The Alfa Romeo 412 Spider Vignale

The Alfa Romeo 412 Spider Vignale was a racing car built in 1939 with a Touring body then changed in 1951 by Vignale who used a more modern and aerodynamic livery in line with Alfa Romeo style of that period. It took part in different races with the original body but also with the one made by Vignale.

One-off belonged to Felice Bonetto until 1953, it was slightly modified during the years for road use. 412 passed away in the early 1960s.

The car’s origins: the 12C-37 saved from the war

“I remember a itemized list of experimental racing cars existing at the Experience Service right after the war. It was the end of 1945.” In this way the memory about this car made by Elvira Ruocco, manager of the Alfa Romeo Historical Archive from 1983 to 2005, begins. She continues: “From this itemized list it appeared there were two 412 completed, (of 4 made), and one of them was located at the headquarter of Portello and anothe one was in another warehouse. Although I remember very well at the Triuggio decentralisation a chassis complete with engine was in storage, another engine was storaged together with the 412 hospitalized in the Melzo decentralization.“

Its Story

The 412 was built in 1939 by Touring on the chassis of the 8C 2900A. Its engine is the 12-cylinder 4500, the same as the 12C of 1937. It had its debut on May 31, 1939 at the G.P. of Antwerp and it classified first and second thanks to the race drivers Giuseppe Farina and Raymond Sommer, and second at the G.P. of Luxembourg in 1939 thanks to Clemente Biondetti.

After the Second World War one of the four speciments produced (according to the book wrote by Fusi) was sold to the Swiss Willy Daetwyler, who led it to victory in different mountain races and in 1948, he won the G.P. of the Bremgarten.

The chassis shared with the 8C 2900-A was identified with the number 412151. Probably this number was used to named the car. It was equipped with a 12-cylinder V engine of 4495 cm3, built with two monoblocks 6 cylinders, which developed up to 430 hp and was turbocharged. It was designed by Vittorio Jano in 1937.

Therefore, the 412s derived from the 12C-37 single-seat, from which they inherited their engine. In 1936, the Grand Prix Alfa Romeos were called 12C-36s and they had an engine of 4,1 liter V12 and a similar, if not identical, car body to the 8C35 of 1935. In 1937 these cars were called 12C-37, and the engine was increased at 4,5 liters, but on a new and lower chassis.

On account of the subsequent limitation of the engine size for Gran Prix cars (3 liters), the 12 cylinders became useless, and were used since 1939 for sports-type races. With the Touring car body, the 412151 took part in different races, including the Mille Miglia of 1950 (Bonetto – Casnaghi) and the Targa Florio of 1950.