Paul Andrews’ collecting focus was notable in its breadth; he could appreciate a fine example of virtually any marque, from Duesenberg to Ferrari to Alfa Romeo. Quality and driving enjoyment were the bywords, thus the acquisition of this Giulietta Sprint Veloce Alleggerita. It represents the highest-performance standard variant of the little Giulietta, following a natural evolution that began at the 1954 Turin Motor Show. There, Alfa debuted before the world the Giulietta Sprint, an aptly named model powered by a 1.3-liter, all-alloy version of the company’s veritable twin-cam four-cylinder engine, devised by former Ferrari engineer Giuseppe Busso. It was an instant success, so much so that the company had to revise its production estimates to meet demand. Those same buyers continued to seek even higher performance, however, and thus the model was further upgraded in 1956 with the new Veloce, available in both Sprint coupe and Spider form.

For the racing community, Alfa Romeo then released a special version of the Sprint Veloce that would be swifter still: an “Alleggerita” (lighter) model. This aptly named creation used light aluminum for not only the hood, trunk lid, door skins, bumpers, and headlight bezels, but even the oil pan and intake manifold. Sliding Plexiglas side windows were fitted, allowing for the removal of heavy window cranks and regulators, and the interior simplified by deleting the rear seat and sound deadening materials. In the end, an Alleggerita weighed some 150 pounds less than the standard Sprint Veloce—a difference noted by the racing drivers who enjoyed tremendous success with the model throughout Europe.

The Andrews Alleggerita was delivered to a buyer in Austria, where it competed in various events beginning in 1958, including a 1st-place finish in the International Autorennen at Flugplatz Aspern that May, and participation in the Salzburg-Gaisbergrennen, both with owner Anton Steffan at the wheel. Subsequent owner Helmut Perco drove the car at the Flugplatz Zeltweg in August 1958, after which Steffan took over the helm again for the Internationale Flugplatzrennen Klagenfurt in September 1960—all documented by period photographs of the car in action, included within the file.

Much subsequent racing history is unknown, but the car was still in a privateer’s racing livery when discovered in Italy in the late 2000s. It was accompanied then, as it is now, by a period Austrian registration book, covering its ownerships between 1958 and 1971, and noting a previous engine number, indicating a subsequent replacement. In 2016, Italian craftsmen undertook a restoration, the fine results of which can be seen today; paint and interior are in fine condition, while the exterior trim is a combination of restored and good original pieces. The completed restoration was awarded the coveted Automotoclub Storico Italiano (ASI) certification, as well as a FIVA identification card.

Paul Andrews acquired the Alleggerita in the late summer of 2018, and it has been well-cared-for in the collection ever since, remaining in very good overall condition. Suitable for any number of historic rally events worldwide, including, significantly, the Mille Miglia Storica, it remains, both in appearance and running characteristics, an exciting little car, every bit as thrilling in its own way as any big-horsepower machine from the Classic Era or modern supercar. It will undoubtedly provide the same thrills to a new owner.