Initially introduced in prototype form at the 1957 Turin Motor Show, the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Speciale entered production in 1959 as a boutique coach-built version of the popular Giulietta. Bertone’s Franco Scaglione penned the aerodynamic coachwork, lifting various cues from his own Alfa Romeo BAT show cars, as well as the Disco Volante sports-racers.

This finely presented example of the Giulietta Sprint Speciale is the 216th of 374 examples built in 1961. As clarified by a letter on file from Alfa Romeo’s Centro Documentazione, chassis number 177216 completed assembly in late October 1961, finished in Bluette paint, and it was sold one month later to a marque dealership in Lugano, Switzerland, called the Società per il Commercio dei Prodotti Alfa Romeo.

By the 2000s, the Alfa Romeo had come into the possession of a collector residing in Belgium, by which time the coachwork had been repainted in red. The Giulietta was discovered there in 2010 by a Sprint Speciale enthusiast based in Indianapolis, and he bought the car and imported it to the United States. As documented by a lengthy thread on the Alfa Romeo Bulletin Board (Alfabb.com), the owner personally restored the Giulietta at great length, meticulously refurbishing or properly replacing every mechanical component. During this process, he discovered traces of the original Bluette paint, allowing him to conduct a paint-to-sample refinish of the coachwork in the beautiful original color. The interior was re-trimmed in a two-tone scheme of light grey and black, contributing to a particularly elegant color combination.

In December 2019, the Giulietta was acquired by the consignor, one of the world’s foremost Alfa Romeo collectors. Under his careful watch the Sprint Speciale has been fastidiously maintained, and the car is well prepared for immediate driving enjoyment. It is important to note that the Giulietta retains the correct-type AR 00120 engine, which is believed to be the original unit.

It is unusual to encounter a Sprint Speciale that has been treated to such a high level of restoration. Accompanied by owner’s manuals, a tool roll, and a spare wheel, this faithfully restored and maintained example of the striking coach-built Giulietta would make a sensational addition to any Italian-themed garage, exemplifying the spirit of La Dolce Vita.