Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Sport Cabriolet

The 1945 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Sport Cabriolet Speciale by Pininfarina, chassis number 915169, was originally manufactured in 1942 by Alfa Romeo in Italy. The engine number was 923.969. Despite being produced during the war, it was not completed until 1945, featuring a drophead coupe-convertible body built by Pininfarina with brown seats adorning the interior. In March 1946, the car appeared in the Italian press with a review titled Rassegna Di Belle Vetture A Torino published in Motor Italia. Later that year, it was registered with the plate number MI-91036 and became known for its association with Battista Pinin Farina and his son Sergio Farina. Italy and its carrozzieri were banned from the 1946 Paris Salon due to political reasons. Determined to make a statement, Battista Pinin Farina drove the Alfa from Turin to Paris with Sergio following in a Lancia Aprilla. Upon arrival, they cleaned the cars and parked them in front of the Salon, gaining notable recognition for their efforts. During the same month, Giuliana Tortoli, a wealthy woman and owner of a parfum design company, presented the car at the Exposition de la Mode Italienne in Lausanne and later at the Concorso d’Eleganza dell’Ente Moda di Torino, where it won the Coppa ACI for the best cabriolet. In March 1947, the car appeared at the Concours d’Elegance Automobile Monte-Carlo, where it was awarded the Grand Prix d’Honneur. In 1948, Pinin Farina, having used the car as his personal vehicle, sold it to the Austin Motor Company through Leonard Percy Lord. The car influenced the design of the Austin A-90 Atlantic and later served as the personal car of Austin’s managing director, George Harriman. In 1950, the car was acquired by Holden Bob Koto, a designer working under Raymond Loewy. After suffering damage during shipping to the United States, Loewy repaired the vehicle, changing its color from metallic champagne to bright metallic green. In 1951, Koto displayed the car at the Indianapolis Custom Auto Show, where it won first place in the sports car class. A year later, the car was sold to James Kent, who modified its appearance to suit American tastes by installing whitewall tires and removing the rear wheel spats. Throughout the subsequent decades, the car changed hands several times, with owners including George Monning, Clark Moore, Jerry McAlevey, and later, a private collection. It underwent significant restoration between 2010 and 2013, with work on the body, interior, and mechanical components meticulously documented. By 2014, it was registered with plate GDT680 and participated in prestigious events such as the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, where it was driven by Christopher Ohrstrom. In 2015, the car won the Trofeo Foglizio at the Concorso Internazionale d’Eleganza di Villa d’Este for the best interior design. The following year, it was exhibited at the Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance and later as part of the Bellissima! The Italian Automotive Renaissance exhibition at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts in Nashville.