For Alfa Romeo, the 6C 2500 was the swansong of its era. When it debuted in 1939 as the third series of Vittorio Jano’s legendary inline six-cylinder Alfas, the engineers involved could never have imagined that it would signal the end of the line for hand-built Alfa Romeos.

Thanks to engine upgrades and a vastly improved fuel delivery system, the 6C 2500 was the first road going Alfa Romeo capable of 160 km/h. Additionally, it benefited from four-wheel independent suspension, with parallel trailing arms and coil springs in the front and swing axles with torsion bars at the rear. The 6C 2500 was immediately met with praise and success from its hand-selected upscale clientele. Alfa Romeo was, of course, still in the business of providing rolling chassis to custom coachbuilders, even as the onset of war loomed.

The outbreak of war in Europe would limit production of the 6C 2500 to only a few hundred examples during the years of conflict, however, at the end of the war, the 6C 2500 offered Alfa Romeo the opportunity to re-launch its manufacturing efforts by returning to its advanced pre-war design. The first project created after war’s end was the factory-offered 6C 2500 Freccia d’Oro, which had essentially the same running gear as the pre-war 6C 2500s.

As Alfa’s post-war cars followed pre-war practices, so did the coachwork of Turin’s Pinin Farina, although the art deco obsession faded somewhat. Thus, post-war bodies omitted much of the brightwork, which allowed for their handsome lines to make their own statement.

This superb and rare short chassis Pininfarina convertible was sold to Prague when new. Already in the early fifties it arrived in the U.S.A. where it belonged to Alec Uhlmann, among others. In the early nineties it was comprehensively restored and after that it was sold to a Belgian collector who took great care of it.

The engine was changed for a correct SS engine. The current owner rebuilt the engine and gearbox, since then the car has done 1000 km on the freshened mechanics.

It is Dutch registered and must present a tempting offer at €495.000,-.