Alfa Romeo Almost Built This Mid-Engined Group B Amazemachine — Jalopnik

This is not an ordinary Alfa Romeo Alfasud Sprint. It's the Alfasud Sprint 6C prototype and it might just be the greatest car of the '80s that never was.

Let me break down what was so great about the 6C, as detailed by the excellent Motoring Con Brio and AutosItal.

• Instead of being front-wheel-drive, the 6C was converted to rear-wheel-drive.
• Instead of being front-engined, the 6C had its motor stuffed mounted in the middle.
• It was intended for Group B rallying.
• It looks like a fastback, Italian version of the E30 M3.
• Only two prototypes were ever built.
• It's an Alfa Romeo.

I think I can rest my case there, but really, I can't stress enough how much amazingness is crammed into this 13-foot-long wondercar.

The car was built in 1982 for Group B, and would have gone up against Audi Quattros, Lancia 037s, Opels, Toyotas, and everything else. The Alfasud's regular boxer four cylinder got swapped for the 2.5 L V6 from the GTV6 and was moved to behind the front seats. Alfasud.Alfisti.net reports that Alfa separated the driver and passenger from the engine with glass, and then took out the stock rear window. Basically, the car was like a giant Dino rally car.

Sprintmania claims it weighed 990 kg (2,183 lbs) and, oh yeah, it got box flares because it was the '80s.

In the end, Alfa didn't pony up for the race program or for the 200 homologation-required road cars. It's possible that Alfa simply didn't have the budget for it back in 1982, or that Alfa's engineers were so blinded by the car's glory that they took pity on the world for not producing it.

Clearly, humanity would never create anything better than this again.