WHEN FUNCTION FOLLOWS FORM

While the 1900 was conceived as a mainstream production car, that didn’t stop the suits at Alfa Romeo initiating – or giving their blessing to – all manner of competition-led variants. The most famous was undoubtedly the C52 ‘Disco Volante’ (Flying Saucer, below). Created by Gioacchino Colombo, and built working hand-in-glove with Touring, this remarkable sports-racer looked like no other car. While based on the 1900 motor, its chain-driven four-banger featured an aluminium rather than iron block (experiments were subsequently made with straight-six units).

Unfortunately, despite – or rather because of – its shape, it didn’t win anything of any great importance. Rear-end lift was an insurmountable issue, the project being overshadowed by the hardcore 6C-3000, which briefly threatened to succeed. Cash-strapped Alfa had withdrawn from the Grand Prix arena at the end of the 1951 season, and pulled out of sports car competition at the end of ’53. The reborn Touring concern has since revisited the theme, the 8C-based Disco Volante styled by Belgian Louis de Fabribeckers appearing at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show.