ALFA ROMEO 1900 SUPER BERLINA 2 PORTE PRIMAVERA BOANO

ALFA ROMEO
1900 SUPER BERLINA 2 PORTE PRIMAVERA BOANO

VIN. #AR*1900*15980

- ONLY 300 BUILT
- INTRIGUING AMERICAN-STYLE ALFA ROMEO SPORTS CAR
- ONLY THREE OWNERS, INCLUDING THE ALFA ROMEO DEALER IN BRESCIA
- PERFECTLY PRESERVED MECHANICS AND BODYWORK

Prior to the Second World War, Alfa Romeo had earned great sporting prestige, but it had a low production capacity. In the years immediately following the conflict, also thanks to new and significant public investments, the company decided to produce, alongside its successful sports cars, standard models that could be produced and sold in their thousands. The 1900 was the first true post-war Alfa Romeo and its strengths were its small size and lower-displacement engine. As a result its costs, while high compared with the average for the Italian market, were kept contained and accessible. Unveiled on October 2nd, 1950, the 1900 combined the monocoque body with the famous twin-cam/DOHC engine, the latter a technical feature of the great pre-war Alfa Romeos. In addition to the 17,000 sedans produced directly by Alfa Romeo at the time, this was a huge number for this Milan-based manufacturer , numerous special versions were also produced, mainly coupés or open models. These, built by the many coachbuilders that were in business at the time, were niche versions, intended for those who wanted to stand out from the crowd. Giampaolo Boano’s coachbuilding firm proposed, for release in 1955, the “Primavera”, which was its interpretation of the Alfa Romeo two-door sedan. Based on the 1900, it was not a sports car, but a 4-/5-seater for touring. Just four were built in 1955, followed by a small series of 286 in 1956, and finally the last ten in 1957. The features that set it apart from the standard 4-door sedan were, in particular, the shape of the roof and the curved rear window, the frameless side windows, in true American style, and the two-tone finish, all of which were rendered even more striking thanks to the effect created by the chrome profiles that emphasized its shape. Also in 1955, Boano had presented the 1900 C SS Speciale, another model based on the mechanics of the 1900 (one of which recently fetched 1.27 million dollars at auction). The car offered up for auction, purchased by its third and current owner 10 years ago, was recently sold in Brescia, where it remained for several decades in the ownership of Romano Automobili, then the Alfa Romeo dealer there. With the exception of the fabrics used in the interiors, which have been replaced with identical materials, the car is perfectly preserved. It was indeed judged the best preserved car at the 2015 Concorso di Eleganza in Vicenza, and won its class at the “Concorso d'Eleganza di Auto d'Epoca” held in Gabicce Mare in 2017. This is a rare car in unique condition that would make a worthy contender in the most prestigious elegance competitions.