A.L.F.A. 40/60 HP Corsa

The larger-engined competition chapter

The A.L.F.A. 40/60 HP Corsa belongs to the next stage of Giuseppe Merosi’s work. The parent 40/60 HP arrived in 1913, and Alfa Romeo’s anniversary account distinguishes its competition derivative from the road car. The Corsa gave the family a sporting identity alongside the extraordinary Castagna Aerodinamica. The 110th-anniversary account is the principal reference for that distinction.

These names describe separate configurations. Combining the Corsa’s racing story with the Aerodinamica’s closed body would create a car that never existed in that form. This profile follows the competition derivative, with the coachbuilt commission covered separately.

Engine size and period development

The manufacturer identifies a 6082 cc inline-four for the 40/60 HP family. A large displacement spread across four cylinders implies a different engine architecture from the later small-capacity, high-output Grand Prix approach. The two strategies are useful to compare without treating one as a direct modern substitute for the other.

Historical output figures also need a configuration and date. Alfa Romeo’s published retrospectives do not provide a single consistent Corsa output for all stages of development. An exact horsepower value is therefore omitted from this draft’s specification fields. Engine size can be recorded without inventing a universal racing tune.

Performance and competition context

The 2023 anniversary release quotes a Corsa maximum speed of 137 km/h and associates Giuseppe Campari with Mugello victories in 1920 and 1921. These claims describe the competition story, rather than a road-car sales specification. The same release gives a separate 139 km/h figure for the Aerodinamica.

For a researcher, dates matter as much as the model name. A competition car may evolve between its introduction and later results. A profile of a particular race chassis should identify the configuration relevant to the event under discussion, rather than automatically applying a later figure to an earlier season.

Rarity and chassis records

The inventory classifies the Corsa as a competition model with chassis-specific scope. The manufacturer pages consulted confirm the type and its history but do not establish a complete Corsa-only production total. A tally for the broader 40/60 HP family would answer a different question.

A chassis register should distinguish factory competition cars, later conversions, replacements and recreations. Counting names in race reports is also insufficient: the same car may appear repeatedly with different drivers, bodies or numbers. The next useful evidence is documentation that identifies the individual machine.

What a collector should examine

Compare dated photographs against the body, exhaust arrangement, seating, radiator and other visible features. Then connect those observations with stamped identifiers and mechanical records. The file should explain modifications and restoration choices rather than presenting every period-looking component as original.

For running condition, have a specialist assess structural work and the complete cooling, lubrication, fuel and braking systems. A competition history is valuable context, but it does not establish the present condition of any car. The best collector file joins the historical identity to an accurate description of the machine as it exists today.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Corsa the Siluro Ricotti?

No. The Corsa is the competition derivative; the Siluro Ricotti is the separate Castagna Aerodinamica commission.

What maximum speed does Alfa Romeo quote?

The 2023 anniversary release quotes 137 km/h for the Corsa.

Is its production count confirmed?

The cited sources do not establish a Corsa-only chassis total.

Related vehicle profiles

• Castagna Aerodinamica
• 1914 Grand Prix

Primary references

1. Alfa Romeo: 40/60 HP anniversary
2. Alfa Romeo: historical engine development

Photo and credit

Antonio Ascari in a 40/60 HP racing car in 1921; later competition configuration of the type introduced in 1913. Photo: Unknown photographer / Wikimedia Commons · Public domain. Resized and JPEG-compressed for web display; no content retouching. Website layouts may crop the image.