It also trumps the 1900 in having five speeds and Girling front discs. But while the 2600 stops better, to some extent the odd ratios in the pleasant gearbox negate the advantage.
The Alfa Romeo 2600 Berlina’s neat tail-lights sit in a de-finned rear end
First is so low that you get into second almost immediately and, at 18mph per 1000rpm in top, it’s geared exactly the same as the 1900.
In fact, you forgive it all this because the engine is so sweet and tuneful, singing freely to 6000rpm, yet with enough torque that you rarely have to drop below fourth.
It’s one of those cars that undoubtedly sounds faster than it is, yet there’s a solid shove to the way the 2600 picks up in second and third, and an impressive sustainability to the way it pulls in fourth and fifth.
Apart from the light, powerful brakes, the 2600 is a pre-servo-assisted car with weighty steering that you put your shoulders into but which frees up above walking pace.
But if it is not quite the wieldy sports saloon, then neither is the 2600 a barge. It is stable and accomplished when driven ambitiously, quite happy on those narrow tyres with a ride that is firm but unperturbed.
Age and sheer rarity lend enchantment to the 2600. It was a car that suffered not so much at the hands of its rivals but in comparison to younger, smaller models in its own family.
Twin carburettors for the Alfa Romeo 2600 Berlina’s all-alloy ‘six’
The increasing excellence of the four-cylinder Alfa Romeos made a nonsense of the 2600’s inflated price-tag and sense of self-importance.
You might think it looks stylish today (I do) but nobody could pretend that Portello’s cubist four-door styling themes scaled up comfortably to its flagship car.
But when it comes to big cars, memories are short in Milan – the boxy Alfa 6 was an executive-saloon disaster of similar proportions.
In fairness, the 1900’s task was in many ways easier than the 2600’s – there were fewer new cars competing for buyers’ attention in a post-war sellers’ market starved of new products.
This practical saloon was an object lesson in how to move downmarket (and make profits) without squandering your reputation.
The important thing to remember is that the unassuming 1900 Berlina created the engineering template for every successful Alfa saloon – and most of its sports cars – for the next 20 years: two camshafts, inclined valves and four lusty cylinders.
All in models that were straightforward in concept but refined in detail and with an emphasis on driver appeal.
Images: James Mann
This was first in our January 2017 magazine; all information was correct at the date of original publication
Factfiles
Alfa Romeo 1900 Super
- Sold/number built 1950-’59/17,390
- Construction steel monocoque
- Engine iron-block, alloy-head, dohc 1975cc ‘four’, Solex carburettor
- Max power 93bhp @ 5400rpm
- Max torque 96Ib ft @ 3000rpm
- Transmission four-speed manual, RWD
- Suspension: front wishbones and upper link rear live axle, radius arms, triangulated link coil springs f/r
- Steering Marles worm and roller
- Brakes finned alloy drums
- Length 14ft 6in (4419mm)
- Width 5ft 3in (1600mm)
- Height 4ft 10in (1473mm)
- Wheelbase 8ft 7½in (2628mm)
- Weight 2578Ib (1169kg)
- 0-60mph 17.1 secs
- Top speed 102mph
- Mpg 18-25
- Price new £1300
Alfa Romeo 2600 Berlina
- Sold/number built 1962-’68/2092
- Construction steel monocoque
- Engine all-alloy, dohc 2582cc straight-six, twin carburettors
- Max power 130bhp @ 5900rpm
- Max torque 148Ib ft @ 3400rpm
- Transmission five-speed manual, RWD
- Suspension: front wishbones, anti-roll bar rear live axle, radius arms, triangulated link; coil springs f/r
- Steering worm and roller
- Brakes discs front, drums rear
- Length 15ft 6in (4724mm)
- Width 5ft 7in (1702mm)
- Height 4ft 10in (1473mm)
- Wheelbase 8ft 11in (2717mm)
- Weight 3100Ib (1406kg)
- 0-60mph 13 secs
- Top speed 108mph
- Mpg 18-24
- Price new £2300
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Martin Buckley
Senior Contributor, Classic & Sports Car