FAB WHEELS DIGEST (F.W.D.): Alfa Romeo 2600 Sprint (1961-68)

The Alfa Romeo 2600 (series 106) was Alfa Romeo´s six-cylinder flagship produced from 1961 to 1968. It has become historically significant as the last Alfa Romeo to have been fitted with an inline six-cylinder engine having twin overhead camshafts. That had been the traditional Alfa Romeo engine configuration since the 1920s, but gave way to four-cylinder engines as the factory oriented its production towards more economical mass-produced car models after the Second World War.

The 2600 was introduced in the 1962 Geneva Motor Show, as a sedan with a factory-built body (2600 Berlina), a two-plus-two seater convertible with body by Carrozzeria Touring (2600 Spider), and a coupe with a body by Bertone (2600 Sprint). And later in 1965 at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the 2600 SZ (Sprint Zagato) with fastback coupe bodywork by Zagato was introduced. The Sprint, Spider and Sprint Zagato engines had three twin-choke horizontal carburettors and developed 145 bhp (108 kW).

The 2600 Sprint, the top seller in the 2600 range, was a large grand touring coupe which could seat four adults in comfort over long journeys at high speeds. That shape had been the result of Giorgetto Giugiaro's first major project as head designer for Carrozeria Bertone, and is arguably one of the most influential designs in the history of automotive styling. Total production for the Sprint was only 6999 cars. (wikipedia)