1934 ALFA ROMEO 2.3 MILLE MIGLIA: SALON (AND ROAD TEST, SORTA)

“THIS CAR TURNS OUT TO BE THE FIFTH ALFA ROMEO PASSENGER CAR which appeared on R&T’s cover,” the magazine recounted in September 1958. (Indeed, R&T Vol. 1 No. 1, July 1947, also featured an Alfa, though that one was a Tipo 158 Alfetta Grand Prix machine.) 

Above, R&T, Vol. 1 No. 1; below, Vol. 10, No. 1.

The 1934 Alfa 2.3 Mille Miglia was September 1958’s Salon feature and also the 20th R&T Classic Test. The latter series were road tests, sorta: “not an actual test of the car in question,” the magazine described, “but the data presented are an accurate synthesis of material published during the time the car was produced.” 

Here are tidbits gleaned from this Salon as well as Classic Test.

Contrasting Marque Enthusiasts. R&T recounts, “Perhaps the words of Ken Purdy in Kings of the Road best sum up the Alfa situation: ‘The 32nd degree Bugatti addict, he who had made the pilgrimage to Molshiem, who wears his Bugatti Owners’ Club lapel badge pinned to his pajamas at night, and who would never visit New York without having dinner at the restaurant Le Gourmet owned by René Dreyfus, a former team driver for Le Patron—this man, or mayhap, woman, for some females are more fanatic than the males, recognizes no peers among the owners of lesser machinery.’ ”

“ ‘That is understood,’ ” R&T continued with the Purdy narrative, “ ‘The MG boys are, to him, just that: downy-faced, ear-wet, unformed youths. The Mercedes-Benz devotees, with their prattle about the neck-snapping acceleraton of the 38-250’s and the orgiastic blower scream of the 540-K’s, are set down as mere vulgarians. The Rolls-Royce is for old ladies, the vintage Bentley for truck drivers… But a Bugattiste, even an advanced Bugattiste, will talk to an Alfa Romeo owner on terms of near equality.’ ”

This, by the way, is a fine example of why so many of us treasured the words of Ken Purdy. Wikipedia observes, “his Kings of the Road, published in 1952, is still a landmark.” Especially if it’s autographed by Stirling Moss.

Above, the 2.3 seen from the left side; below, from the right.

Derived from the Monza. R&T noted, “The 2.3 sports car was derived from the 1931 Monza type, a Grand Prix car whose engine was an enlargement of the 2-liter P-2 of 1924–29. The unique feature of this powerplant was the use of what amounted to two 4-cylinder engines mounted on a common crankcase.”

Indeed, this concept was to reappear in the Mercedes-Benz W196 Grand Prix car.

A Crashbox 4-Speed. “The gearbox,” R&T described, “was a straight crash affair, typical of the era and quite sturdy. The upper 3 ratios were closely spaced, which facilitated shifting despite the lack of such artificial aids as synchromesh. Professional drivers in those days took great pride in their ability to shift either up or down without touching the clutch pedal, even during the stress of long-distance road racing.”

“But,” R&T noted, “this was more by necessity than choice: the clutch throwout bearing would not stand up to its job if used continuously.”

R&T’s Assessment of Performance: “July 1938. Although production of the straight-8 2.3 Alfa Romeo ceased production in the fall of 1933, there are still many enthusiasts of the famous marque who firmly believe that it is much more desirable than the current 2.9.”

“To our way of thinking,” R&T wrote, “there is much to justify the claim that the 2.3 was the better car: It is lighter and easier to handle, somewhat more tractable, and performs nearly as well as the 2904-cubic-centimeter model.”

Excessive Brake Torque Windup. R&T described, “When the brakes (15.75-inch drums) are applied hard at 80 or 90 miles per hour, the front end sets up such a clatter that one’s teeth tend to vibrate in sympathy, if not in sheer fright. Examination of the front end shows that despite very short (22-inch) and stiff semi-elliptic springs, there is inadequate provision for brake torque windup.”

Agg.

Quick, Though Noisy. “The recommended limit is 5200 rpm,” R&T notes, “but this figure can be exceeded: using only 1st and 2nd only, it is possible to reach 60 mph in only 8.5 sec (9.4 is quoted in the data panel, based on the 5200-rpm limit).”

“The Alfa is not a gentleman’s carriage,” the magazine observes. “At full throttle the noise is almost terrifying; in fact, the Roots blower scream can scarcely be distinguished. Gear noise is there too, but like the blower it is only noticeable when dawdling along.”

R&T’s Contemporary Summary: “Considering the price and the performance available, the heavy fuel consumption is not too serious and a tank capacity of 30 gallons gives a cruising range of about 300 miles. And we can think of no more enjoyable method of covering it than in this snarling red Italian roadster.”

It’s clear that Alfisti just wanna have fun, perhaps waving in return to the occasional Bugattiste. ds

© Dennis Simanaitis, SimanaitisSays.com, 2025