Celebrating the Art of Italian Coachbuilding
Celebrating the Art of Italian Coachbuilding
The Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Zagato Panoramica.
The Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Zagato Panoramica was a one-off coachbuilt vehicle constructed by Carrozzeria Zagato in 1949. It was based on the Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Super Sport chassis, a high-performance derivative of the 6C series produced in limited quantities from 1939 to 1952. The Panoramica model represented a transitional design, combining pre-war mechanical architecture with post-war stylistic experimentation. The chassis employed was an earlier example, bearing the number 2211114. Originally derived from an Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Monza frame, it was subsequently converted by Alfa Romeo to 6C 2500 SS specification. The mechanical configuration included a 2,443 cc inline six-cylinder engine, featuring aluminum cylinder head, hemispherical combustion chambers, dual overhead camshafts, and triple Weber carburetors. In Super Sport specification, the engine was rated at approximately 110 horsepower. A four-speed manual gearbox was standard, with power delivered to the rear axle. Suspension consisted of independent front control arms and a live rear axle with semi-elliptic leaf springs. Drum brakes were fitted at all four wheels. The Panoramica coachwork was executed entirely by Zagato. It featured an aluminum body mounted over a tubular steel framework. The defining characteristic of the Panoramica style was its use of expansive glazing, including a large curved rear window and a continuous roofline with integrated glass elements, intended to increase visibility and ambient light. The roof design eliminated the traditional rear quarter pillars, resulting in a more open cabin structure. The overall form remained compact and aerodynamic, with minimal chrome and restrained fender lines, consistent with Zagato’s postwar design language. Only one example of the 6C 2500 SS Zagato Panoramica is known to have been constructed. It was not part of a series production and does not appear in Alfa Romeo’s mainline sales literature. The vehicle resurfaced in North Africa in the 1960s before being repatriated to Europe for partial restoration. Its original client, early ownership, and exhibition history are unrecorded.
The car with which Zagato inaugurated the “Panoramica” series in 1947 was a Fiat “1100”, characterized by a large and bright passenger compartment, in which the transparent surfaces were expertly made with a mix of crystal and Plexiglas, an experimental material that allowed the curvature.
The 1910s: Aeronautics Ugo Zagato was born in Gavello, near Rovigo, on June 25, 1890. He began his coachbuilding career in 1919 when he…
