Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B

Lore & Background

The 8C 2900B used the 2.9 L (bore: 68 mm, stroke: 100 mm, 2905 cc) version of the 8C engine. It was part of the 8C 2900 model range (1937–1939). The 8C 2900B Mille Miglia Roadster was one of the vehicles powered by later developments of the 8C engine.

In Their Own Story

The morning mist clung to the Mulsanne Straight as the grid of vintage racers prepared for the 1932 start. Among them sat the sleek, silver Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B, its supercharged engine ticking in the cool air like a coiled spring ready to unleash fury. The driver adjusted his goggles, feeling the vibration of the straight-eight through the chassis—a reminder of the power waiting beneath the bonnet. As the flag dropped, the roar was instantaneous, a mechanical scream that echoed off the grandstands. For twenty-four hours, this car would dance on the edge of destruction and glory, its drivers pushing the limits of human endurance to claim another chapter in the legend of the 8C.

Reader's Guide

The 8C 2900B did not win the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Le Mans victories in 1931, 1932, 1933, and 1934 were achieved by the Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Le Mans type. The 8C 2900B's only major endurance race win was the 1938 Mille Miglia (per the source, the 8C 2900 was designed for the Mille Miglia in particular).

Did You Know?

• The 8C 2900B was powered by a 2.9-litre straight-8 engine with a bore of 68 mm and stroke of 100 mm.
• The 8C 2900B Mille Miglia Roadster is listed among vehicles using later developments of the 8C engine.
• The 8C 2900 was produced from 1937 to 1939.