This might take the cake for the most “how is this on sale” kind of car on Bring a Trailer recently.
This is a 1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Zagato, which in itself is rare, with only 213 examples built over three years. What makes this one even more special is that it’s the eighth one ever made, and it won first in its class and seventh overall at the 1962 Targa Florio road endurance race.
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This Alfa’s stories could fill books
The Spring Zagato was first created when privateer racers asked the coachbuilder to convert their Sprint Veloce models into race-going examples. After numerous race wins, Alfa Romeo asked Zagato to supply the bodywork for an official production version, which gave birth to the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Zagato. Two variants were produced: the flatter Coda Tronca and this shorter, rounded Coda Tonda.
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The story goes that chassis 00008 was first sold to Italian privateer Vito Coco, who entrusted Italian automotive engineer, entrepreneur, and racing team manager Virgilio Conrero with getting it ready for endurance racing.
Conrero reportedly fitted it with a different 1,290cc inline-four engine sourced from Alfa Romeo’s experimental department and sent it off to races across Southern Italy, including the aforementioned 1962 Targa Florio.
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A much-needed refurbishing brought the Spring Zagato back to life
This SZ somehow made its way to France in the 1970s, where it was purchased by the current owner in 1996. A restoration began, during which the aluminum body was repainted in its factory red, the engine was overhauled at Franco Angelini’s workshop in Rome, Italy, and the five-speed manual transmission received a longer first gear and a shorter fifth gear.
Since that restoration, it has once more taken up the gauntlet and participated in various vintage races like the Trofeo Giulietta, the 100th edition of the Targa Florio, the 2017 and 2019 iterations of the Historic Minardi Day at Imola, and a rally organized by the Italian Alfa Romeo Register (RIAR) to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Giulietta model. The CEO of Alfa Romeo at the time, Harald J. Wester, is even said to have driven the car at that last event.
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Final thoughts
Make no mistake, this is a full-blooded race car through and through. It proudly wears stickers from its previous vintage racing events like a decorated military general wears their medals. If you’ve been looking for a car to take you back to the era of classic Italian racing, this is one of the finest ways to do so.
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Included in the sale are period photos and articles, service records, correspondence from Alfa Romeo, and Italian registration in the owner’s name.
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