The Alma Sprint is an 880kg Alfa Romeo Group B restomod that’s *all* mechanical

Alfa Romeo once designed a car to compete in the unhinged pantheon of Group B rallying, which was a stripped-down, no-holds-barred prototype called the Alfasud Sprint 6C. Though it was never officially made, a small Portuguese firm called Alma has decided to revive the project, and we want one. Badly. 

Dubbed the ‘Sprint’, the original 3.0-litre ‘Busso’ V6 has been ditched in favour of a busy little 1.8-litre four-pot, which sends the entirety of its 158bhp to the front wheels via a five-speed manual stick. It sounds pitiful compared to today’s 2,000bhp all-electric monsters, but consider this: the Sprint weighs just 880kg.

So rather than focussing on pure grunt, Alma has covered ground with the mechanical portfolio: a Torsen limited-slip diff, adjustable dampers and a reworked chassis and suspension setup. 

The engine itself is based on the same one found in the original Alfasud hatch from which the Sprint 6C was born, and features forged pistons, upgraded head gaskets and Dellorto carburettors. It means the modern interpretation of this Italian classic should be a hoot on a quiet, winding mountain pass. Let’s just hope these changes don’t continue Alfa’s strong reputation for reliability, too. 

But in the instance it does go all, er, Alfa on you, we doubt you’d care too much: just look at it. The general retro approach remains, albeit augmented with a touch of modernity. The tiny ducktail spoiler, square-cut wheel arches, spherical headlamps and equally circular alloy wheel rivets are standout features for us.

The cabin has also been given a small but worthwhile revamp and includes a reimagined steering wheel, sportier seats and, wait for it, four-point racing harnesses. Much yes. Alma has also thrown in Bluetooth and a full serving of Alcantara along some of the trim and touchpoints so it’s not quite as nomadic as the original racer. 

Pricing hasn’t yet been disclosed, but we know just 20 slots will be allocated for customers to convert their donor cars. Better dial this lot as soon as possible if you’re interested.