The Alfa Romeo 8C was a range of Alfa Romeo road, race and sports cars of the 1930s. The 8C designates 8 cylinders, and originally a straight 8-cylinder engine. The Vittorio Jano designed 8C was Alfa Romeo’s primary racing engine from its introduction in 1931 to its retirement in 1939. The 8C engine powered two models, the 8C 2300 (1931–1935) and the even more rare and expensive 8C 2900 (1936–1941).

The 8C 2300 Spider Zagato is one of the most famous Alfa Romeo sports cars ever built. It was a two-seater that was used in racing events such as the Mille Miglia. In 2004, Alfa Romeo revived the 8C name for a V8-engined concept car, which eventually made it into production in 2007, as the 8C Competizione.

The Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Spider Zagato was designed by Vittorio Jano. He was an Italian automobile designer and engineer of Hungarian descent who worked for Alfa Romeo, Lancia, and Ferrari. He was born Viktor János in San Giorgio Canavese, Piedmont, Italy, to Hungarian immigrants. Jano was known for his innovative engine designs and was responsible for creating the straight-eight engine used in the Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Spider Zagato. (He also designed the Alfa Romeo P2 Grand Prix car, which won the inaugural world championship for Grand Prix cars in 1925.)

The Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Corto Mille Miglia Spider, Zagato was a racing car that competed in the Mille Miglia race from 1932 to 1934. It was powered by a 12-cylinder engine and was twice able to finish in the top ten. The car was originally built in 1931 and was given the chassis number 2111015. The Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 was also used in other races such as the Targa Florio, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the Grand Prix.

The car was a dominant force in the racing world, winning several races including the Mille Miglia, Targa Florio, and Le Mans.

Sources:

(1) Alfa Romeo 8C – Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfa_Romeo_8C.

(2) Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Corto Mille Miglia Spider, Zagato, #2111015, 1931. https://www.12cylinders.com/cars/alfa-romeo-8c-2300-mille-miglia-spyder-zagato-1931.

(3) 1931 – 1934 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Zagato Spider – Images, Specifications …. https://www.ultimatecarpage.com/txt/3548/2/Alfa-Romeo-8C-2300-Zagato-Spider.html.

(4) 1931 – 1934 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Zagato Spider – Images, Specifications …. https://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/3548/Alfa-Romeo-8C-2300-Zagato-Spider.html.

(5) 1932 Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Spider wins top prize at Villa d’Este. https://www.autoblog.com/2015/05/27/1932-alfa-romeo-8c-2300-spider-zagato-villa-deste/.

(6) en.wikipedia.org. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfa_Romeo_8C.