1954 Alfa Romeo 1900

To Be OFFERED AT AUCTION at RM Sothebys Paris event, 4 - 5 February 2025.
800,000 - 1,000,000 EUR

• Considered by many to be one of the most beautiful Alfa Romeos ever made
• Thought to be one of only 39 examples of the 1900 C Super Sprint Coup to wear lightweight Zagato coachwork
• Fascinating Italian ownership chain; discovered after 40 years of storage and duly restored to the exemplary condition it is presented in today
• Restoration work overseen by esteemed collector Corrado Lopresto; accompanied by photos detailing its workshop overhaul
• Concours class winner; awarded 1st prize for Postwar Preservation at the 2014 Pebble Beach Concours dElegance
• The recipient of around 19,000-worth of mechanical preparation in August 2022, carried out by S2 Classic Cars in the Netherlands
• Eligible for entry to the Mille Miglia and other leading concours events

The Alfa Romeo 1900 C Super Sprint Coup realises Ugo Zagatos wish to exploit the 1900 platform for racing with his car some 100 kilograms lighter than the alternative body from Touring, thanks to its lightweight aluminium panelling. The car was popular among amateur racing drivers of its day, including the example offered here.

Chassis 01845 was delivered new to one Ruggero Ricci of Lucca, Italy, with whom it was registered as LU 20404 , wearing green paint and supplied by Great Garage International. Ricci entered the car in some local races, including the 1954 Firenze-Siena, where it was driven by Otello Biagiotti of Pistoia, who clearly enjoyed the car and duly bought it the following February, registering it as PT 14944 . Biagiotti only kept the Alfa Romeo for four months before it was purchased by its next owner, Maria Laura Pelliccia of Florence, and it was re-registered as FI 79653 . Two years later, Umberto Mazzi, also of Florence, bought the car and kept it until February 1963, when Venanzi Alberto Cesaroni of Castiglion Fiorentino acquired the Super Sprint, assuming the targa AR 79653 . In June 1968, the car was bought by Lanzini Gino Santi of the same town, then it came into the ownership of Giuseppe Strippoli in September 1969, when it took the Roman registration RM E69578 .

In Strippolis ownership, the Alfa Romeo was parked in a garage and would stay there for the next four decades. In 2013, the car was discovered by esteemed Milanese collector Corrado Lopresto in tired but unrestored condition. Italian magazine articles (available to view on file) show the car in its condition straight out of storage, and it was then subject to a comprehensive, nut-and-bolt restoration. Taking care to retain as much of the cars originality as possible, much of the interior trim and leather was carefully repurposed while the dashboard was painstakingly renovated, revealing the original grey paintwork. The exterior of the car was refinished in the resplendent shade of green it is presented in today. Photos of the car undergoing restoration can be viewed on file.

Upon completion of the restoration, the Alfa Romeo was shown at the 2014 Pebble Beach Concours dElegance, where it won 1st prize in the Postwar Preservation class. In the summer of 2022, the experts at S2 Classic Cars in the Netherlands invested more than 200 hours for mechanical preparation, which totalled around 19,000, to ready the car for historic racing events. Now the charming Super Sprint awaits its next owner for further appearances at the many events and concours lawns it would be eligible to enter, including the Mille Miglia. The car is offered for sale with its period Italian registration papers.
To view this car and others currently consigned to this auction, please visit the RM website at rmsothebys.com/auctions/pa25/.