The 36th re-evocation of what Enzo Ferrari liked to call the "most beautiful race in the world", the Mille Miglia, will be held from 16 to 19 May on the traditional Brescia-Rome-Brescia course. An unmissable event that Alfa Romeo will attend as both Automotive Sponsor and "guest of honour", as the 2018 edition coincides with the 90th anniversary of its first victory in the legendary race, run from 1927 to 1957.
It was on 1 April 1928 that Giuseppe Campari and Giulio Ramponi reached the top step of the podium with the 6C 1500 Super Sport, one of Vittorio Jano's masterpieces, unbeatable thanks to its revolutionary mechanical design, including a fixed head and a supercharged engine. The extraordinary car covered the 1,618 km course at a remarkable average speed of 84 km/h, to obtain the first of Alfa Romeo's 11 victories, 7 of them in consecutive years, from 1932 to 1938: a record which can now never be beaten.
The brand will celebrate this extraordinary anniversary with a series of special events. In one of the most deeply significant, on Saturday 19 May the Mille Miglia will visit the Museo Storico Alfa Romeo, where the competitor cars will take part in a time trial on the in-house circuit at the Arese site. It is an original way to celebrate the Alfa Romeo legend and pay homage to the models on display inside the museum, which have written some of the finest pages in the history of world motor sports.
Several fine classic Alfa Romeo cars will be present at the event in Brescia: he 6C 1750 Gran Sport, the legendary model which Tazio Nuvolari and Giovanni Battista Guidotti drove to victory in the Mille Miglia at 1930. As well as the legendary "overtaking without lights" episode, this was also the race when Nuvolari achieved the unprecedented feat of averaging 100 km/h over the entire course. The stunning bodywork was created by Milan coachbuilder Zagato, and still inspires awe in all those lucky enough to see it today. The second car taking part is another splendid piece of history: it is a marvellous 1928 6C 1500 Super Sport, with bodywork by Stabilimenti Farina. The vehicle is equipped with a 6-cylinder, 1487 cc engine, which delivers maximum output of 76 HP at 4,800 rpm, reaching a top speed of 140 km/h. 31 of these cars were built between 1928 and 1929.
Also tackling the 2018 Mille Miglia course will be a 1956 1900 Super Sprint and a 1954 1900 Sport Spider. The first of these is an elegant coupé with Touring bodywork, the "gran tourism" version of the 1900, the model that became famous in the 1950s for its advertising slogan: "the family car that wins races". The 1900 SS is no newcomer to the Mille Miglia, since in the 1950s, when the competitive race was still being held, it was the car of choice of many "gentlemen" drivers, on account of its superb performance and reliability. At its side, the 1900 Sport Spider of 1954 produced in just two units. Equipped with the 4-cylinder twin-cam dry sump "1900" engine, with maximum power boosted to 138 HP, this racing roadster reaches speeds of 220 km/h, thanks to a weight of just 880 kg and particularly efficient aerodynamics. With its beautiful Bertone design, the 1900 Sport Spider comes with a 5-speed transmission and a De Dion rear axle: performance and handling worthy of a modern car, responsive and reliable, with outstanding road-holding abilities.
Also participating in the 2018 Mille Miglia will be 30 Giulia and Stelvio cars, which the brand will make available to the organisers as the official cars for the event.
