The Alfa Romeo Revolution: Exiled Russian Imperial Guard's Racing Motorcar at Bonhams

The Alfa Romeo Revolution:

Exiled Russian Imperial Guard's

Racing Motorcar at Bonhams

 

1930 Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 Supercharged Gran Sport

 

 

An Alfa Romeo 6C-1750 Grand Sport starred at the Bonhams Grand Palais auction in Paris on 5 February. The car, once driven by exiled Russian Imperial Guardsman, Boris Ivanowski, was the subject of spirited bidding, and finally sold to a European bidder in the saleroom for €1,184,500 (£893,113).

 

Ivanowski is arguably the most famous Russian racing driver. An officer of the Imperial Guard, he went into exile in Paris after the Russian revolution, and found fame racing motorcars in the 1920s. He was employed as a works driver by the British Alfa Romeo Team, Stiles, and competed in several major events driving the 6C-1750 Grand Sport sold in Paris, including the Brooklands Double Twelve, the Irish Grand Prix, and the Tourist Trophy Race.

 

The 6C-1750 was an exciting sports car, combining minimum weight with sparkling performance. The chassis is low and lightweight, featuring semi-elliptical springs which pass through the front axle. Its brilliant engineering and design helped Ivanowski to several wins over much larger and more powerful machinery in 1929, and at the Spa 24 Hours and Irish Grand Prix in 1930.

 

Philip Kantor, Head of the Continental European Motoring Department, said of the car: 'This is a pristine and complete Alfa Romeo of the 1930s with a glorious race history, once driven by the world's most famous Russian racer. Sympathetically preserved and carefully restored, it's rare to find such an original Alfa.'

 

Speaking of the Paris auction, James Knight, Group Motoring Director at Bonhams, said: 'The Bonhams motoring group has witnessed a tremendous start to 2015. Our USA division conducted record-breaking auctions at Las Vegas and Scottsdale, and now the European team have delivered their best ever Paris Sale. The market is in good health and we look forward to the March Sales at Amelia Island in Florida, the Goodwood Members' Meeting Sale in the UK and the annual Mercedes-Benz Sale in Stuttgart, Germany.