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Makes › Alfa Romeo Italy › 8C › 8C 2900B Berlinetta by Touring · Coachbuilt Ultra Rare

Alfa Romeo
8C 2900B Berlinetta by Touring

Touring Superleggera berlinetta bodies on the Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B chassis

Body: Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera
Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Berlinetta by Touring (Wikimedia Commons: 1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring Berlinetta s/n 412024)
Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Berlinetta by Touring (Wikimedia Commons: 1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring Berlinetta s/n 412024)
Photo: Y.Leclercq · CC BY-SA 4.0
5BuiltIndependently researched
10Lungo built (museum)Factory reported
0Chassis documentedin this archive
?SurvivingNot yet verified
Contents
  1. 01Overview
  2. 02Production & history
  3. 03Specifications
  4. 04Colours & options
  5. 05Individual cars
  6. 06Reference

01Overview

At a glance

Built
5 Built
Years
Not yet verified
Engine
Supercharged straight-eight (inline-8) · 2,900 cc / 2.9 LFactory: 2.9 L
Power
134 kW / 182 PSFactory: 180 hp · converted
Top speed
175 km/hFactory: 175 km/h
Designer
Carrozzeria Touring (body)
In this archive
Not yet verified
Surviving
Not yet verified

Sources and any conflicting figures are in the sections below.

Why it matters

The Touring berlinettas are the closed versions of the 8C 2900B, a road car derived from Alfa Romeo's racing chassis with a supercharged 2.9-litre straight-eight. Only five of the roughly thirty 2.9-litre chassis received Touring berlinetta bodies, and they are widely regarded as among the most beautiful pre-war cars.

How rare is it?

Six separate kinds of rarity – never combined into one number.

Model rarityUltra Rare 5 · Built1
Specification rarityNot yet assessed
Colour rarityNot yet assessed
Individual rarityNot yet assessed
Historical rarityNot yet assessed
Survival rarityNot yet assessed

Each kind of rarity is rated separately and never combined.

Photos

Exterior, interior and detail photos with their licences.

  • Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Berlinetta by Touring (Wikimedia Commons: 1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring Berlinetta s/n 412024)Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Berlinetta by Touring (Wikimedia Commons: 1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring Berlinetta s/n 412024)
    Photo: Y.Leclercq · CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Berlinetta by Touring (Wikimedia Commons: 1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring Berlinetta s/n 412024)Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Berlinetta by Touring (Wikimedia Commons: 1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring Berlinetta s/n 412024)
    Photo: Y.Leclercq · CC BY-SA 4.0

02Production & history

Production

Every figure says what it counts.

What is countedFigureBasisStatus
Total model productionberlinettas bodied by Touring; 'some thirty' 2.9-litre chassis in all 51Strongest evidence Factory production Independently researched
Total model production8C 2900 B Lungo cars produced, as listed by the Museo Storico Alfa Romeo on its page for the Touring Superleggera berlinetta; the page does not say whether this covers all Lungo bodies or only berlinettas 102 Manufacturer reported Factory reported
Why more than one figure?

The 5 counts Touring berlinettas (Artcurial); the museum's 10 is its figure for the 8C 2900 B Lungo page, which may cover more bodies.

The 5 counts Touring berlinettas (Artcurial); the museum's 10 is its figure for the 8C 2900 B Lungo page, which may cover more bodies.

Independent counts (e.g. engine and colour) are never combined into a calculated figure. Surviving examples are never presented as original production.

History

The 8C 2900 was based on the chassis of the 8C 35 Grand Prix car and was originally conceived with racing in mind. Some thirty 2.9-litre chassis were built with spider or berlinetta bodies, and Carrozzeria Touring of Milan clothed five as berlinettas shortly before the Second World War. One of them, chassis 412024, was delivered new in Italy in 1939, went to England the same year and later won at Pebble Beach and Villa d'Este.

Variants

How each version differs from the standard 8C 2900B Berlinetta by Touring.

No variants documented yet. Have a source? Contribute it.

03Specifications

Technical specifications

Engine

Engine familyNot yet verified
Engine codeNot yet verified
LayoutSupercharged straight-eight (inline-8)3 Independently researched
Cylinders82
Displacement 2,900 cc / 2.9 LFactory: 2.9 L3 Independently researched
Bore 68 mmFactory: 68 mm2
Stroke 100 mmFactory: 100 mm2
Compression ratioNot yet verified
Valvetrain2 valves per cylinder, 2 overhead camshafts driven by gears2
Fuel systemTwo carburettors with two positive-displacement superchargers, magneto ignition2
InductionTwin superchargers3 Independently researched
Power 134 kW / 182 PSFactory: 180 hp · converted4 Independently researchedSource states bhp.
Power at 5,200 rpm2
TorqueNot yet verified

Transmission & drivetrain

GearboxNot yet verified
Gears42
Driven wheelsRear2

Chassis, body & dimensions

ChassisWelded box-section side members and cross-members2
Front suspensionIndependent, transverse arms, coil springs, hydraulic dampers2
Rear suspensionIndependent, longitudinal arm, transverse leaf spring, hydraulic and friction dampers2
BrakesHydraulic drums on all four wheels2
SteeringNot yet verified
Body constructionBerlinetta (Touring Superleggera)2
Wheelbase 3,000 mmFactory: 3,000 mm2
Length 5,150 mmFactory: 5,150 mm2
Width 1,770 mmFactory: 1,770 mm2
Height 1,500 mmFactory: 1,500 mm2
Front trackNot yet verified
Rear trackNot yet verified
Kerb weight 1,250 kgFactory: 1,250 kg2Page says only "Peso".
Dry weightNot yet verified

Performance

Maximum speed 175 km/hFactory: 175 km/h2
0–100 km/hNot yet verified
Fuel tankNot yet verified

“Not yet verified” means no source has been checked for that value yet. Nothing is estimated to fill a gap.

04Colours & options

Factory colours & interiors

Original paint and trim, with the number of cars in each where a source gives it.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

Factory options & codes

Codes are shown exactly as written by the manufacturer.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

05Individual cars

Chassis register

Every documented car, with its colours, history and where it is now. Open a row for the full record. Known chassis are not automatically authenticated originals.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

Competition history

Every race result of the individual cars, in date order. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

Auction & sale history

Documented public sales of the individual cars. Click a chassis number to open its full record in the register.

Not yet documented. Have a source? Contribute it.

See one in person

Museums where an example of this car can be seen.

No example is documented on public display yet. Have a source? Contribute it.

06Reference

Identification guide

How to tell an original from a replica or later conversion.

A genuine car is one of five documented Touring berlinetta bodies on an 8C 2900B chassis (example: 412024), with the twin-supercharged 2.9-litre straight-eight on the 8C 35-derived chassis.

Sources

Each number links to the exact facts it supports.

  1. 1
    Motor1 – 1939 Alfa Romeo 8C Touring Berlinetta could bring $25M (quoting Artcurial press release) Level B
    • 5 berlinettas bodied by Touring; 'some thirty' 2.9-litre chassis in all
    Accessed 2026-11-11
  2. 2
    Museo Storico Alfa Romeo, collection: 8C 2900 B Lungo Level A Museo Storico Alfa Romeo (Arese)
    • Vetture Prodotte 10
    • 8 cilindri in linea (Dettagli vettura)
    • 2905 cc (68x100 mm) (Dettagli vettura)
    • 2 valvole per cilindro, 2 alberi a camme in testa con comando a ingranaggi (Dettagli vettura)
    • 2 carburatori e 2 compressori volumetrici, accensione a magnete (Dettagli vettura)
    • 180 CV a 5200 giri/min. (Dettagli vettura)
    • 4 marce + RM (Dettagli vettura)
    • Trazione posteriore (Dettagli vettura)
    • Longheroni e traverse a scatola saldati (Dettagli vettura)
    • Anteriore: ruote indipendenti, bracci trasversali molle elicoidali (Dettagli vettura)
    • Posteriore: ruote indipendenti, braccio longitudinale, balestra trasversale (Dettagli vettura)
    • Idraulici, a tamburo sulle 4 ruote (Dettagli vettura)
    • Carrozzeria Berlinetta (Touring Superleggera) (Dettagli vettura)
    • Passo: 3000 mm (Dettagli vettura)
    • lunghezza: 5150 mm (Dettagli vettura)
    • larghezza: 1770 mm (Dettagli vettura)
    • altezza: 1500 mm (Dettagli vettura)
    • Peso 1250 kg (Dettagli vettura)
    • Massima velocità 175 km/h (Dettagli vettura)
    Accessed 2026-11-12
  3. 3
    1939 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring Berlinetta auction Level B Motor1
    • fabulously long inline-8 engine displacing 2.9 liters
    • displacing 2.9 liters
    • fitted with a pair of superchargers
    Accessed 2026-11-11
  4. 4
    Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Le Mans Berlinetta Level C Ultimatecarpage.com
    • about 220 bhp, compared with 180 bhp in road trim
    Accessed 2026-11-11

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