Its accomplishments in period include a sweep of consecutive wins: four times at the Le Mans 24 Hours, three at the Targa Florio and two at the Mille Miglia. Clothed by Europe’s finest coachbuilders, 8Cs were also regularly lauded at the most glamorous of pre-war Concours d’Elegance. More substantial than a Bugatti and yet lighter than a Bentley, the 8C has been just right for the thick end of a century.

This 8C, chassis 2111006, is the sixth example built from the initial first series in 1931. It was constructed with the ‘Corto’ short chassis and with a minimalist ‘bacquet’-style body for Alfa Romeo’s factory racing team – Alfa Corse. It had been expected to participate for the Works team in the 1931 Targa Florio, but was not completed in time. It’s likely that 2111006 was used more than once in that debut season, but its first known race was the epic 10-hour 1931 Belgian Grand Prix held on 12th July. The 8C was piloted to a spectacular 3rd place on the original 9.3-mile circuit by Ferdinando Minoia and Giovanni Minozzi.  

Minozzi came from great stock as the grandson of Grand Prix driver Antonio Ascari and was cousin to future F1 World Champion Alberto. Minoia was a veteran wheelman with a career stretching back to the 1907 Coppa Florio, which he won, and included the inaugural Mille Miglia… which he also won. The 1931 Belgian GP podium in 2111006 secured Minoia the first European Drivers’ Championship, which had been established that year.