Automotive history is littered with racecars that didn’t see any competition action. Secret prototypes with outrageous engines are the stuff of lore. One such car is the Alfa Romeo Sprint 6C. A Portuguese company has built its own interpretation of the famed machine and call it the Alma Sprint.

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History Lesson

In 1982 Alfa Romeo was toying with the idea of joining the mad-cap world of Group B rallying. The small run of homologation units required to compete made the category attractive for automakers to join the fray, and Alfa wanted in on the fun. The company’s Autodelta division built a prototype (or two, depending on the source) called the Sprint 6C.

It was based on the Alfa Romeo Sprint, a car that many locals will be familiar with. A 2,5-litre V6 was fitted longitudinally behind the front seats, which replaced the front-engined boxer motor. As a result, the car was rear-wheel drive. Most of you will know that Alfa didn’t enter Group B. The series became extremely expensive as companies were developing bespoke and ever-more-powerful machines to compete on the world stage. Alfa Romeo was, at the time, in some financial difficulty, so shied away.

A Modern Take

An Alfa-loving Portuguese company called Mecanica Alma decided that it would reimagine an Alfa Sprint in the mould of the 6C. It has created the Alma Sprint. The Alma Sprint takes styling cues from the prototype. The front and rear bumpers were redesigned to blend in with the boxy fenders. The completely unique bodywork is created mostly from lightweight composite materials. Up front are a set of headlamps that use the latest projector technology. 

Same Power

The Sprint 6C was rumoured to have 118 kW from its Busso V6. Alma has managed to extract a similar power output from a Sprint’s boxer four. The company has bored the engine out to 1,8 litres. They have also fitted redesigned heads, forged pistons, custom camshafts and a stainless-steel exhaust system. The engine is fed by a pair of Dell’Orto carburettors. 

A close-ratio five-speed manual gearbox sends power to the front wheels. Owners can specify an LSD if they wish. Additionally, the Alma Sprint has redesigned suspension with adjustable dampers and upgraded brakes. With that power level and a quoted mass of just 880 kg, it should be a hoot to drive, as 20 lucky owners will find out.