Uploaded October 2025 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
The Alfa Romeo 2600 (Tipo 106) was Alfa Romeo´s six-cylinder flagship produced from 1961 to 1968. It was the successor to the Alfa Romeo 2000. It has become historically significant as the last Alfa Romeo to have been fitted with an inline six-cylinder engine with twin overhead camshafts. That had been the traditional Alfa Romeo engine configuration since the 1920s, but gave way to four-cylinder engines as the factory oriented its production towards more economical mass-produced car models starting in 1950. The 2600 was introduced at the 1962 Geneva Motor Show, as a sedan with a factory-built body (2600 Berlina), a two-plus-two seater convertible with body by Carrozzeria Touring (2600 Spider), and a coupe with a body by Bertone (2600 Sprint). A convertible based on the Sprint coupe was shown by Bertone in 1963. It was also named 2600 Sprint, but did not enter production. The limited edition 2600 SZ (Sprint Zagato) with fastback coupe bodywork by Zagato, and the very limited-edition 2600 De Luxe with five-window sedan bodywork by OSI (Officine Stampaggi Industriali) were introduced three years later in 1965 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The Berlina, Spider and Sprint were based on the corresponding models in the 2000 range, and all three inherited the body styling of their predecessors with minor facelifts. The biggest change was the engine. A brand new all-alloy 2.6 liter engine with six cylinders in line and twin overhead camshafts replaced the earlier four-cylinder engine with its cast-iron block and alloy head which dated back to the 1900 range of 1950. Two carburettors were fitted to the Berlina engines, giving 130 bhp (97 kW). The Sprint and Spider engines had three twin-choke horizontal carburettors and developed 145 bhp (108 kW). The OSI De Luxe was available with either the two-carb or the three-carb setup. The Sprint Zagato had 165 bhp (123 kW) with the three-carb setup. Total production for the Berlina was 2038 cars, the Sprint was 6999 cars, the Spider was 2255 cars, the 2600 De Luxe was 54 cars and the Sprint Zagato was 105 cars. From a sales point of view, the 2600 models were not a success, despite deserved acclaim for their excellent engine. The poor sales were not only due to the elevated prices of the 2600 models. The cars did not compare well with contemporary products, including those of Alfa Romeo itself. The factory had decided - correctly, as it turned out - to concentrate their limited development resources on the mid-sized Giulia which was introduced at about the same time. The flagship 2600 range was only a minor facelift of the 2000 range with a new engine, as this was all that the factory could do with the resources available. Since the 2000 itself had basically been a 1958 restyling of the 1950 1900, this left the 2600 with running gear a dozen years old at introduction. The new engine also added weight and length at the front; though this did much for stability, it did not help the handling. Because the 2600 was a flagship Alfa Romeo model, expectations were high, and both critics and customers quickly spotted the deficiencies, both on paper and on the road. For example, the 165-400 radial tires fitted to the 2600 were a mere 10 mm (0.4 in) wider in section than the 155-15 tires fitted to the Giulietta, though the 2600 had considerably more power and weight. When the new Giulia appeared with completely new running gear, the 2600 was shown up even more. Another reason for slow sales was styling and concept. The Berlina's styling was, to be polite, not happy and that reflected in the especially poor sales for this model. While most Alfa Romeo sedans in the marque's history outsold the more specialised sporting models in the same range, the 2600 Berlina did not outsell the 2600 Sprint or Spider. The 2600 Spider had styling which was seen to be derivative of that of its smaller stablemate, the Giulietta Spider: certainly handsome, but lacking the smaller car's grace and balance. The larger car's handling also suffered perhaps unfair comparison with that of the Giulietta Spider, and this is an important factor in a car with sporting pretensions. One sales point in its favor was that it was a four-seater convertible, though the two rear seats were fairly cramped.
The Alfa Romeo 2600 (Tipo 106) was Alfa Romeo´s six-cylinder flagship produced from 1961 to 1968. It was the successor to the Alfa Romeo 2000. It has become historically significant as the last Alfa Romeo to have been fitted with an inline six-cylinder engine with twin overhead camshafts. That had been the traditional Alfa Romeo engine configuration since the 1920s, but gave way to four-cylinder engines as the factory oriented its production towards more economical mass-produced car models starting in 1950. The 2600 was introduced at the 1962 Geneva Motor Show, as a sedan with a factory-built body (2600 Berlina), a two-plus-two seater convertible with body by Carrozzeria Touring (2600 Spider), and a coupe with a body by Bertone (2600 Sprint). A convertible based on the Sprint coupe was shown by Bertone in 1963. It was also named 2600 Sprint, but did not enter production. The limited edition 2600 SZ (Sprint Zagato) with fastback coupe bodywork by Zagato, and the very limited-edition 2600 De Luxe with five-window sedan bodywork by OSI (Officine Stampaggi Industriali) were introduced three years later in 1965 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The Berlina, Spider and Sprint were based on the corresponding models in the 2000 range, and all three inherited the body styling of their predecessors with minor facelifts. The biggest change was the engine. A brand new all-alloy 2.6 liter engine with six cylinders in line and twin overhead camshafts replaced the earlier four-cylinder engine with its cast-iron block and alloy head which dated back to the 1900 range of 1950. Two carburettors were fitted to the Berlina engines, giving 130 bhp (97 kW). The Sprint and Spider engines had three twin-choke horizontal carburettors and developed 145 bhp (108 kW). The OSI De Luxe was available with either the two-carb or the three-carb setup. The Sprint Zagato had 165 bhp (123 kW) with the three-carb setup. Total production for the Berlina was 2038 cars, the Sprint was 6999 cars, the Spider was 2255 cars, the 2600 De Luxe was 54 cars and the Sprint Zagato was 105 cars. From a sales point of view, the 2600 models were not a success, despite deserved acclaim for their excellent engine. The poor sales were not only due to the elevated prices of the 2600 models. The cars did not compare well with contemporary products, including those of Alfa Romeo itself. The factory had decided - correctly, as it turned out - to concentrate their limited development resources on the mid-sized Giulia which was introduced at about the same time. The flagship 2600 range was only a minor facelift of the 2000 range with a new engine, as this was all that the factory could do with the resources available. Since the 2000 itself had basically been a 1958 restyling of the 1950 1900, this left the 2600 with running gear a dozen years old at introduction. The new engine also added weight and length at the front; though this did much for stability, it did not help the handling. Because the 2600 was a flagship Alfa Romeo model, expectations were high, and both critics and customers quickly spotted the deficiencies, both on paper and on the road. For example, the 165-400 radial tires fitted to the 2600 were a mere 10 mm (0.4 in) wider in section than the 155-15 tires fitted to the Giulietta, though the 2600 had considerably more power and weight. When the new Giulia appeared with completely new running gear, the 2600 was shown up even more. Another reason for slow sales was styling and concept. The Berlina's styling was, to be polite, not happy and that reflected in the especially poor sales for this model. While most Alfa Romeo sedans in the marque's history outsold the more specialised sporting models in the same range, the 2600 Berlina did not outsell the 2600 Sprint or Spider. The 2600 Spider had styling which was seen to be derivative of that of its smaller stablemate, the Giulietta Spider: certainly handsome, but lacking the smaller car's grace and balance. The larger car's handling also suffered perhaps unfair comparison with that of the Giulietta Spider, and this is an important factor in a car with sporting pretensions. One sales point in its favor was that it was a four-seater convertible, though the two rear seats were fairly cramped.
