Following wartime devastation of its Portello factory, Alfa Romeo halted car production until 1946, reintroducing the 6C 2500, a pre-war model that became pivotal in the Milanese marque’s post-war revival. Originally launched in 1939, the 2500 evolved from the preceding 2300, embodying Alfa’s resilience amidst adversity.
Designed internally but strongly influenced by Touring, it offered various iterations including the five-seater Freccia d’Oro sports saloon, alongside coupe and cabriolet versions crafted by Pinin Farina, Touring, and Ghia, as well as a longer-wheelbase six/seven-seater berlina.
The 2500 continued Alfa’s legacy of crafting exceptional driver’s cars. Despite its box-section chassis no longer being cutting-edge, it boasted all-independent suspension, ample brakes, responsive steering, and a remarkably smooth column-mounted gearshift. Its powerplant, the latest iteration of Alfa’s race-bred double-overhead-camshaft ‘six’, featured a 2,443cc displacement achieved by enlarging the bore of the 2300.
Power outputs ranged from 90bhp in the single-carburettor Sport variant to 105bhp in the triple-carburettor Super Sport. The latter, significantly lighter than the saloon, easily surpassed 100mph. Production of the short-wheelbase Super Sport (SS) chassis continued until 1951, with 383 units built. The majority were bespoke Superleggera coupés by Touring, while the rest were adorned with cabriolet coachwork by Pinin Farina.
Photo Source: RM Sotheby’s
