1965 Alfa Romeo ATL Barchetta Replica ●

• Fabulous, bespoke replica of those mid-sixties Alfa Romeo-based 1900 sports roadsters produced by ATL (Autotecnica del Lario) on the shores of Lake Como
• ATL were one of a number of creative 'Carrozzerie' that sprung up as a result of Alfa-Romeo making engines and chassis available in very small numbers
• Evocative styling reminiscent of the gorgeous Ferrari and Maserati roadsters of the late 50s and 60s
• All-alloy body clothing 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT mechanicals
• A 2-litre twin-cam Alfa Romeo engine and 5-speed box provide the motivation
• It is what it is, a replica of an ATL which is itself an homage to the ultra-desirable sports racers of the period. It's well built, it's Alfa-powered, it's Italian and it's Red. If you get it, you get it.
• Your pre sale inspection is welcomed and encouraged

The great Italian coachbuilding houses have been sadly decimated since the '60s, unable to face the challenges of a world in which car makers can competently design and produce even their low volume models in-house. Back then, this colourful industry was very much in its pomp, made buoyant by the growing momentum of the Italian economic miracle, its attendant industrialisation, and a wealth of homegrown talent. Nowhere else could you find such a happy blend of artistic and technical skill when it came to styling and fabricating motor car bodywork.

Iginio Alessio, General Manager of Alfa Romeo at the time and a true enthusiast at heart, was concerned for the future viability of the independent Italian coachbuilding industry as the arrival of the 'unibody' chassis design was threatening to put the 'Carrozzerie' out of business. Consequently, Alfa magnanimously offered official contracts to Touring to build the sporty 1900 Sprint Coupé and to Pininfarina to create an elegant four-seat Cabriolet and Coupé. The availability of a suitable chassis and power train combined with Alfa's fatherly approach to a number of small design houses, meant that wherever there was a talented stylist and a competent engineer, a sporty, speedy Alfa Special would appear. Most of these would fade away after one or two misguided efforts but ATL (Autotecnica del Lario) were one of the exceptions and survived for nearly twenty years in the city of Lecco in Lombardy becoming known for their good-looking, rapid and nimble little coupés.

This evocative little red roadster is a bespoke replica of those mid-sixties Alfa Romeo-based 1900 sports roadsters produced by ATL (Autotecnica del Lario) on the shores of Lake Como. ATL were one of a number of creative 'Carrozzerie' that sprung up as a result of Alfa-Romeo making engines and chassis available in very small numbers. The all-alloy body clothes 1965 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT mechanicals, a 2-litre twin-cam Alfa Romeo engine and 5-speed box provide the motivation and the styling is reminiscent of the gorgeous Ferrari and Maserati roadsters of the late 50s and 60s.

There is a very small amount of paperwork with the car including a nice Italian log book for the Giulia Sprint, some photo copies  headed ‘Automobilia Club D’Italia’ and a Belgium Registration Certificate and nothing more,  however, in the weeks prior to the sale we hope to find out more.