The Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 is a road, race and sports car of the 1930s, produced from 1936 to 1941, the rarer and more expensive successor of the 8C 2300. It was designed to compete in sports car races in general and the Mille Miglia in particular, using the 2.9-litre version of the straight-eight 8C engine on the chassis of the 8C 35 Grand Prix racer.
Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 at a glance
| Production | 1936–1941 (8C 2900A shown at the 1935 London Motor Show) |
|---|---|
| Engine | inline eight-cylinder, 2,905 cc (bore 68 mm, stroke 100 mm) |
| Induction | two Roots superchargers fed by two updraught Weber carburettors |
| Compression ratio | 6.5:1 (2900A) |
| Chassis | based on the 8C 35 Grand Prix racing chassis |
| Suspension | independent: Dubonnet-type trailing arms with coil springs and hydraulic dampers at front, swing axles with a transverse leaf spring at rear |
| Designer of the 8C engine | Vittorio Jano |
This page is based on English Wikipedia only, so the figures could not be cross-checked against a second source.
History of the Alfa Romeo 8C 2900
The 8C engine, designed by Vittorio Jano, was Alfa Romeo’s primary racing engine from its introduction in 1931 to its retirement in 1939. For production cars it powered two models: the 8C 2300 (1931–1935) and the even more rare and expensive 8C 2900 (1936–1941), for which the bore was increased to 68 mm and the stroke to 100 mm (2,905 cc).
The 8C 2900A was shown to the public at the 1935 London Motor Show and advertised for sale there. It was designed to compete in sports car races, and the Mille Miglia in particular, and was based on the 8C 35 Grand Prix racing chassis.
Design and features
- Engine: a 2.9-litre inline eight with two Roots superchargers.
- Suspension: fully independent, with Dubonnet-type trailing arms at the front and swing axles at the rear.
- Relation to racing: the 8C 35 Tipo C racer used a 3,822 cc version of the straight-eight with 330 bhp.
Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 versions
- 8C 2900A (1935–1936): the first version.
- 8C 2900B (1937–1941): the later version, built as spider and Touring Berlinetta.
- 8C 2300 (1931–1935): its predecessor, 188 produced also for road use.
More prewar Alfa Romeos are in our Alfa Romeo collection, for example the Alfa Romeo 8C-35, the Alfa Romeo P3 and the Tipo 308. Our older “8C 2900” and “2900B Type 35” pages are covered here.
Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 questions and answers
What does 8C mean?
An engine with eight cylinders, originally a straight eight designed by Vittorio Jano.
When was the 8C 2900 built?
From 1936 to 1941.
What engine does it have?
A 2,905 cc supercharged straight-eight with two Roots superchargers.
What is it based on?
The chassis of the 8C 35 Grand Prix car.
What did it replace?
The 8C 2300 (1931–1935).
Sources
- Alfa Romeo 8C, English Wikipedia: history, 8C 2900, engines
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