Immortal 2.9

de Simon Moore

Few automotive experts would seriously disagree with the proposition that the Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 represents the ultimate development of the pre-war sports car. With its racing car engine, revolutionary chassis and trend-setting coachwork, "The Immortal 2.9" was at least a decade ahead of its contemporaries. Because they were the ultimate "super-cars" of their day, the 2.9s naturally became the playthings of kings, princes, maharajahs and wealthy patrons of the European motor racing scene. Fewer than 40 of these fabulous machines were produced, and each has inevitably become the automotive equivalent of a Bernini sculpture or a Rembrandt painting. Sought after by collectors and admired by all automotive enthusiasts, these cars have all the ingredients from which legends are made. Simon Moore has spent most of his spare time for more than twenty years researching the history of the 2.9s. This book presents the fascinating fruits of his passionate hobby. The many photos in the book were selected from almost 1500 photos gathered by Simon and loaned to him by many enthusiasts. His "autobiographies" of the individual 2.9 cars were compiled from personal interviews, extensive correspondence and meticulous personal inspection of almost every car. Because some of the cars have been rebodied, cannibalized, rebuilt and otherwise modified over the years, Simon's scholarly confirmation of their individual identities and histories often reads like a good detective story. And like most good detective stories, the reader is left with a few unsolved mysteries to ponder—including the tantalizing prospect that there are still a few 2.9s remaining to be discovered!