This car, Lot 128, sold for $925,990 (€850,000), including buyer’s premium, at RM Sotheby’s Paris, France, sale on February 1, 2023.
A.L.F.A. was established in Milan in 1910, fabricating luxury and sporting vehicles. In 1915, Nicola Romeo took control of the company, which was subsequently renamed Alfa Romeo. It produced sturdy road cars, promoted by the in-house race team. In 1924, Alfa unveiled its P2 grand-prix car, which won the first official Automobile World Championship in 1925.
On the back of this triumph, Alfa developed a smaller 6-cylinder model, the 6C 1500. In production from 1927, its popularity quickly led to engine upgrades, including twin overhead cams and superchargers. Its 1,487-cc capacity was increased to “1750” in 1929 (actually 1,752 cc) and ultimately “1900” in 1933 (1,917 cc). The company also introduced the legendary 8C 2300 in 1930, considered to be the world’s first supercar. But it was too expensive for the vast majority of clients. The 6C was thus the backbone of Alfa Romeo production for nearly 10 years and was highly successful as both a road and race car.
Engine evolution
In 1934 the 6C 2300 replaced the previous models, with its inline 6-cylinder now displacing 2,309 cc. It featured twin overhead cams and an aluminum cylinder head, making either 68 or 76 horsepower, depending on its state of tune. The engine stayed in production until the early 1950s, with power levels growing to as much as 145 hp through the addition of more carburetors and displacement enlarged to 2,443 cc in 1938. In typical Alfa tradition, engines were breathed upon and sent racing, often successfully.
A year after the introduction of the 6C 2300, the B series was introduced, with independent suspension on all four corners and hydraulic brakes. This made it one of the most advanced production cars of the period. Alfa reserved the supercharger technology for the 8-cylinder models, so straight-line performance for this medium-sized car was adequate but not astounding.
In 1937, a short-chassis car with a berlinetta-style body by Touring was entered in the Mille Miglia. Benefiting from lightweight “Superleggera” bodywork and some minor engine modifications, it came home 4th overall and won its class. A decision was made to produce a limited number of these Mille Miglia chassis, bodied in different styles by coachbuilders such as Pininfarina and Touring.
In total, 107 of these chassis were laid down. The 118-inch wheelbase was not particularly short, allowing 2+2 seating — or in the case of the coupe, one lateral “occasional” seat at the rear. In MM spec, the engine produced considerably more power than the standard version. The 105 hp on tap would pull the car to over 105 mph, quite acceptable at the time.
Little Otto Coupe
Although two-seat coupes became popular in the 1950s, they were highly unusual in the pre-war era. Buyers preferred either four-seat cabriolets for the weekend or comfortable 2- or 4-door saloons during the week. Alfa’s Mille Miglia coupe appealed only to a limited number of clients, mostly well-heeled young men wanting a dual-purpose vehicle that could be used to go to the office during the week and then compete at club races on the weekend.
The 2300 coupe looked similar in many ways to Alfa’s top-of-the-line 8C 2900, but its smaller size had it missing some of the elegance. Maybe orders from the top brass had instructed Touring to not tempt buyers financially capable of purchasing the big sister? The end result was that only about 30 of these delightful Mille Miglia coupes were built by Touring. They are so rarely seen that it is possible that the attrition rate was high.
Luck of the Irish
Reportedly in excellent condition with original body and engine, our subject car came from the estate of well-known collector Oscar Davis. He acquired it at Gooding & Company’s Pebble Beach auction in 2008 for $2.6m. At the time, the car was freshly restored, having been decorated at the Pebble Beach Concours the prior year.
The majority of the Davis Collection was sold off by RM Sotheby’s at Monterey in 2022, yet this lot went unsold at $1,250,000 against a $1.5m–$2.2m estimate. This time around, the change of venue clearly did not improve the result.
The Paris catalog went into detail on previous owners and restorations but excised much of the explanation about what the car is and why you might want it. Today, owning one of these cars opens up a world of opportunities. Being eligible for events such as the Mille Miglia or Villa d’Este does not guarantee an entry, but it is unlikely that a car such as this little berlinetta would be overlooked. Of course, the pleasure of actually using a competent ’30s car is a true delight. Most pre-war cars are no longer considered as a financial investment, but they are indeed an investment in pleasure. And let’s face it, most of us pay for this privilege. The challenge facing the big auction houses is in convincing buyers that this remains true for cars from this era.
The new owner hails from Ireland and is absolutely delighted with his purchase. If another 6C 2300 MM coupe came up for private sale, considerably more money would be expected. This car was well bought and will give wads of pleasure. At this price, less than half what was paid in 2008, it will possibly even be a good financial investment. ♦
(Introductory description courtesy of RM Sotheby’s.)
