Bertone Alfa Romeo Giulietta / Giulia Sprint Speciale History
A curvaceous, aerodynamically optimized Alfa Romeo coupe built by Bertone — the spiritual heir of the BAT series, produced 1959–1966.
Photo: “1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Speciale” by MrWalkr / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped to 16:9.
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The Giulietta Sprint Speciale grew directly from the aerodynamic lessons of the BAT series: its production body was styled at Bertone, achieving a drag coefficient of 0.28 — a figure not surpassed by a production road car for more than two decades. A prototype was shown at the 1957 Turin Motor Show; the production version was unveiled in June 1959 at Monza.
Production covered two distinct but closely related cars: the Giulietta Sprint Speciale (Tipo 750/101 SS, 1,290cc, 1959–1963, 1,366 built) and the Giulia Sprint Speciale (Tipo 101.21, larger 1,570cc engine, 1963–1966, 1,400 built). Together they total roughly 2,766 cars, all bodied by Bertone at its Grugliasco works.
Low weight, a twin-cam Alfa engine, and slippery aerodynamics made the Sprint Speciale a capable and beautiful road-and-track machine. It remains one of the most admired Italian gran turismos of the era.
Generations
Giulietta Sprint Speciale (750/101 SS) · Giulietta SS
Photo: “1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Speciale” by MrWalkr / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped to 16:9.
1,290cc twin-cam coupe — 1,366 built; introduced the aerodynamic shape derived from the BAT concepts.
1960 Photo: “1960 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Speciale” by MrWalkr / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped to 16:9.
1961 Photo: “Alfa Romeo Giuletta Sprint Speciale 1961 (33475325353)” by Falcon® Photography from France / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. Cropped to 16:9.
1962 Photo: “1962 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Speciale 1” by Calreyn88 / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Cropped to 16:9.
Giulia Sprint Speciale (101.21) · Giulia SS
Photo: “1964 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint Speciale side (7377694470)” by dave_7 from Lethbridge, Canada / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0. Cropped to 16:9.
Upgraded 1,570cc engine, otherwise evolutionary — 1,400 built alongside the late Giulietta cars.
1963 Photo: “1963 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint Speciale” by Calreyn88 / Wikimedia Commons — CC0 1.0. Cropped to 16:9.
1964 Photo: “1964 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint Speciale side (7377694470)” by dave_7 from Lethbridge, Canada / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0. Cropped to 16:9.
1965 Photo: “Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint Speciale (1965) (52856199016)” by Charles from Port Chester, New York / Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0. Cropped to 16:9.
Body styles
- Coupe
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