Gooding & Company just provided the ultimate showcase on how to burn over $1 million with flawless Italian flair. At the Pebble Beach auction in California, a breathtaking 1957 Alfa Romeo 1900C SSZ “Lusso” crossed the block and hammered for a cool $1,380,000, landing comfortably within its pre-sale estimate of $1.25 million to $1.75 million.
To be fair to whichever deep-pocketed connoisseur won the bidding war, chassis 10593 isn’t just another pretty red car from the 1950s. It represents the supreme evolution of the Alfa Romeo 1900 platform, dressed in lightweight aluminum armor by Zagato. Only three examples were built in this exact specification during its birth year of 1957, making it rarer than an honest politician or a fully functional vintage Italian electrical system.
Visually, the coupé commands immediate attention with its slammed front nose and signature Zagato “double-bubble” roof, a design feature originally engineered to accommodate helmeted race drivers, though nowadays it mostly serves to fit the inflated egos of ultra-wealthy collectors.
Beneath its exquisite skin, this Gran Turismo possesses genuine racing genetics wrapped in pure sophistication. Completed in May 1957, this specific example is believed to be the only one equipped with a floor-mounted gear shift rather than the far more pedestrian column shifter. Over the decades, it accumulated a pedigree that reads like a VIP guest list for automotive royalty.
It spent time as a crown jewel in Peter Kaus’s legendary Rosso Bianco Collection before passing through the hands of prominent collectors Paul Schouwenberg, Craig Davis, and Mark Gessler. Even Elio Zagato himself took the wheel for a brief spell, while Stellantis design boss Ralph Gilles and members of the Zagato family helmed it during various 1000 Miglia runs.
Acquired by its previous owner in 2018, this Alfa Romeo underwent an uncompromising, bank-account-draining restoration. Finished in a period-correct Amaranto burgundy over a crisp two-tone leather cabin, it now sits in pristine concours condition.
Best of all, it has been declared eligible for the 2027 1000 Miglia, giving its new owner a guaranteed ticket to the centennial edition of the world’s most famous road race.
