Some classic cars tell a story. And then there are cars that are history themselves. The Alfa Romeo 1900 C Super Sprint bodied by Touring with Aosta 4031 registration plate undoubtedly belongs to the second category. Built in 1954, this rare Alfa Romeo 1900 C SS Touring is inextricably linked to the history of motorsport in the Aosta Valley during the 1950s and, in particular, to the famous Aosta-Gran San Bernardo, one of the most important hill-climb races of the period. The car is now offered for sale on OldCar24, representing an opportunity of particular interest for collectors of historic Alfa Romeos, Touring Superleggera automobiles and competition cars with significant sporting provenance. Alfa Romeo 1900 C Super Sprint: an iconic model Introduced at the beginning of the 1950s, the Alfa Romeo 1900 represented a fundamental turning point in the history of the Biscione. It was the first Alfa Romeo built in large series and introduced a new generation of sports cars capable of combining performance, elegance and road usability. The 1900 C Super Sprint version, commonly abbreviated to 1900 C SS, took this concept to an even higher level. The bodywork created by Carrozzeria Touring according to the Superleggera construction principle gave the car a particularly elegant shape and low weight, while the Alfa Romeo four-cylinder engine offered performance suitable even for competition. The second series of the 1900 C Super Sprint featured an engine producing 115 hp and fed by dual vertical carburettors. Only 299 examples of the second series were produced in total, making cars with documented history and important provenance particularly sought after today.
Aosta 4031: a registration plate that tells a story Among the most fascinating elements of this automobile is its historic Aosta 4031 registration plate. The car was produced on 8 March 1954 and is the third example of the second series of the 1900 C Super Sprint. It was registered on 30 June 1954 and registered to Birra Aosta, a company owned by Roberto Vincent. From that moment, a story began that would link the Alfa Romeo 1900 C SS to some of the leading figures in Aosta Valley motorsport. Roberto Vincent: entrepreneur and driver Roberto Vincent was not merely the owner of the Alfa Romeo 1900 C Super Sprint. He was an important figure in the economic and sporting life of the Aosta Valley. An entrepreneur, owner of Birra Aosta and president of the Automobile Club Valle d’Aosta, Vincent was also a passionate gentleman driver. He took part in the Aosta-Gran San Bernardo as early as 1952 at the wheel of a Lancia Aurelia B20. In 1953, he returned to the starting line with the same car. In 1954, on the occasion of his fortieth birthday, he instead chose one of the most desirable automobiles of the era: this very Alfa Romeo 1900 C Super Sprint Touring. The Aosta-Gran San Bernardo The car’s history is closely connected to the Aosta-Gran San Bernardo, a hill-climb race established in 1920. The 22 July 1956 edition was the last occasion on which the Aosta Valley public could also see local drivers at the starting line, before new safety regulations excluded gentleman drivers from competitions. Among the Aosta Valley drivers was Roberto Vincent, at the wheel of his Alfa Romeo 1900 C Super Sprint. The car’s participation in the race now represents one of the most important elements of its historical provenance. Vincent had already achieved second place in class in 1954, followed by third place in class in 1955 and fifth place in 1956. Three consecutive participations that make this Alfa Romeo particularly interesting for collectors.
The final Aosta-Gran San Bernardo of 1957 The most important chapter in the race’s history arrived on 1 September 1957, when the 19th and final edition was held. That year, the Aosta-Gran San Bernardo was included in the European Mountain Championship calendar, attracting some of the most important drivers of the era. On the 33.910-kilometre course to the Great St Bernard Pass, Swiss driver Willy Daetwyler won in a Maserati 200S. German driver Wolfgang von Trips finished second in a Porsche 550, while his compatriot Hans Herrmann was third in a Borgward H1500 RS. The 1957 race thus brought to a close a story that had begun in 1920. And just a few weeks earlier, on 20 July 1957, Roberto Vincent had sold his Alfa Romeo 1900 C Super Sprint to his friend Eliseo Marguerettaz. Eliseo Marguerettaz and the preservation of the car Marguerettaz was a goldsmith on Via De Tillier and, at the time, president of the Sporting Commission of the Aosta Valley Automobile Club. His family preserved the Alfa Romeo until 2005. Almost half a century of ownership represents a particularly important element in the car’s documentary history. In 2005, the Alfa Romeo was acquired by Remo Celesia, a well-known driver from Pollein, who began a major restoration. During the restoration, the car was returned from metallic grey to its original ivory white. In 2010, it passed to a collector from the province of Varese. The car subsequently arrived at Montini Automobili in Candelara di Pesaro, where the engine was completely rebuilt. Why this Alfa Romeo 1900 is special The classic-car market increasingly rewards examples capable of demonstrating an authentic history. In this respect, the Alfa Romeo 1900 C Super Sprint Aosta 4031 presents a particularly interesting combination: 1954 production; third example of the second series; only 299 cars produced in the second series; Touring Superleggera bodywork; 115 hp engine; dual vertical carburettors; historic Aosta 4031 registration plate; first registered to Birra Aosta; owned by Roberto Vincent; participation in the Aosta-Gran San Bernardo; transferred to Eliseo Marguerettaz in 1957; ownership by the Marguerettaz family until 2005; subsequent restoration; recent complete engine rebuild. It is precisely the combination of these elements that makes the automobile different from an ordinary restored Alfa Romeo 1900 C Super Sprint. How much is an Alfa Romeo 1900 C Super Sprint Touring worth today? The value of an Alfa Romeo 1900 C Super Sprint Touring depends heavily on rarity, condition, originality, documentation, bodywork, mechanics and, above all, provenance. In the case of Aosta 4031, the indicative valuation is €225,000. This figure should be considered in light of the car’s sporting history and provenance, as well as its rarity. For the international collector, in fact, the value of a historic automobile is determined not exclusively by its mechanics or the quality of its restoration. Provenance, documentation and competition history can make the difference. A collector Alfa Romeo that could return to Aosta Perhaps this is the most moving aspect. After almost seventy years, the Alfa Romeo 1900 C Super Sprint Aosta 4031 could return to the area where it lived through a fundamental part of its history. A car owned by Roberto Vincent, a competitor in the Aosta-Gran San Bernardo and subsequently preserved by the Marguerettaz family, represents a true document of Aosta Valley automotive culture. For this reason, it would be particularly evocative to imagine Aosta 4031 back in Aosta, perhaps in the collection of an Aosta Valley enthusiast or a major Italian collector. Alfa Romeo 1900 C Super Sprint Touring for sale on OldCar24 The Alfa Romeo 1900 C Super Sprint Touring Aosta 4031 is now available for a new owner through OldCar24, a marketplace dedicated to historic and collector automobiles. It is not merely a rare Alfa Romeo from the 1950s. It is a car with a precise historical provenance, linked to an entrepreneur, an Aosta Valley family, a motor race and one of the most fascinating eras in Italian motoring. Aosta 4031 is not simply a registration plate. It is the thread connecting a story that began in 1954 to contemporary collecting. Technical and historical specifications Make: Alfa Romeo Model: 1900 C Super Sprint Bodywork: Touring Superleggera Year: 1954 Production date: 8 March 1954 Series: second series Sequential number: 3rd example Second-series production: 299 examples Power: 115 hp Fuel system: dual vertical carburettor Registration: 30 June 1954 Registration plate: Aosta 4031 First registered owner: Birra Aosta Historic owner: Roberto Vincent Second owner: Eliseo Marguerettaz Aosta-Gran San Bernardo: participations in 1954, 1955 and 1956 Marguerettaz ownership: until 2005 Restoration: Remo Celesia Latest mechanical work: complete engine rebuild Current asking price: €225,000 _ FAQ – Alfa Romeo 1900 C Super Sprint Touring How much is an Alfa Romeo 1900 C Super Sprint Touring worth? The value depends on condition, originality, documentation and provenance. The Aosta 4031 example is indicatively valued at €225,000; considering its unique sporting and collecting history, its market value could be considerably higher, as it is unique and certainly expected to appreciate in the future. How many Alfa Romeo 1900 C Super Sprints were produced? The second series of the 1900 C Super Sprint comprises 299 examples, making the rarest and best-documented cars particularly interesting to collectors. Who was Roberto Vincent? Roberto Vincent was an entrepreneur, owner of Birra Aosta, president of the Automobile Club Valle d’Aosta and a gentleman driver. He took part in the Aosta-Gran San Bernardo with a Lancia Aurelia B20 and an Alfa Romeo 1900 C Super Sprint. Which Alfa Romeo did Roberto Vincent drive in the Aosta-Gran San Bernardo? Vincent used the Alfa Romeo 1900 C Super Sprint Touring Aosta 4031 in the 1954, 1955 and 1956 editions, achieving second, third and fifth place in class respectively. What was the Aosta-Gran San Bernardo? It was a historic hill-climb race established in 1920 and held for the last time in 1957. The final edition counted toward the European Mountain Championship. Where is the Alfa Romeo 1900 C Super Sprint Aosta 4031 today? The car is currently offered for sale through OldCar24. Why is the Alfa Romeo 1900 C Super Sprint Aosta 4031 important? Because of the combination of its rarity, Touring Superleggera bodywork, first registration to Birra Aosta, ownership by Roberto Vincent, participation in the Aosta-Gran San Bernardo and subsequent documented history.