The Alfa Romeo Tipo B — known universally as the P3 — arrived in 1932 as something genuinely new: the first purpose-built single-seat Grand Prix car, designed by Vittorio Jano with a twin-supercharged straight-8 and a split driveshaft feeding each rear wheel independently. This 1:18 scale model by CMC documents one of that car's most celebrated outings, Caracciola's record run at the Klausen Pass in Switzerland.
Vittorio Jano's Tipo B displaced 2654 cc in original form, producing approximately 215 hp through twin superchargers — figures that were class-leading for 1932. The split rear driveshaft was a genuine engineering first for a front-engined Grand Prix car, allowing more precise power delivery to each wheel. The P3 debuted at the French Grand Prix at Reims and won outright on that first appearance, then went on to dominate the 1932 season under both the works Alfa Romeo team and Scuderia Ferrari, the racing operation managed by Enzo Ferrari.
Caracciola, Klausen 1932: A Record That Stood for Years
The Klausenrennen, held on the Klausen Pass road in the Swiss Alps, was among the most prestigious hill climbs of the interwar era, drawing the top Grand Prix machinery of the day. In 1932, Rudolf Caracciola — then driving under the Scuderia Ferrari banner — set a course record in the P3 that remained unbroken for years, reinforcing his standing as a master of mountain and wet-weather competition. Race number 95 identifies his specific entry on that day, and the car ran in Rosso Corsa, the Italian racing red standard for Alfa Romeo and Scuderia Ferrari entries of the period. The 1932 season was Caracciola's last with Alfa Romeo before his move to Mercedes-Benz.
The CMC 1:18 Scale Model: Die-Cast at Its Most Exacting
CMC — Classic Model Cars, Germany — built its reputation on pre-war and vintage racing subjects, and the Alfa Romeo P3 is precisely the kind of car where their method counts. Construction is die-cast metal throughout, supplemented by photo-etched components and finely rendered detail parts that reproduce the supercharger plumbing, wire wheels, and period-correct bodywork. The reference in CMC's catalogue is M-224, corresponding to Caracciola's number 95 Klausenrennen entry. For collectors of pre-war Grand Prix models, CMC occupies the position of the gold standard in this scale.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Alfa Romeo P3 and why does it matter historically?
The Alfa Romeo Tipo B, known as the P3, was the first true single-seat (monoposto) Grand Prix car, designed by Vittorio Jano and introduced in 1932. It featured a twin-supercharged 2654 cc straight-8 engine and a split rear driveshaft, and it dominated the 1932 Grand Prix season from its debut win at Reims.
Who was Rudolf Caracciola and what did he achieve at the 1932 Klausenrennen?
Rudolf Caracciola was one of the foremost Grand Prix drivers of the 1930s. In 1932, driving for Scuderia Ferrari in the Alfa Romeo P3, he won the Klausenrennen hill climb on the Klausen Pass in Switzerland and set a course record that stood for years.
Who makes this model and what materials are used?
The model is produced by CMC — Classic Model Cars — and is built in die-cast metal with photo-etched and other precision detail parts, consistent with CMC's established approach to pre-war and vintage racing subjects at 1:18.
What does the race number 95 signify?
Number 95 is the specific race entry number carried by Caracciola's Alfa Romeo P3 at the 1932 Klausenrennen, distinguishing this particular entry from other P3s competing or displayed in different livery configurations.
