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Makes › Alfa Romeo Italy › 8C › 8C 2900B Le Mans Berlinetta (Touring) · Factory competition · 1938 One-off

Alfa Romeo
8C 2900B Le Mans Berlinetta (Touring)

One-off Touring aerodynamic berlinetta that led Le Mans 1938; distinct from road 2900B Touring cars

Body: Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera
Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Le Mans Berlinetta (Touring) (Wikimedia Commons search)
Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Le Mans Berlinetta (Touring) (Wikimedia Commons search)
Photo: azrhey · CC BY-SA 2.0
1BuiltFactory 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
1 Built
Years
1938
Engine
Front-mounted longitudinal supercharged straight-eight, alloy block and head · 2,905 cc / 2.9 LFactory: 2,905 cc
Power
164 kW / 223 PSFactory: 220 hp · converted
Top speed
245 km/hFactory: 245 km/h
Designer
Carlo Felice Anderloni (Carrozzeria Touring)
In this archive
Not yet verified
Surviving
Not yet verified

Sources and any conflicting figures are in the sections below.

Why it matters

This one-off Touring fastback built a record lead at the 1938 Le Mans 24 Hours before mechanical trouble ended its run. Its enclosed aerodynamic body with integrated wings was unusually advanced for the period, and the car survives in Alfa Romeo's own museum.

How rare is it?

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

Model rarityOne-off 1 · Built1,2
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 Le Mans Berlinetta (Touring) (Wikimedia Commons search)Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Le Mans Berlinetta (Touring) (Wikimedia Commons search)
    Photo: azrhey · CC BY-SA 2.0
  • Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Le Mans Berlinetta (Touring) (Wikimedia Commons search)Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Le Mans Berlinetta (Touring) (Wikimedia Commons search)
    Photo: azrhey · CC BY-SA 2.0

02Production & history

Production

Every figure says what it counts.

What is countedFigureBasisStatus
Total model productioncar built 11,2 Factory production Factory reported

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

History

In early 1938 five 8C 2900B competition chassis were modified, and one received a Touring coupé body by Carlo Felice Anderloni in place of the Mille Miglia spider body. At Le Mans, Raymond Sommer and Clemente Biondetti built an 11-lap lead by Sunday morning, but a tyre failure on the Mulsanne straight and a subsequent mechanical failure forced retirement. The car was later sold in Rome, rediscovered there in the late 1960s, passed through several collectors and was reacquired by Alfa Romeo in the late 1980s in exchange for a 158 'Alfetta'; it is displayed at the Museo Storico.

Variants

How each version differs from the standard 8C 2900B Le Mans Berlinetta (Touring).

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

03Specifications

Technical specifications

Engine

Engine familyNot yet verified
Engine codeNot yet verified
LayoutFront-mounted longitudinal supercharged straight-eight, alloy block and head3 Independently researched
Cylinders81
Displacement 2,905 cc / 2.9 LFactory: 2,905 cc3 Independently researched
Bore 68.25 mmFactory: 68.25 mm1
Stroke 100 mmFactory: 100 mm1
Compression ratioNot yet verified
Valvetrain2 valves per cylinder, 2 gear-driven overhead camshafts1
Fuel system2 carburettors1
InductionTwin Roots-type superchargers, two Weber carburettors3 Independently researched
Power 164 kW / 223 PSFactory: 220 hp · converted3 Independently researchedSource states bhp (brake horsepower, mechanical).
Power at 5,800 rpm3 Independently researched
TorqueNot yet verified

Transmission & drivetrain

GearboxFour-speed manual, rear-wheel drive3 Independently researched
Gears41
Driven wheelsRear1

Chassis, body & dimensions

ChassisNot yet verified
Front suspensionIndependent, transverse arms, coil springs, hydraulic dampers1
Rear suspensionIndependent, longitudinal arm, transverse leaf spring, hydraulic and friction dampers1
BrakesHydraulic drum brakes on all four wheels1
SteeringNot yet verified
Body constructionBerlinetta body by Touring Superleggera1
Wheelbase 3,000 mmFactory: 3,000 mm1
Length 5,150 mmFactory: 5,150 mm1
WidthNot yet verified
HeightNot yet verified
Front trackNot yet verified
Rear trackNot yet verified
Kerb weight 1,250 kgFactory: 1,250 kg1The museum lists "Peso" without saying whether dry or kerb weight.
Dry weightNot yet verified

Performance

Maximum speed 245 km/hFactory: 245 km/h3 Independently researched
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.

Being verified against factory or registry sources before it is published. Have a source? Contribute it.

Sources

Each number links to the exact facts it supports.

  1. 1
    8C 2900 B Speciale Tipo Le Mans Level A Museo Storico Alfa Romeo
    • Vetture Prodotte 1
    • 8 cilindri in linea (Dettagli vettura)
    • 2926 cc (68,25x100 mm) (Dettagli vettura)
    • 2 valvole per cilindro, 2 alberi a camme in testa (Dettagli vettura)
    • Alimentazione a 2 carburatori e 2 compressori (Dettagli vettura)
    • 4 marce + RM (Dettagli vettura)
    • Trazione posteriore (Dettagli vettura)
    • ruote indipendenti, bracci trasversali, molle elicoidali (Dettagli vettura)
    • braccio longitudinale, balestra trasversale (Dettagli vettura)
    • Idraulici, a tamburo sulle 4 ruote (Dettagli vettura)
    • Berlinetta (Touring Superleggera) (Dettagli vettura)
    • Passo: 3000 mm (Dettagli vettura)
    • lunghezza: 5150 mm (Dettagli vettura)
    • Peso 1250 kg (Dettagli vettura)
    Accessed 2026-11-12
  2. 2
  3. 3
    Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Le Mans Berlinetta – specifications Level C Ultimatecarpage.com
    • Straight 8, front, longitudinally mounted
    • 2,905 cc (177.3 cu in)
    • Twin Roots-Type Superchargers
    • 220 bhp (164 kW) at 5,800 rpm
    • 220 bhp at 5,800 rpm
    • 4-speed manual, rear-wheel drive
    • 245 km/h (152 mph)
    Accessed 2026-11-11

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