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Not too many people know about the versatile engine for road, race and sports - Alfa Romeo 8C reigning through the 1930s. On deciphering the extended nomenclature 8C, it refers to the Alfa Romeo’s straight 8-cylinder engine. Designed by Vittorio Jano the 8C racing engine was one of the incomparable pieces by Alfa Romeo from 1931 to its desertion in 1939. With further enhancements, the engine powered vehicles like the 1935 3.8 litre Monoposto 8C 35 Type C, the Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Mille Miglia Roadster and twin engined 1935 6.3 litre Bimotore.

Earlier in 1931, Jano’s P3 8C engine featured a common crankcase with two-alloy four cylinder blocks, with integrated heads. It had no separate heads neither did it have head gasket to fail. The central gear tower drove the superchargers, ancillaries and overhead camshafts. This led to first model produced in 1931, the 8C 2300. Alfa Romeo now introduced the first single seater racing car, the Monoposto Tipo B P3 for the 1932 Grand Prix season. In 1939, the 6C engined models took over more expensive the 8C engines and the trend continued until WWII.

While the more expensive 8C engine ceased production in 1939, production of 6C engined models continued till after WWII. Improvements continued with Alfa Romeo engines with the racing cars appearing in production models the following years.

Lately, Alfa Romeo renovated the 8C into V8-engined concept car in 2004. This was made into production in 2007 as Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione.