Alfa Romeo 8C
Alfa Romeo's 8C was a famed sports car of the 1930s. The name referred to the straight 8 cylinder engine. The Vittorio Jano-designed 8C was Alfa's primary sports model from its introduction in 1931 to its retirement in 1939.
The first models were the 2300, a reference to the car's 2.3 L (2300 cc) engine. The short wheelbase version of this car won the Targa Florio race in Sicily, but it was the Italian Grand Prix victory at Monza that gave it its nickname, "Monza".
The supercharged dual overhead cam straight-8 engine, also designed by Jano, was later enlarged to 2.6 L. In this guise, the 8C could accelerate to 60 mph (97 km/h) in less than 7 seconds and could eventually reach 135 mph (217 km/h).
2004 concept car
Alfa Romeo launched the stunning '8C Competizione' concept car at the 60th Frankfurt Motor Show in 2004 to an astonished audience.
The beautiful sweeping lines of the twin seater hark back to the early styling of the Alfa's of the 30's and 40's, and the 'Competizione' name is a pointer to the '6C 2500 Competizione' the Mille Miglia race competitor in 1950, driven by Juan-Manuel Fangio and Augusto Zanardi.
To much disappointment, the FIAT motor group decided not to produce any road-going versions of the 8C, sighting conflicting sales with the Maserati brand, of which the 8C's 4.3-litre V8 engine is derived.
External Links
Official Alfa 8C Competizione website