Performance and presence
Beneath the bonnet lay a 2.6-litre all-alloy straight-six, breathing through triple twin-choke carburettors to produce 145 bhp. Smooth, sonorous and capable of propelling the coupé to 200 km/h, the engine gave the 2600 Sprint the poise required for fast, long-distance touring. While it was not as light or as agile as Alfa’s smaller models, the Sprint offered what few others could: stability at speed, effortless cruising ability, and the refinement of a true grand touring car.
Position in the market
In period, the 2600 Sprint occupied a distinctive place in the European GT landscape. Priced above mainstream sports cars such as the Jaguar E-Type or Porsche 356, yet more accessible than the rarefied Maserati 3500 GT or Aston Martin DB4, it competed directly with the Lancia Flaminia Coupé and Mercedes-Benz 220 SEb. For affluent professionals of the early 1960s, it represented the perfect balance of Italian flair, advanced engineering and continental touring comfort – a gentleman’s GT with genuine prestige.
Alfa Romeo 2600 Sprint 