ALFA ROMEO 1900 Models/Series Timeline, Specifications & Photos

The Alfa Romeo 1900 was known since 1954 as “The family car that wins races” and it was true. Its road holding, speed, and reliability qualities made it the successful model in its displacement category. In 1959, the Italian car-maker launched a better version: the 1900 Super Sprint.

It was the time of pioneering in motorsports. Every car-maker that had a pedigree in racing tried to get its seat back in the arena. Alfa Romeo was one of those companies whose spirit didn't die in WWII and its engineers returned to work willing to prove their abilities. And so they did with the reworked 1.9-liter engine. By enlarging the bore, the displacement was increased from 1884 cmc to 1975 cmc. It was not much, but it was enough to make the Alfa Romeo Sprint become faster. And it was renamed Super Sprint.

The Super Sprint was designed and assembled with Touring Superleggera bodywork. It featured a structural steel chassis and an aluminum body. It was available in three engine variations named Super, Super T.I., and Super Sprint Coupe.

Inside, the curved dashboard was available either with painted bare metal or covered in piano-black or leather. The instrument cluster was installed behind the steering wheel and it was available in several panel trims. The deep bucket-seats were available as an option. While the first series was launched with a steering-column mounted gear-shifter, the second series featured a floor-mounted gear-stick.

The 2.0-liter engine was offered in three power versions, between 90 hp and 115 hp. The later was the most requested on the market. It was mated to a standard 5-speed manual gearbox and due to its overall weight of just 1000 kg (2204 lbs), it was fast and nimble. Unfortunately, it was fitted with drum brakes in all four corners.

Alfa Romeo introduced the 1900 Berlina model at the 1950 Paris Motor Show, and it filled the gap between the pre-war 6C 2500 and the 2000.

After WWII, Alfa Romeo needed something fit for daily use and developed new versions based on the same pre-war platforms. So after it tried a unit-body construction for the 6C3000, the company management understood that it had to do something different. The result was the 1900 model.

Released in 1950, it was a total makeover for Alfa Romeo. It launched as "The family car that wins races" motto, but that was true for the two-door version. Still, the customers appreciated the new sedan with a ponton-type bodywork. Its flush fenders and door panels looked modern. In the middle of the front fascia, the car featured the Alfa Romeo shield flanked on the lower side by two grilles. The carmaker built it with rounded shapes, and it was the first vehicle it made on the assembly line. With a longer wheelbase than its Sprint sibling, the sedan offered four doors and a sloped-down trunk lid. At the back, its small taillights were mounted on top of the rear fenders.

Inside, Alfa Romeo created a cabin for up to six, with a bench at the front and one in the back. Its steering-column mounted gear-selector left more legroom for the driver's side passengers. As an option, it offered two seats at the front. In the back, despite the transmission tunnel, the bench could accommodate up to three people.

Under the hood, Alfa Romeo offered a 1.9-liter twin-cam engine. The base version provided 80 hp, but the carmaker provided an option for two carburetors, which raised the bar to 100 hp.