Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Speciale

The Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Speciale: Starting in 1957, on the wave of the racing successes achieved by the Giulietta Sprint Veloce re-bodied by Zagato, or SVZ, Alfa Romeo decided to design a version of the Giulietta expressly dedicated to racing use. As with the Sprint, Bertone was once again involved and, availing himself of Franco Scaglione‘s flair, began to outline the aerodynamic line of the future Giulietta Sprint Speciale, which would only go into production in 1959. The objective set by Bertone is to improve the aerodynamic penetration of the production Sprint. Without the availability of a wind tunnel to study the air flows around the test bodywork, an empirical method, also known to other coachbuilders, is used, whereby the prototype is directly observed being driven at high speed along the Turin-Milan motorway with woollen threads applied to the bodywork. By observing their movements, damaging eddies can be detected and the bodywork can then be modified to eliminate them. In this way the three extraordinary dream cars of clear aeronautical inspiration B.A.T. 5, B.A.T. 7 and B.A.T. 9, as well as the 2000 Sportiva project, were already born on Alfa Romeo 1900C mechanicals, and Bertone used this experience to create the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Speciale prototype, presented at the 1957 Turin Motor Show. This car has a very aerodynamic aluminium body and is based on the chassis, complete with mechanicals, of the Giulietta Sprint Veloce but with a shortened wheelbase to 2250 mm. The car is lower, longer and wider than the standard Giulietta Sprint, compared to which it also fitted two other major technological innovations that would characterise future Alfa Romeos, the 5-speed synchronised gearbox and front drum brakes with three self-winding blocks. The bodywork, designed by Franco Scaglione according to the most advanced aerodynamic theories, however, remains the most interesting part of the car. The line is extremely sinuous and tapered, on the front the classic Alfa Romeo trilobe is replaced by an oval opening, similar to that of certain later Ferraris, the front wheel arches are underlined by a metal lip that extends almost to the door, the door handles are replaced by a metal recess in the side with a button lock, the rounded roof is perfectly connected with the wraparound windscreen and rear window, the latter similar to that of the standard Sprint. The rear wheel arches are underscored by chrome bumpers and stretched to the elongated but truncated rear end, with the recessed tail mirror on which the round taillights and number plate holder are fixed. After impressing at the Turin Motor Show in October, a second, slightly modified version, probably the first remodelled prototype, was presented in March 1958 at the Geneva Motor Show and a third, this time semi-definitive, was brought to the Turin Motor Show in autumn 1958. Compared to the first prototypes, the latter mounted an Alfa Romeo trilby on the front but retained a bodywork very similar to that of the first models.

Photo courtesy of Hyman Ltd.