Vehicle Description
Chassis No. AR177305
Engine No. AR00120 01518
Not simply designed to wow motor show audiences, Bertone's B.A.T
Alfa Romeo design studies of the 1950s eventually marinated in the
minds of its creators long enough to iterate into one of the most
sensational production car designs of its era, Alfa Romeo's
Giulietta Sprint Speciale. With jet age inspired design cues, the
Sprint Speciale was a flagship sports model for the marque,
alongside its more spartan Sprint Zagato racing cousin. With a
five-speed transmission, 1,300-cc twin-cam engine with twin Weber
carburetors, and three-shoe front drum brakes, the Sprint Speciale,
or SS, offered a considerable amount of performance in an
eye-popping, uniquely styled package.
This example is one of a small handful of cars believed to have
been delivered new to Bogota, Colombia, where it is said to have
been owned by a businessman of Italian descent. Eventually the SS
would come into the ownership of another prominent Bogota-based
automotive family, in whose 50-car collection it would live for
some 25+ years among a fleet of other special classics, including
numerous other Alfas.
While in its prior ownership, the Sprint Speciale was treated to a
repaint in red and an interior retrim in more luxurious black
leather. In 2020 it was imported to California, and an extensive
mechanical recommissioning was undertaken by Alfa guru Conrad
Stevenson. Over $36,000 in invoices on file document attention paid
to numerous aspects of the car from the engine to the brakes to the
fuel system and differential. Most notably, the engine was removed
and completely stripped down and rebuilt with a newly finished
crankshaft by Sammy Hale. The Weber carburetors were rebuilt while
the driveshaft also rebuilt and balanced. While the transmission
was apart, it was noted that it is fitted with a special lightened
close ratio GTA-type gear set, which shifts beautifully. A large
number of other items were attended to in order to ensure the SS is
a capable road car.
The current owners, longtime custodians of the Alfa Romeo marque,
acquired the car in 2022 and have enjoyed it amongst their
collection of vintage Italian sports cars. In both 2023 and 2025,
the SS was pressed into service as a backup entry for the
California Mille while other cars either failed to perform or
languished in restoration shops; the SS performed admirably,
completing the rally on both occasions. Its performance is
excellent, with crisp throttle response and a pleasing raspy
exhaust note from its specially tuned Conrad Stevenson exhaust. Its
Bertone jet age styling is quite thrilling just to look at, but
when combined with a high-revving twin-cam Alfa engine, smooth
shifting five-speed transmission, and nimble handling
characteristics of the Giulietta sports car, it is clear that Alfa
Romeo's SS is both a styling and performance icon worth paying
attention to.
