A LEGEND IN ITS OWN TIME Under the Alfa Romeo 8C 2300’s long snout was tucked an engine comprised of two four-cylinder blocks, end to end, with twin overhead camshafts and hemispherical combustion chambers.

The 10-main-bearing crankshaft was split in the middle, with a pair of gears at its heart that drove the camshafts, a supercharger, oil and water pumps, and the generator—a marvelous symphony of complication that would delight the enthusiast of Swiss watches.

When properly set-up, it was seamless in operation; an 8C 2300 was a superb driver’s machine, as witnessed by its impressive roster of victories in the great races of the world during the early 1930s, including four consecutive victories at Le Mans from 1931–1934 .

Like all the Great Cars, it made its own legend, and in its own time.

The handful of 2.3s that survived the competition-oriented use of their original owners have largely slipped into the hands of museums and other permanent collections.

Offered here is one of t...