8. 1947 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Villa d’Este
The 6C is one of Alfa’s most memorable nameplates, and this was the ultimate version. Introduced in 1938, the 2500 was the final 6C road car, illustrating the pinnacle of pre-war road car engineering.
From the ashes of World War II, Alfa emerged with the 1946 6C 2500 Freccia d’Oro (meaning Golden Arrow). Some 680 cars were built in the next five years, with bodies built by Alfa. The 2500’s dual overhead cam engine was developed by legendary engineer Vittorio Jano, and a triple Weber carburettor version was used in this top-of-the-range SS version.
Of all the 6C variants, the 6C 2500 Villa d’Este was the most exclusive version. It was introduced in 1949 as a Berlinetta with coachwork designed and built by Touring Superleggera. The Villa d’Este used the 6C 2500 Super Sport chassis with the 110 bhp six-cylinder engine. Alfa Romeo chose the name Villa d’Este after this design won the Concorso d’Eleganza at Lake Como. This 6C was Alfa’s last handbuilt model, with only 36 specimens built.
It was not the last time we met this car, as it is now showcased as part of Autoworld’s Alfa Romeo summer exhibition.
