The Alfa Romeo Sprint Speciale – Italian Beauty, Elegance, and Innovation

The remarkable Alfa Romeo Sprint Speciale must be counted as among the most beautiful sports car designs of the twentieth century. Penned by the prolific and gifted Bertone designer Franco Scaglione, the Sprint Speciale was highly influenced by sculptural experimentations revealed in the extraordinary aerodynamic studies achieved in the B.A.T. 5 and 7 show cars, also penned by Scaglione. As Scaglione approached the design of B.A.T. 9 with more viable production considerations, the Sprint Speciale evolved to become the ultimate expression of a modern Alfa Romeo sports car.

Indeed, upon completion, the Sprint Speciale achieved a drag coefficient number of .29, among the lowest ever achieved for a standard production car. Interestingly, Scaglione himself had studied aerodynamic engineering earlier in his career, later shifting his focus to car design. Although Alfa Romeo’s racing lineage was inspiring the design, each car was hand crafted using coach building methods and bespoke materials suitable for top clientele; making them among the finest and most visually captivating road cars in the world. Technical specifications included a twin-cam engine, 5-speed synchromesh transmission, and front disc brakes. The final year of production, in 1966, signaled not just the end of the Sprint Speciale, but the pending conclusion of the most beautiful era of car design.