Chassis No.AR10120 00338
Engine No.AR00120 00790
Inspired by the famous BAT show cars and Disco Volante prototype Quality restoration in highly attractive colors Equipped with its original engine The stunning Sprint Speciale coupe directly descended from Carrozzeria Bertone’s brilliant Bertone Aerodynamica Technica (BAT) design studies of the mid-1950s. With its extremely low drag coefficient of 0.29, it was aimed at competition, and a limited number were produced to meet FIA homologation rules.
The Speciale utilized lightweight construction that had been built on the chassis of the popular Giulietta Spider, and it came with a domed roofline and gracefully peaked fenders. The Giulietta’s sturdy 1,300-cc, all-alloy, four-cylinder engine was fitted with a pair of Weber side-draught carburetors, and it could produce a healthy 116 horsepower. This was enough power to push the slippery two-seater coupe to almost 125 mph, considerably faster than its conventionally bodied Giulietta Sprint coupe and spider siblings. The unique plastic air deflector mounted ahead of the windscreen, which was more commonly seen on competition Ferraris of the era, added to the car’s racy flavor.
It is estimated that no more than 1,366 Sprint Speciales were produced between 1957 and 1962, in both Giulietta and larger-engined Giulia form.
The example offered here was restored several years ago in its beautiful shade of dark blue, with a complementary soft grey interior piped in red accents, and red carpeting. The level of detail and finish throughout is impressive, with the paint still having an excellent shine, and the upholstery appearing tight and fresh. Furthermore, the car has a fine appearance of authenticity, with what appear to be the original serial number tags, body, and chassis number stampings, and the original engine under the hood. At the time of cataloguing, the odometer recorded 37,476 miles.
This is an excellent example of one of the most desirable Italian sports cars of its era.
The Sprint Speciale featured styling by Bertone’s Franco Scaglione, who drew inspiration from his earlier Berlinetta Aerodinamica Tecnica prototype designs. Finished in Bianco Gardenia from the factory, this example was repainted dark blue under previous ownership. A plexiglass wind deflector sits behind the alloy hood, which features five louvers per side. Further details include chrome bumpers and quarter panel side spears as well as push-button doors, Bertone fender badges, and Marchal headlamps. Imperfections in the finish are shown up-close in the gallery below.
Silver-finished 15″ Fergat-style wheels with polished Alfa Romeo-branded hubcaps wear Pirelli Cinturato tires that were mounted in May 2021, while a matching spare is stored in the trunk. Spax shocks are fitted at each corner, and stopping power is provided by four-wheel finned drums with a three-shoe front setup.
The reupholstered cabin features low-back front bucket seats trimmed in gray cloth with red piping and vinyl backs accompanied by color-coordinated door and side panels. The body-color metal dashboard is topped by a black vinyl pad and a rearview mirror, while the ceiling wears a replacement cloth headliner.
A three-spoke steering wheel features an Alfa Romeo horn button and fronts Veglia instrumentation consisting of a central tachometer with an inset oil pressure readout, a 140-mph speedometer, and a combination gauge. The five-digit odometer shows 38k miles, approximately 1k of which were added by the seller. Total mileage is unknown.
The 1.3L twin-cam inline-four was overhauled in the early 2020s by F40 Restoration of Portland, Connecticut, and the radiator was also serviced at that time. Work performed in May 2021 involved cleaning and adjusting the twin Weber 40 DCOE2 carburetors as well as replacing the distributor cap, points, rotor, and condenser. Portions of the engine bay were refinished under current ownership due to damage caused by brake fluid.
Power is sent to the rear wheels through a five-speed manual transmission that was overhauled under current ownership. Replacement Imasaf exhaust system components have been installed.
The Alfa Romeo Certificato di Origine shows a production date of June 14, 1961, as well as initial delivery to the United States. The car does not have a title, as it is registered in a state that does not issue titles for a vehicle of its age. It is being sold with its duplicate Connecticut registration card.
