassis and suspension set-up of an Alfa has always been sports oriented, so overall you get a car which is entertaining and rewarding to drive. The Alfa Romeo Sprint Speciale (or SS) was one of those beautifully bodied Alfas produced in limited numbers in the 50s and 60s, i.e. about the middle period of Alfa’s 100 years. It was designed by Bertone’s chief designer, Franco Scaglione (who built the famous BAT concept cars in 1953-56) and appeared in prototype form at the 1957 Turin show. It was built according to aerodynamic principles and had an estimated Cd of 0.25. It was the most curvaceous of all production Alfa Romeos. The car, called the Giulietta Sprint Speciale, was fitted with a 1300cc twin cam engine developing 100bhp and a five speed gearbox. Due to the fantastic aerodynamic efficiency the car was incredibly fast at 124mph which was unknown for a 1300cc car in the late 50s. It had a good competition history but was eventually outpaced by the similar Zagato bodied car which was much lighter with its alloy body. A total of 1,366 Giulietta SS cars were built in 1958-62. In 1963 the car was upgraded. It was given a 1600cc twin cam engine with twin double-choke Weber 40DCOE Carburettors which developed 112bhp. It was also fitted with front disc brakes. It had a marginally better performance, particularly better torque in the lower speed ranges. It was now called the Giulia Sprint Speciale. (Giuliettas had 1300cc engines while Giulias had 1600cc units). A total of 1,400 Giulia SS units were built in 1963-65. The Alfa Romeo Sprint Speciale is a remarkable car which was designed 53 years ago, and with its long flowing lines was called the most perfect streamlined car. To many collectors it is one of the most desirable smaller Alfas of all time. The car illustrated here (a 1965 SS) is owned by Chris Furlong and it appeared at the Alfa Romeo Centenary Exhibition at the Mondello Classic Live event in June. By CHRIS FURLONG
Transcript of By CHRIS FURLONG · 2017. 11. 8. · The car, called the Giulietta Sprint Speciale, was fitted with...
This year, 2010, AlfaRomeo celebrates itscentenary. One of thegreat sporting
marques, over the last 100 years,Alfa have been one of thevenerated companies of theEuropean car industry.
After the Second World WarAlfa Romeo committed itself tomass production as distinct fromit’s pre-war policy of low volumehigh performance road cars andracing cars. This policy wasessential to survive.
This led to a succession ofmodels with characteristics thatset them apart for mostenthusiastic drivers, some of themin the tradition of the great Alfasports cars of the 1920s and1930s. The ranges havesometimes included fairlyunsuccessful models, strategieshave been uncertain in times ofbusiness stress, and racingfortunes were mixed. But thebread and butter cars have alwaysbeen complemented by moresporting models which havecontributed enormously to thelustre that surrounds Alfa Romeo’sname. The car featured in thisarticle is one of the latter.
Alfas have soul, the reasons for thisbeing their styling, their engines, andthe way they handle. Traditionally, AlfaRomeo have gone to the great Italianstyling houses to have their body shapesdrawn up. The majority of enduringdesigns have come from Touring ofMilan, Zagato, Pininfarina, and Bertone.Alfa Romeo engines were designed byengineers with racing experience, allrace proven and honed to somethinglike perfection there. Similarly, thechassis and suspension set-up of an Alfahas always been sports oriented, sooverall you get a car which isentertaining and rewarding to drive.
The Alfa Romeo Sprint Speciale (orSS) was one of those beautifully bodiedAlfas produced in limited numbers inthe 50s and 60s, i.e. about the middleperiod of Alfa’s 100 years.
It was designed by Bertone’s chiefdesigner, Franco Scaglione (who builtthe famous BAT concept cars in 1953-56)
and appeared in prototype form at the1957 Turin show. It was built accordingto aerodynamic principles and had an estimated Cd of0.25. It was the most curvaceous of allproduction Alfa Romeos.
The car, called the Giulietta SprintSpeciale, was fitted with a 1300cc twincam engine developing 100bhp and afive speed gearbox. Due to the fantasticaerodynamic efficiency the car wasincredibly fast at 124mph which wasunknown for a 1300cc car in the late50s. It had a good competition historybut was eventually outpaced by thesimilar Zagato bodied car which wasmuch lighter with its alloy body. A totalof 1,366 Giulietta SS cars were built in1958-62.
In 1963 the car was upgraded. It wasgiven a 1600cc twin cam engine withtwin double-choke Weber 40DCOE
Carburettors which developed112bhp. It was also fitted with frontdisc brakes. It had a marginally betterperformance, particularly better torquein the lower speed ranges. It was nowcalled the Giulia Sprint Speciale.(Giuliettas had 1300cc engines whileGiulias had 1600cc units). A total of1,400 Giulia SS units were built in1963-65.
The Alfa Romeo Sprint Speciale is a
remarkable car which was designed 53years ago, and with its long flowinglines was called the most perfectstreamlined car. To many collectors it isone of the most desirable smaller Alfasof all time.
The car illustrated here (a 1965 SS)is owned by Chris Furlong and itappeared at the Alfa RomeoCentenary Exhibition at the MondelloClassic Live event in June.
By CHRIS FURLONG
