Sprint 6C — Alfa Romeo “All The Cars”

Among the studies carried out by Alfa Romeo, an especially fascinating one was the Sprint 6C prototype by Autodelta in 1982.

The starting point was the 1983 Sprint, but the body had new bumpers and a rear spoiler. A second aerodynamic device was designed with the tail at the extreme end of the faired rear window. The wings were widened to take 205/50VR15 tyres and rims and the seats were wraparound. There was a plastic division inside the car that separated the front from what became the engine compartment. the main modification was the longitudinal central-rear installation of at 2.5i V6 engine. The unit came from the GTV6 and the 6-cylinder aluminium motor was a 2492 cc with Bosch L-Jetronic fuel injection that put out 158 hp. the 5 speed gearbox en bloc with the differential transmitted power to the back wheels. The front suspension was unchanged, but at the back the rigid axle was replaced by an independent wheel layout. Top speed was 215 kph, with excellent acceleration through the gears as the car only weighed 990 kg.

A second car suited to racing was built with the same mechanics and engine to compete in the increasingly popular sport of rallying. It’s chassis was reinforced with two boxed longitudinal members, the Hewland gearbox had a non-drive transmission shaft facing forward; the sump and monocoque were ready for the passage and anchoring of the transmission and differential for a possible four wheel drive version. The suspension was of superimposed wishbones with adjustable shock absorbers, double at the rear. The body was just like the “official” prototype’s, the only change being the racing seats with five point seat belts and anchored at five different spots and the use of a small oil radiator under the rear number plate housing. But there was neither a sporting nor and production future for the car either.

Of the two Sprint 6C prototypes, one was to be the forerunner of a road car and the other took on interesting technical characteristics that gave a hint of the development of an extreme Group B car. But in this case too, the project was soon abandoned, as was the idea of Alfa Romeo competing in road racing.