Why can’t we have decent car names anymore?
They can’t all be used up and taken, surely. I say
this purely selfishly as I have fallen slightly for a dainty Italian creature.
And it is an Alfa Romeo.
And why not?
They have been building sports cars longer than anyone else in Italy. Since 1910,
they have managed to produce some of the greats of the most sought after cars. This SS, Sprint
Speciale variant, is one of only 1,366 made before the end of the production run in 1965.
It weighs 965kg, has a five speed manual and 112bhp. It is not only beautifully designed, it is quick
enough and has a wonderful name.
It drives with ease, pulls nicely but, maybe above all of that, it makes you fall for the love of driving
for pleasure. Maybe it is the hot and sunny day that we’ve been blessed with, but there is such a personality to
this car. It is as lithe as it looks to drive but how much better must it be to have the roads hugging
the Amalfi coast? I guess the A44 to Evesham must suffice.
For now. The car just induces a smile. Chromed curves dazzle from the headlights while the sun beats down and I’m thankful for the cloth seat covering.
Why do we need leather or a faux alternative in everything today?
The simplistic three dial dash layout tells me all I need to know about the mechanics, while the guy
who has overtaken me twice to have his passenger take photographs on their phone, tells me
everything I need to feel about the design. This car is beautiful.
We have managed to locate a nondescript place to shoot that shows just how good this car looks
under the now beating sunshine of midday.
This post is made purely to remind you that small Italian cars don’t need to have much about them
to steal your heart.
Much the same as Italy itself.
Words and photographs by Alex Lawrence