Midrand, South Africa – The historical re-enactment of the Mille Miglia – the race famously defined by Enzo Ferrari as “the most beautiful travelling museum in the world” – will be held from 18 to 21 May 2017. Staged for the 35th time, the event welcomes several rare classic Alfa Romeo cars from the FCA Heritage collection. As is the tradition, the race – which Alfa Romeo is the “Automotive Sponsor” for the third year running – will start and end in Brescia and traverse some of the most striking locations in Italy, with the turning point in Rome.
The rare classic cars will be flanked by the latest additions to the Alfa Romeo line-up. Stelvio, the first SUV in the history of brand, guarantees peerless performance and outstanding driving pleasure as a result of its excellent engineering. The public will also be able to admire the alluring Giulia, the sporty sedan that represents the new paradigm of the brand with its revolutionary style, sportiness and technology. The Giulia embodies all the elements that have made Alfa Romeo one of the most desirable brands; quintessentially Italian design, high-performance engines, perfect weight distribution, unique engineering solutions and the best weight-to-power ratio in its category.
Alfa Romeo
6C 1750 Gran Sport (1930)
The 6C 1750 Gran Sport (1930), the 6C 2300 Mille Miglia (1938) and the 1900 Super Sprint (1956) are returning to the legendary roads of the race marked by the red arrow. Three superb cars from the Alfa Romeo Museum, dubbed the “Time Machine”, will be travelling the roads where the Mille Miglia was staged from 1927 to 1957. The race was won by Alfa Romeo no less than eleven times: a record that has never been beaten. All eyes will be on the 6C 1750 Gran Sport, the legendary model in which Tazio Nuvolari and Giovanni Battista Guidotti won the Brescia-based race in 1930. That was the race of the legendary “overtaking in the dark” episode when Nuvolari achieved the unprecedented feat of averaging 100 km/h over the entire course. The bodywork was created by Milan atelier Zagato, and still draws gasps of admiration from bystanders.
6C 2300 Coupé Mille Miglia (1938)
The 6C 2300 Coupé Mille Miglia with body made by Touring will be on the start platform in Viale Venezia. The car is similar to the one that came first in its category in 1937 and fourth in the general ranking following in the steps of the 6C 2300 Pescara first series. The name “Mille Miglia” pays homage to the excellent performance of 1937: first in its category and fourth in the general ranking. Under the bonnet is a 2,309 cm3 straight-six engine capable of delivering 95 HP at 4,500 r/min and propelling the vehicle to a top speed of 170 km/h. The car will be driven by Arturo Merzario and Jean-Pierre Jarier. The competitive duo represent the glorious history of Alfa Romeo in motorsport, winning all the races as well as their category in the sport prototypes world championship in 1977 in an Alfa Romeo 33 SC 12.
1900 Super Sprint (1956)
According to the consolidated 1900 family tradition, the Sprint was replaced by the Super Sprint in 1955: it was similar to the previous model but with a new snappier five-speed gearbox. It had the same mechanicals as the Berlina T. I. Super, namely 1975 cm3 displacement, double-barrel inverted carburettor and double rear CV joint. The second version of 1956 which competed in the Mille Miglia delivered 115 HP at 5,500 r/min and reached a remarkable top speed of 190 km/h.
The route of the Mille Miglia features some variations again this year. Each edition of the Mille Miglia is part race, part adventure and part wonder for the “the most beautiful travelling museum in the world”, and certainly never the same as the year before. This is the secret of the event which brings together every year admiring, enthusiastic spectators: arousing strong emotions even among the youngest spectators. The presence of FCA Heritage is confirmation of the special dedication of FCA to the classic car world and events that highlight the racing traditions of its brands. More information on FCA Heritage vehicles and crew members will be regularly updated during the event on the www.fcaheritage.com website and on the official social media channels of Alfa Romeo and Lancia.
