Debuting in 1939 as the third series of Vittorio Jano’s legendary inline six-cylinder Alfa Romeos, the 6C 2500 marked both an end and a beginning. It would be both the company’s last pre-war model, and, following World War II, its first post-war offering, with its engineering and styling evolving to meet the times. Accordingly, it formed a bridge between two eras and would come to be the last true coachbuilt, hand-made Alfa Romeo.

More importantly, from a driver’s standpoint, the 6C 2500 was a thrilling ride. It was the first roadgoing Alfa Romeo capable of 160 km/h (~100 mph) and benefitted from four-wheel independent suspension with parallel trailing arms and coil springs in the front, and swing axles with torsion bars at the rear. No variant was more exciting than the top-of-the-line 6C 2500 Super Sport (or “SS”), with its triple-carbureted engine producing 110 horsepower. A mere 383 of these chassis were built following the war before Alfa Romeo transitioned to mass-produced automobiles, making this pinnacle 6C eagerly sought by enthusiasts today.

The chassis for this car, number 915539, was completed on 27 December 1947, according to the Alfa Romeo Certificate of Origin on file. It was subsequently clothed in shapely, subtle coupe bodywork by Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera of Milan and finished in an attractive pale gray over a finely detailed interior trimmed in blue leather. On 13 June 1947, the completed coupe is recorded to have been sold via Mocar Lda., an Alfa Romeo dealership in Lisbon, Portugal. Its first owner was Carlos F. Alzina Seruya of the Portuguese Rivera town of Estoril, and the relationship with the 6C was to be an enduring one: He and his family would retain the car for nearly 60 years.

In 2006, the car was acquired from Alzina Seruya’s estate by a German enthusiast, who became its second owner from new. It was soon entrusted to marque specialist Jürgen Graumann, who would oversee the car’s complete restoration over the following three years. Bernd Selewsky of Eupen, Belgium’s BSM Salewsky Motorsport, was enlisted for a rebuild of its numbers-matching, triple-carbureted inline-six engine; thoughtful upgrades, such as an electric fuel pump and additional cooling fans, were incorporated to improve reliability. HK Sattlerei provided new upholstery in dramatic blue, a color artfully carried over to the car’s Borrani wire wheels. Invoices on file detail the depth of the work lavished in this car throughout its restoration, which was completed in 2010.

Once finished, this Alfa Romeo earned its FIVA Identity Card (though this must be renewed by its next owner) and, in a testament to the quality of the work performed, embarked on a selective exhibition campaign. The 6C debuted at the Classic-Gala Schwetzingen International Concours d’Elegance in September 2010 and was presented by the exclusive Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este the following May. In August 2012, it earned 1st in Class at Classic Days Schloss Dyck in Jüchen, Germany.

The current consignor, only the car’s third owner from new, purchased the 6C in 2016. Keen on making an already excellent Alfa Romeo even better, he has continued to invest in its mechanical and cosmetic condition throughout his ownership tenure—even going so far as to source an original Italian-language 6C 2500 Super Sport owner’s manual, a lovely and authentic touch. The car has continued to enjoy exhibition success on this side of the Atlantic, earning Best of Show–Post-War at the 2018 San Marino Motor Classic, 3rd in Class at the 2019 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, and Best Alfa Romeo at the 2022 Concorso Italiano.

Powerful, stylish, and historically significant—being among the last of the truly hand-built Alfa Romeos—a post-war 6C 2500 such as this offers nearly limitless opportunities for appreciation and enjoyment. Eligible for the Mille Miglia Storica other top-shelf touring events, and equally welcome on the concours green, this Touring-bodied 6C 2500 Super Sport Coupe is a truly classic Alfa Romeo that will no doubt delight its next caretaker.