1963 Alfa Romeo 2600 Spider

• Elegant styling by Carrozzeria Touring
• Single family ownership (father/son) since the late 1960s
• Original colour scheme
• Comes with a convertible top and a hardtop
• Valid Contrôle Technique

"...its vocation was not a sporty one rather that of an elegant and comfortable grand tourer for people who loved the open air: the well finished cab easily accommodated four people, was fully accessoried and the set-up was fairly soft. The car was well suited to lively but relaxed driving, rather than seeking its limit." - Lorenzo Ardizio, Alfa Romeo – All the Cars, describing the 2600 Spider.

Introduced at the Geneva Motor Show in 1962, Alfa Romeo's 106-Series '2600' range was a direct replacement for the preceding 102-Series '2000' cars. Carrozzeria Touring and Carrozzeria Bertone were responsible for the 2600 Spider and Sprint Coupé respectively; both of which looked like their 2000 predecessors. The latter's chassis design and body styles were retained, with minor revisions and improvements, but in place of the old, long-stroke, 2.0-litre four was a new, 2,584cc, twin-cam six-cylinder engine clearly descended from that of the immensely successful Giulietta. A maximum output of 145bhp was claimed for this unit when installed in the Sprint coupé and Spider, which was good enough for a top speed of around 125mph (200km/h). Cars Illustrated magazine reckoned this magnificent power unit "one of the smoothest, quietest running sixes, irrespective of the speed at which it is running, in our experience". Power reached the rear wheels via a five-speed manual synchromesh gearbox, while the braking system featured discs at the front and drums at the rear. The 2600 series would be Alfa Romeo's last to featured a twin-cam inline six power unit.

Homologated in 1962 and raced until 1967 by both the works and privateers, the Sprint version was piloted by stars such as Andrea de Adamich, Jean Guichet and Carlo Facetti, achieving class wins in the 24 Heures du Spa, Tour de France, Nurburgring 12 Hours, Monza 4 Hours, Mugello and other rounds of the European Touring Car Championship. During the same period it was extensively hill-climbed and rallied, proving to be a powerful and reliable all-rounder.

Approximately 2,255 Spiders and 6,999 Sprint Coupés were produced between 1962 and 1966, and today these rare and hitherto under-appreciated models are becoming increasingly sought after by discerning Alfisti.

This lovely Alfa Romeo 2600 Spider was inherited in 1987 by our vendor from his father, who had owned it since the late 1960s. The Alfa has been regularly maintained by the owner's team of mechanics, just like all the other cars in his collection, and is finished in its original exterior colour of Bianco Spino, albeit repainted a long time ago. The red Skai (leatherette) interior is original. On a recent test drive the engine started straight away and was smooth, as was the gearbox, while the brakes worked well.

Accompanying documentation includes a French Carte Grise and valid Contrôle Technique, and the car also comes with a convertible top and a hardtop.