GRR

Video: Wild on-edge hillclimb from 80-year-old Alfa Romeo

11th May 2020
Ben Miles

The Alfa Romeo 308 was a car of compromise. Built as an attempt to wrestle power back from the German giants who had taken control of Grand Prix racing in the 1930s, it suffered from both rule changes and team splits.

The rules in the world championship changed to reduce the capacity of the cars racing to 3.0-litres and Enzo Ferrari had departed from Alfa, taking chief engine designer Vittorio Jano with him. Alfa were faced with redesigning their engine without the two people who had brought them success. The result was the 308. A car fitted with a 3.0-litre straight-eight producing around 300PS. Which sounds significant, but then you realise the outgoing car hat a 430PS, 4.5-litre motor and the German rivals were producing around 425PS with their new 3.0-litre engines.

But while the 308 wasn’t that impressive in 1938, in 2020 it most definitely is. The idea of a massive straight-eight with oodles of torque is pretty alien to us, and the thought that that car would then be driven by a man wearing a near open-faced helmet with absolutely no sign of a seatbelt is pretty wild. So when you see that happen it sort of blows your mind.

At the wheel of the Alfa 308C in this video is Julian Majzub, a man who has never been known to hold anything backand can almost exclusively be found in the kind of pre-war machinery that would leave the rest of us backing away and making excuses. Add Julian’s complete lack of fear to this mighty car with very little grip and a hillclimb with some dust dragged onto the tarmac and it’s an awesome mix.

  • Alfa Romeo

  • 308C

  • Julian Majzub

  • Video

  • FOS

  • FOS 2018

  • Hillclimb Action

Shop the Motorsport collection today

Shop Now
Goodwood image
julian-majzub-alfa-romeo-308c-fos-video-goodwood-11052020.jpg

Historic

Video: Wild on-edge hillclimb from 80-year-old Alfa Romeo

11th May 2020

alfa-romeo-308c-goodwood-revival-2009-video-goodwood-09052020.jpg

Goodwood Revival

Video: Wild 80-year-old Alfa Romeo slices through the pack

09th May 2020

fos-2019-antonio-giovinazzi-alfa-romeo-sauber-f1-video-main-goodwood-06072019.jpg

Formula 1

Video: Alfa Romeo-Sauber F1 car's tyre smoking hillclimb

06th July 2019

Supercars at FOS Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale MAIN.jpg

Festival of Speed

Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale to make UK debut at the Festival of Speed

26th June

alfa-romeo-tipo-332-daytona-goodwood-12072020.jpg

Festival of Speed

Video: Is the Tipo 33/2 Daytona the prettiest Alfa Romeo?

12th July 2020

alfa-romeo-1750-gtam-fos-2018-video-goodwood-20042020.jpg

Historic

Video: When the glorious Alfa Romeo 1750 GTAm came to Goodwood

20th April 2020

alfa-romeo-c41-2021-f1-car-goodwood-22022021.jpg

Formula 1

Gallery: Alfa Romeo C41 2021 F1 car

22nd February 2021

fos-alfa-romeo-155.jpg

Festival of Speed

Video: Epic Alfa Romeo 155 storms up the Goodwood Hill

31st May