With its unitary construction-the first on an Alfa Romeo-the 1900 was Alfa's first mass- producedt car, introduced in 1950. It was assembled on a new production line at Alfa's original Portello works that was funded in part by the Marshall Plan.
Initially powered by a 1844cc, 90 hp twin overhead camshaft 4-cylinder engine and offering fine handling, the 4-door sedan quickly became popular with sporting drivers and racers.
In 1951, Alfa introduced the short-wheelbase 1900 C chassis, which served as the basis for many special bodies by the major Italian body builders. The most popular series came from Touring, and the most sporting from Zagato. In 1953, the Super series was introduced with a larger engine.
This fastback coupe bears typical Pininfarina hallmarks that can also be seen in similar bodies on other Italian chassis of the era. One of the more conservative of the bodybuilders, Giovanbattista (Pinin) Farina gave this car an understated elegance of line, while the large fastback window suggests speed and potency.
Chassis 1534 (the bodybuilder's number) is one of 11 of the Corto-based Pininfarina fastback coupes known to exist. It has undergone a full ground-up restoration, and has been hardly used since. Consequently, it appears in excellent condition and features nonstandard Zagato seats trimmed in black leather (the original seats are available with the car, but in poor condition), a Nardi wood-trimmed steering wheel and Borrani wire wheels.
This car would make a perfect entry for the retrospective Mille Miglia, the Tour de France, Carrera Panamericana, or any of the many other historic events for which it is eligible.
{analysis} This Alfa sold at the Coys of Kensington London Auction for $37,338 on May 10, 1999. The 1900 Corto (literally, "short," but called Sprint) chassis is especially significant because it was a favorite of Italian bodybuilders in the era that defined the shape of modern automobiles. Designs on Alfa's 2.5-meter chassis ranged from the understated elegance of Touring to the grotesque excesses of Ghia. As a result, the 1900 buyer has quite a variety of body styles from which to choose, including the other-worldly Bertone BAT trio.
Pininfarina was one of the more conservative of the Italian stylists, and his cars are always in excellent taste. However, of all the body styles draped over the 1900 chassis, I think this Pininfarina fastback is one of the less successful. Compared to the similarly conservative 3- and 5-window Touring coupes, it's heavy amidships and awkward from behind. In this case, the short wheelbase does not serve well the overall design of the car. Even on his own terms, this is not one of Pinin's best: if you're after a fastback design that suggests power, his 1953 Ferrari 342 coupe, with its gaping egg-crate grille, oozes it.
The price of this fully-restored car is further evidence of its mid-range character. A fastback Zagato body on the same chassis shows an almost-identical front end, but its more-aggressive design will bring double the price of this car. The three BATs, unarguably the most expensive and flamboyant of all 1900s, were once offered at $9 million for the trio. Reading between the lines of the auctioneer's description, this appears to be a car prepared for the auctions and unused except to drive across the runways. It is presentable, but clearly not the best of the breed.
Further, this is not a high-performance 1900. With an 1884cc engine, single downdraft carburetor and 4-speed column shift, it offers less punch than other 1900s. The TI version of 1952 produced 115 hp, as did the updated Super version, introduced in 1954. The 1954 Super Sprint added dual downdraft carburetors and a 5-speed gearbox to the larger engine.
It is impressive that you can get such a nicely restored 1900 for so little. These cars were durable to a degree that shames modern Alfas. Many 1900 sedans spent long, productive lives as taxi cabs and patrol cars for the police. Their instrumentation is a joy and roadholding is beyond reproach for an early '50s chassis. Maintenance costs are low: points, plugs, condenser, and valves you can adjust with just a big screwdriver. In spite of the car's negatives, if there are no surprises lurking under the hood, the lucky buyer is likely to find that this Pininfarina fastback is the most satisfying car he's ever owned. Indeed, it will probably whet his appetite for a 1900 CSS or even a 1900 Zagato.{/analysis}