Alfa Romeo 2600

2600 Sprint

The Berlina, Spider and Sprint were based on the corresponding models in the 2000 range, and all three inherited the body styling of their predecessors with minor facelifts. The biggest change was the engine. A brand new all-alloy 2.6 liter engine with six cylinders in line and twin overhead camshafts replaced the earlier four-cylinder engine with its cast-iron block and alloy head which dated back to the 1900 range of 1950. Two carburettors were fitted to the Berlina engines, giving 130 bhp (97 kW). The Sprint and Spider engines had three twin-choke horizontal carburettors and developed 145 bhp (108 kW). The OSI De Luxe was available with either the two-carb or the three-carb setup. The Sprint Zagato had 165 bhp (123 kW) with the three-carb setup.

Total production for the Berlina was 2038 cars, the Sprint was 6999 cars, the Spider was 2255 cars, the 2600 De Luxe was 54 cars and the Sprint Zagato was 105 cars.[2]

2600 Berlina

2600 Berlina

2600 Berlina de Luxe

From a sales point of view, the 2600 models were not a success, despite deserved acclaim for their excellent engine. The poor sales were not only due to the elevated prices of the 2600 models. The cars did not compare well with contemporary products, including those of Alfa Romeo itself. The factory had decided - correctly, as it turned out - to concentrate their limited development resources on the mid-sized Giulia which was introduced at about the same time. The flagship 2600 range was only a minor facelift of the 2000 range with a new engine, as this was all that the factory could do with the resources available. Since the 2000 itself had basically been a 1958 restyling of the 1950 1900, this left the 2600 with running gear a dozen years old at introduction.

The new engine also added weight and length at the front; though this did much for stability, it did not help the handling. Because the 2600 was a flagship Alfa Romeo model, expectations were high, and both critics and customers quickly spotted the deficiencies, both on paper and on the road. When the new Giulia appeared with completely new running gear, the 2600 was shown up even more.

Sprint Zagato

Another reason for slow sales was styling and concept. The Berlina's styling wasn't viewed positively and that reflected in the especially poor sales for this model. While most Alfa Romeo sedans in the marque's history outsold the more specialised sporting models in the same range, the 2600 Berlina did not outsell the 2600 Sprint or Spider. The 2600 Spider had styling which was seen to be derivative of that of its smaller stablemate, the Giulietta Spider: certainly handsome, but lacking the smaller car's grace and balance. The larger car's handling also suffered perhaps unfair comparison with that of the Giulietta Spider, and this is an important factor in a car with sporting pretensions. One sales point in its favor was that it was a four-seater convertible, though the two rear seats were fairly cramped.

The 2600 Sprint made more of an impression. It was a large grand touring coupé which could seat four adults in comfort over long journeys at high speeds. As such, it did not suffer unfair comparisons with other models in the Alfa Romeo range as none of them could be directly compared with it. In that mode of operation, oriented more towards fast touring than sporting driving, the agility and handling balance of the smaller Alfas mattered less, while the stability and smoother ride of the larger car, and the wide power and torque band of the six-cylinder engine, came onto its own. Added to the greater space and comfort, those virtues made a convincing case for the 2600 Sprint. The car also inherited the sharp, modern styling of its predecessor, the 2000 Sprint, and that certainly contributed to its being the top seller in the 2600 range. That shape had been the result of Giorgetto Giugiaro's first major project as head designer for Carrozzeria Bertone, and is arguably one of the most influential designs in the history of automotive styling.

A certain number of 2600 Sprints were purchased by the Italian government and specially equipped and modified to be used as Police patrol cars, nicknamed "Pantera" (panther) from the emblem of its rapid intervention team. The cars were very suitable for high-speed pursuits to counter the increase in armed robberies by motorized gangs in 1960s Italy, and appeared in quite a few genre movies of the time.

Alfa Romeo 2600 engine

The 2600 range was replaced at the top of the Alfa range by the 1750 models in 1968. The 1750s were refined versions of the 1600 cc Giulia range which continued in production, so once more the Alfa Romeo flagship was a derivative product created by upgrading the motor of an existing range and carrying out a minor restyling. All similarity with the 2600 ends there though; the 1750s, and the 2000s which evolved from them, were a great success for Alfa Romeo from every point of view, especially sales.

Today, as classics, the 2600 Sprint and Spider are appreciated for the tasteful and opulent styling of both the bodywork and the interior, for the performance, technology and sound of the six-cylinder twin-cam engine, and perhaps ironically for their rarity compared to the more successful Alfa Romeo models of the same era. The fact that the cars are rare, and their parts are either dedicated to the 2600 range, or derive from even earlier Alfas, means that owners need to dedicate a lot of effort and resources to restoration and maintenance. Very few 2600 Berlinas have found dedicated owners in the decades since the model was discontinued, therefore very few have survived. 2600 SZ's are very rare (only 105 cars were produced) today they are by far the most valuable model in the range. The 2600 OSI De Luxe has always been extremely rare but there are no signs of it having become particularly desirable as a collector's item.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Alfa Romeo 2600.

• Alfa Romeo 2000 and 2600 Sprint and Spider friends in Geneva Switzerland
• www.ayk.nl Alfa Romeo 2600 Sprint restoration site and technical forum
• 2600/2000 International Register
• alfa-romeo-club-2000-2600.de