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Alfa Romeo invented the sports saloon when it designed the 1900 in 1950. Designed by Orazio Satta to meet the needs of a market represented by the middle class, the 1900 is the first Alfa Romeo built entirely on a production line.

A modern, functional car, with outstanding characteristics, it was also cheap. The four-door saloon was very roomy inside and could accommodate up to six people. Its weight was considerably reduced, thanks to the load bearing body which was one piece with the chassis.

The simple and functional bodywork created by Alfa is characteristic of the Italian trend of the time. To still meet the demands of custom coachwork which was slowly being phased out, Alfa Romeo built the 1900C chassis to be bodied by the popular Italian design firms such as Pinin Farina, Vignale, Ghia & Zagato who made a probably the most definitive version the 1900 Super Sprint Coupe.

This was a family car, yet it came with an effervescent 1884 cc four cylinder in-line engine that offered the driver 90 bhp and took the car to 150 km/h. This figure rose to 180 km/h in the TI model, and an impressive 190 km/h in the case of the 1900 Super and Supersprint.

The 1900 provided Alfa Romeo with success in sporting competitions: the Tour de France, the Targa Florio, the Stella Alpina and the Coupe des Alpes. An advertising slogan of the day described it as 'The family car that wins races'. Above all, it introduced the idea of a new motoring concept: a high-performing saloon for everyday use.

Production of the 1900 continued until 1959 by and a total of 21,304 had been built. Specification listed is for the 1900 Super Sprint.

Story by Alfa Romeo & Supercars.net