1931 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Grand Touring Supercharged

The 6C 1750 GTC "Fugientem Incurro Diem", a Coupé Royal with a history that made society stand still

When Carrozzeria Touring delivered this Coupé Royal in 1931 on the chassis of the Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Gran Turismo Compressore, no one knew yet that half a century later the car would rise from a state of near complete dismantling. Today we present an example that is exceptional within the pre-war Alfa world, both technically and in terms of documentation.

In the early 1930s, the GTC was Alfa Romeo's answer to its own 8C 2300: a refined, supercharged grand tourer with a detuned 1. 752cc inline six-cylinder engine, producing a claimed 80 hp at the time. Under the hood lay advanced technology for its era, featuring semi-elliptical springs, adjustable shock absorbers, and components borrowed from the 8C. Only 66 examples of this version left the factory in 1931, and wealthy customers chose their own bodywork at the major Italian carrozzerias.

This specific chassis was fitted with the rare Coupé Royal body by Touring, body number 1103. The design displays early aerodynamic concepts: streamlined fenders, an unusually curved roof, and a sloping rear end, designed to accommodate spare wheels without creating air resistance. Touring itself gave this style the melancholic name "Fugientem Incurro Diem", Latin for "and time flies".

The findings in the accompanying documentation make this car highly traceable. For instance, historical photos confirm that this chassis is possibly the two-tone GTC that competed in the 1931 Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este, where the car won its class. Moreover, that same body variant competed successfully in the 1932 Mille Miglia. Details such as the single chrome trim strip per door, instead of the three found on another known example, support this provenance.

The car underwent a thorough restoration in the 1980s. Photos from that period show the GTC in a very dilapidated state, without an engine, before specialized Italian coachbuilders restored the bodywork to original specifications, including the characteristic sloping trunk and overlapping running boards. Shortly thereafter, a complete mechanical overhaul followed, during which a correct, supercharged 1. 752cc six-cylinder engine was sourced and installed. Since then, the car has worn the striking yellow and black livery that can still be admired today.

Under more recent owners, the GTC remained carefully maintained and used sparingly. Prior to import to the United States in late 2016, the car underwent a number of preventative maintenance tasks, including on the clutch and radiator. The car is currently registered in the Netherlands.

This GTC comes with a documentation folder that is almost unparalleled, including an ASI certificate from Omologazione of the Automotoclub Storico Italiano, a FIVA Identity Card from the Fédération Internationale des Véhicules Anciens, a RIAR Certificato di Rilevanza Storica from the Registro Italiano Alfa Romeo, the complete Italian registration history (Carta di Circolazione, Certificati di Proprietà, and Cronologico) going back to 1983, US title documents with EPA and DOT import forms from 2016, an extensive photo report of the restoration in the 1980s, from forgotten bodywork to roadworthy car, including workshop photos of the engine, chassis number, and interior, correspondence with bodywork expert Angelo Tito Anselmi regarding the color choice, and historical and recent photos of the car on location, including shots from a concours event in Padova in 2010.

Photographs of the restoration from the 1980s and invoices for recently performed maintenance are also part of this documentation.

Although no single document can confirm the original first owner with complete certainty, intensive research by brand specialists points strongly in that direction. What is certain: as possibly the only surviving example of the 1931 6C 1750 GTC Coupé Royal, restored to factory specifications, this car represents an opportunity that will rarely present itself again for the discerning Alfa Romeo collector. Moreover, as a pre-war Alfa Romeo from 1931, this GTC falls within the permitted period for the modern Mille Miglia, and the model already proved its suitability for this rally in 1932, when a related, lightweight version of the same GTC won its class during the original race. This makes the car eligible to participate in one of the most renowned regularity rallies in the world.

Interested in or have questions about this GTC? Feel free to contact us for additional documentation, photos, or a viewing.