ALFA ROMEO 6C 1500 1927-1929 Photos, engines & full specs

Alfa Romeo realized that its RL model was too heavy to win races and developed a new model with a smaller engine, which proved to be successful later on.

The carmaker unveiled the new 6C 1500 at the Milan Motor Show in 1925, but the production started only in 1927, only after the engineers found solutions to make the car more reliable and improved the engine as well. Alfa Romeo developed the car to win races, and that what the 6C did, and claimed first place at the 1928 Mille Miglia and the 24 Hours of Spa.

The first models were bodied by Carozzeria Touring and were true sports cars with a lower chassis. At the front, the carmaker offered an option for two or four headlights, with an additional pair placed between the main headlamps, for night driving. All four were supported by the same beam, mounted between the front fenders. Zagato also built an aluminum bodywork for the 5C 1500, and that led to several modifications to the original project. The road version featured two spare wheels mounted at the back of the car, on the raked forward trunk lid.

Since it was a sports car, it featured just two doors and two seats inside, with a removable passenger's seat or a bench. Its instrument panel took center stage on the dashboard with bigger dials for the speedometer and tachometer.

Under the hood, Alfa Romeo installed a 1.5-liter, inline-six engine. Later on, it developed a dual overhead camshaft system, increasing the power output from 44 hp up to 84 hp with a supercharger. The four-speed manual gearbox sent the power to the rear wheels.