Alfa Romeo's forthcoming United States re-launch tie-up with the existing Maserati distribution network was amply demonstrated by the recent presentation of the Alfa 8C Competizione at the Meadow Brook Concours d'Elegance. The new sport car's very well-received US debut at the beginning of last month was reported in full detail in this month's US-edition of the Maserati Monthly newsletter:

The Meadow Brook Concours d’Elegance is proof, if any was needed, of Detroit’s continued love affair with the automobile.  The rapturous reception given Alfa Romeo’s exceptional new 8C Competizione when it broke cover at this annual automotive spectacle demonstrated that Detroit remains a city of true car enthusiasts.  Put simply, the eagerly anticipated Alfa Romeo 8C was the darling of Meadow Brook, fittingly so as Alfa Romeo was itself the featured marque.  From the time the car was displayed at the Alfa Romeo Owner’s Club National Convention on Saturday August 4th until it was put away after the Meadow Brook Concours concluded on Sunday August 5th, the 8C Competizione was a centre of attention.

Neither pictures nor words do justice to Alfa’s spectacular new range-topper.  The Pininfarina body, constructed entirely of carbon fibre, immediately catapults the 8C to the winners circle in the beauty stakes.  No other two-seater comes close to the combination of style, taste, and aesthetic idealism embodied by the 8C.  Its sensual lines continue into the cabin, which is purposefully sporting in the long Alfa tradition, and yet redolent with a modernity of design and attention to luxurious detail which can be traced to sister marque, Maserati.  The woven leather upholstery of the 8C's thin-shell competition seats, echoed in the masterful Schedoni luggage which comes with the car, set a tone of sporting style with which no other manufacturer of two-seat cars can compete.

The Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione’s engineering is similarly influenced by the high standards and experience of Maserati, coupled with the astonishing competition heritage of Alfa Romeo.
 

With their expertise in developing cars which combine breathtaking performance, sports-car roadholding and exquisite Italian design, Maserati was an obvious choice to assist Alfa Romeo in the design and engineering of the 8C. In combination with Alfa Romeo engineers, Maserati has applied its knowledge, which has made the Quattroporte the world’s best-handling sedan. The result is clear, the Alfa 8C Competizione is already worthy of a place among the greatest of sports cars.The purchase list for the limited-edition car is already closed; some of those fortunate enough to be on the list saw the 8C for the first time in the flesh at Meadow Brook and were, in their own words, “blown away” and “weak at the knees” - their only complaint being that they could not take the car home with them that day.

Future owners were not alone in their approval. When driven to the Alfa Romeo Owner’s Club National Convention, the approbation of these most discerning enthusiasts was instantaneous. A crowd thronged about the car, which stood out even among the three famous BAT Alfa show cars parked beside it.  As it stood outside an Alfa Romeo enclosure the next day at Meadow Brook, many braved the rain for a closer look, including various notables from the auto industry; GM Product Czar and noted enthusiast Bob Lutz was the most recognizable.  From the virtually perfect automobiles on the show field, representing much of the industry’s heritage, to the collection of recent super cars parked nearby, the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione stood out as particularly special and desirable.  It is said that Henry Ford was so enamored of their style and engineering that he used to tip his hat whenever he saw an Alfa Romeo pass. At Meadow Brook his spiritual descendents in the American automotive industry echoed this gesture of admiration…is it mere coincidence or judicial transference that made a 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Best in Show – Foreign?