Often referred to as “The Last Great Alfa”, the Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 represented the end of a long line of six-cylinder Alfa Romeos that began in 1928 with the 6C 1500. The 6C 2500 was introduced in 1938 and ended production in 1952. The model spanned two radically different eras for Alfa Romeo, from the pre-war time of large, exclusive, hand-built machines made in relatively limited numbers to the smaller, more accessible sports cars that would emerge in the years following cessation of the conflict.

In creating the 6C 2500, Alfa Romeo retained the 6C 2300’s independently sprung suspension while upgrading the engine. Bruno Treviso redesigned the classic straight six-cylinder engine, increasing the cylinder bore by two millimetres for a 2.5-litre displacement as well as improving the cylinder head for enhanced aspiration and increased compression. In the case of the car offered here, these improvements were combined with the more desirable Super Sport, or “SS”, chassis, creating among the most powerful and sought after configurations ever offered by Alfa Romeo.

The 6C 2500 offered here, chassis 915725, was marked complete by the factory on 1 February 1949, verified by official production records held by Centro Documentazione Alfa Romeo (available to view on file). The Alfa Romeo was fitted with the 6C engine numbered 928039 and bound for Paris, specifically to the offices of SALEM, believed to be an Italian company specialising in metals and with premises in the French capital city. The car is understood to have been taken to the United Kingdom in 1950 by its then-owner, Colette Lartigue, possibly from the French industrial family. At this point the car was registered as “NMA 857”, to which it is still affixed today. The regional identifier of the number plate suggests domicile in the Cheshire region, as verified by an accompanying ledger copy from Cheshire County Council, which also note its period colour as blue over red, as the car is presented today.

In 1955, the Alfa Romeo was acquired by William Hamill, a maritime engineer residing on the Scottish side of the border with England. In the 1970s, chassis number 915275 was transacted once more, this time heading to Paul Mann, a jeweller based in the Birmingham area. Mann allegedly painted the car white but did not drive it—instead placing the car in storage for some three decades, until it was taken back to Scotland in new ownership in the 2000s.

The car required complete restoration and the transformation was executed by a combination of specialist workshops. The bodywork was stripped to bare metal and John R Weir of Inverness repainted the car in blue, while all brightwork was replated or polished by Derby Plating. Alex Watt & Sons of Perth retrimmed the interior in red, while attention was paid to mechanical components that included the overhaul of brakes, suspension, cooling, fuel systems (factoring in a rebuild of the mechanical fuel pump), and wire wheels. Significantly, the engine was taken to Jim Stokes Workshops, the renowned Alfa Romeo-specialist workshop, for a complete rebuild. Here, the cylinder block was reinforced, head studs lengthened, modified con-rods with shell bearings and new pistons fitted. The cylinder head was rebuilt with new valves, seats, and guides while the tappet bases and tops were reground and coated. The workshop installed an innovative “pre-lube” system to safeguard against the possibility of oil starvation to the bearings, also ensuring the correct oil pressure is set before the starter is engaged. The car was complete by 2009, now fitted with a modern clutch for the ease of driving.

Sold at auction in 2010, it is believed that the 6C 2500 joined a prominent UK-based collection and was subsequently acquired to form part of a large heritage collection curated by a major UK motor manufacturer. The car was then bought by the consigning owner in May 2023. In the care of the vendor, the Alfa Romeo has been enjoyed on cross-continental trips and event entries, including a trip to Switzerland and competing in the Mille Miglia Warm Up in 2024. The consigning owner claims some £30,000 on recomissioning in their care following 13 years of little use as part of collections. This work has included a gearbox rebuild, fuel line replacement, brake overhaul, carburettor rebuild, suspension adjustment, and more.

The 6C 2500 marked the end of an era for Alfa Romeo, and this 1949 Super Sport Cabriolet by Pinin Farina is an excellent example of one of the most distinctive cars of the period. This rare classic will show beautifully at any concours d’elegance and has great potential for vintage tours and rallies.