1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Speciale

Description

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 hp. This was enough power to push the slippery two-seater 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.

This is an excellent example of one of the most desirable Italian sports cars of its era.