Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 B Le Mans Touring
A unique streamlined Touring berlinetta built for endurance competition.
The special car behind the familiar name
The 8C 2900 B Le Mans Touring is the special streamlined berlinetta represented in the Alfa Romeo museum. It is a distinct one-off, rather than a generic name for every 2900 B with closed Touring coachwork. Its endurance-racing purpose connects mechanical development to a body designed around the demands of a sustained high-speed event.
The long lead at Le Mans
Alfa Romeo’s historical exhibition account describes the unique car as having led the 24 Hours of Le Mans for a considerable period. It should be remembered for that competition story without being described as a Le Mans winner. A race lead, a finishing position and a victory are different facts, even when a car becomes famous for the same event.
A special engine specification
The museum lists a 2926 cc twin-supercharged straight-eight and 220 CV at 5500 rpm. CV is retained as metric horsepower. This engine displacement differs from the 2905 cc figure on the normal Lungo page, so the special car receives its own specification rather than inheriting a rounded family number.
Touring Superleggera and the special configuration
The museum identifies Touring Superleggera berlinetta bodywork, a 3000 mm wheelbase, independent suspension and hydraulically actuated drum brakes. Its listed four-speed transmission drives the rear wheels. The car’s complete form is important: the body, engine and chassis configuration belong together in a profile of the Le Mans special.
A verified one-car total
The factory museum explicitly reports one car. Here, the structured total of one refers to the Speciale Tipo Le Mans. It is a true configuration-specific count, rather than a race-entry count or a claim that only one 2900 B of any kind existed. That distinction gives this entry a clearer production boundary than many other coachbuilt Alfa profiles.
The present museum car
The supplied photograph depicts the museum’s 1938 Le Mans Touring special in October 2015. Credit is given to the photographer and to the source’s crop contributor. For a one-off, changes to bodywork and mechanical components should still be documented: uniqueness does not mean every part is necessarily untouched. A chronology of restoration and display provides a more complete account of the object seen today.
Frequently asked questions
Did this car win Le Mans?
The cited manufacturer account records a long lead, not a victory. It is not described here as a race winner.
How many Speciale Tipo Le Mans cars were built?
The factory museum lists one.
Why is displacement listed as 2926 cc?
That is the special car’s museum specification; the normal Lungo page gives 2905 cc.
Related vehicle profiles
Primary references
Photo and credit
The unique 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Speciale Tipo Le Mans Touring berlinetta displayed at Museo Alfa Romeo in October 2015. Photo: azrhey; source crop by TKOIII / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0. Resized and JPEG-compressed for web display; no content retouching. Website layouts may crop the image.
Why this machine matters
The 8C 2900 B Le Mans Touring is the special streamlined berlinetta represented in the Alfa Romeo museum. It is a distinct one-off, rather than a generic name for every 2900 B with closed Touring coachwork. Its endurance-racing purpose connects mechanical development to a body designed around the demands of a sustained high-speed event.
Built in limited numbers
One refers specifically to museum-listed Speciale Tipo Le Mans. 220 CV preserved as source unit; do not call this car a Le Mans winner.
Gallery
Specifications
Factory specifications may vary by model year, market and configuration.
Identity & production
- Official model
- Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 B Le Mans Touring
- Country of manufacture
- Italy
Powertrain & performance
- Engine
- 2926 cc twin-supercharged inline-eight
- Drivetrain
- Rear-wheel drive
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