{{Infobox automobile | image = Car Musée Enzo Ferrari 0045.JPG | caption = An Alfa Romeo 12C-36 | name = Alfa Romeo 12C | manufacturer = [[Alfa Romeo]] | production = 1936-1937 | assembly = | predecessor = [[Alfa Romeo 8C#1935 Monoposto 8C 35 Type C|Alfa Romeo 8C-35]] | successor = [[Alfa Romeo Tipo 308]]<br>[[Alfa Romeo Tipo 312]]<br>[[Alfa Romeo Tipo 316]] | layout = [[FR layout]] | class = [[Grand Prix motor racing|Grand Prix]] 750 kg | platform = | engine = [[Roots blower|Roots]] supercharged 4.1 [[Litre|L]] 4064 cc 60° [[V12 engine|V12]]<br>370 [[Horsepower|bhp]] at 5800 rpm (12C-36)<ref name="borg">{{cite book | author=Borgeson, Griffith | title=The Alfa Romeo Tradition | year=1990 | isbn=0-85429-875-4 }}</ref><br>[[Roots blower|Roots]] supercharged 4.5 [[Litre|L]] 4495 cc 60° [[V12 engine|V12]]<br>430 [[Horsepower|bhp]] at 5800 rpm (12C-37) | transmission = 4-speed [[manual transmission]] | wheelbase = | weight = 818 kg (1804 lb) (12C-36)<br>808 kg (1782 lb) (12C-37) | designer = [[Vittorio Jano]] }}
The '''Alfa Romeo 12C''' or '''Tipo C''' was a 12-cylinder [[Grand Prix motor racing|Grand Prix]] car. The 12C-36 made its debut in [[Tripoli Grand Prix]] 1936, and the 12C-37 in [[Coppa Acerbo]] 1937. The 12C-36 was a Tipo C fitted with the new V12 instead of the 3.8 litre straight-eight of the [[Alfa Romeo 8C#1935 Monoposto 8C 35 Type C|8C-35]]. The 12C-37 was a new car, with a lower chassis and an engine bored and stroked to 4475 cc, now with roller- instead of plain bearings and two smaller superchargers instead of a single large one. The car suffered poor handling, which could not be cured in time for the 1937 Italian GP, and thus was not successful. This is given as the reason for Vittorio Jano's resignation from Alfa Romeo at the end of 1937.<ref name="kolumbus.fi/leif.snellman">{{Cite web|url=https://www.goldenera.fi/c1.htm|title=CARS (PART 1) ALFA ROMEO|access-date=2007-04-26|work=kolumbus.fi/leif.snellman| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070419111505/http://www.kolumbus.fi/leif.snellman/c1.htm| archive-date= 19 April 2007 | url-status= live}}</ref> The 12C-36 used the existing six Tipo C chassis. Four examples of the 12C-37 were built, although only two were actually assembled for the 1937 Coppa Acerbo and Italian GP. Early in 1938, the Tipo C (8C-35, 12C-36) chassis were modified into [[Alfa Romeo Tipo 308|308s]], with the straight-eight engine fitted lower in the chassis and a completely new body. The four 12C-37 chassis were instead assembled into 312 (V12 downsized to 3-litre) and 316 (V16 obtained from two 158 engines fitted to a common crankcase) formula race cars.
== Main victories ==
[[File:Alfa Romeo 159 Goodwood.jpg|thumb|left|Alfa Romeo 12C-37]] *1936 [[Penya Rhin Grand Prix]], [[Tazio Nuvolari]] *1936 Milan Grand Prix, [[Tazio Nuvolari]] *1936 Modena Grand Prix, [[Tazio Nuvolari]] *1936 [[Vanderbilt Cup]], [[Tazio Nuvolari]] *1937 Milan Grand Prix, [[Tazio Nuvolari]] *1937 Valentino Grand Prix, [[Antonio Brivio]] *1937 [[Grand Prix of Naples|Circuito di Napoli]], [[Giuseppe Farina]] *1937 Genova Grand Prix, [[Carlo Felice Trossi]]
''<nowiki>*All with 12C-36</nowiki>''
<gallery> File:Alfa_Romeo_12C_(1936).jpg|Alfa Romeo 12C-36 File:Alfa_Romeo_12C_(1936)_abitacolo.jpg|Cockpit of an Alfa Romeo 12C-36 File:Alfa Romeo 12C-37 Maastricht 2010.jpg|Alfa Romeo 12C-37 </gallery>
==Technical data==
{| class="prettytable" |----- bgcolor="#DDDDDD" ! width="25%"|Technical data ! width="25%"|8C-35 ! width="25%"|12C-36 ! width="25%"|12C-37 |----- bgcolor="#EEEEEE" |Engine: || align="center" |8-cylinder [[Straight engine|in-line engine]] || colspan="2" align="center" |12-cylinder 60° [[V-engine]] |----- bgcolor="#EEEEEE" |[[Engine displacement|displacement]]: || align="center" |3822 cm<sup>3</sup>|| align="center"|4064 cm<sup>3</sup>|| align="center"|4495 cm<sup>3</sup> |----- bgcolor="#EEEEEE" |Bore x stroke: || align="center" |78 x 100 mm|| align="center"|70 x 88mm|| align="center"|72 x 92 mm |----- bgcolor="#EEEEEE" |Max power: || align="center" |330 hp|| align="center"|370 hp|| align="center"|430 hp |----- bgcolor="#EEEEEE" |Valve control: || colspan="3" align="center" |2 overhead [[Camshaft|camshafts]] per cylinder row, 2 [[Multi-valve|valves]] per cylinder |----- bgcolor="#EEEEEE" |[[Compression Ratio|Compression]] : || align="center" |8.0:1|| align="center" |7.1:1|| align="center" |7.3:1 |----- bgcolor="#EEEEEE" |[[Upload]]: || colspan="3" align="center" | [[Roots-type supercharger|Roots compressor]] |----- bgcolor="#EEEEEE" |[[Gearbox]]: || colspan="3" align="center" |4-speed manual, [[transaxle]] |----- bgcolor="#EEEEEE" |[[Car suspension|suspension]] front: || colspan="3" align="center" |Individual type Dubonnet, coil springs |----- bgcolor="#EEEEEE" |[[Car suspension|suspension]] rear: || colspan="3" align="center" |Pendulum axle, transverse leaf spring |----- bgcolor="#EEEEEE" |[[Brake]]s: || colspan="3" align="center" |Hydraulic drum brakes |----- bgcolor="#EEEEEE" |[[Chassis]] & [[Automobile body|body]]: || colspan="2" align="center" |Crate beam frame with [[aluminium]]body || align="center" |Fackverkframe with<br> aluminum body |----- bgcolor="#EEEEEE" |[[Wheelbase]]: || colspan="2" align="center" |275 cm|| align="center"|280 cm |----- bgcolor="#EEEEEE" |[[Dry weight]]: || align="center" |750 kg || align="center" |820 kg || align="center" |810 kg |----- bgcolor="#EEEEEE" |Top speed: || align="center" |275 km/h|| align="center"|290 km/h|| align="center"|310 km/h |----- bgcolor="#EEEEEE" |}
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Alfa Romeo Pre War Timeline}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alfa Romeo 12c}} [[Category:Alfa Romeo vehicles|12C]] [[Category:Grand Prix cars]]
{{Autoracing-stub}}