Alfa Romeo Spider Once Owned By Muhammad Ali Sells For $43k

A 1976 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce Series II once owned by boxing icon Muhammad Ali recently sold for $42,900 after being listed for sale on eBay.

The listing of the vehicle asserts that Ali purchased his Alfa Romeo when he was actually shopping for a Rolls-Royce. In fact, he picked up the keys to the Italian sports car at the same time he bought a Rolls-Royce Corniche.

According to Tim Shanahan, a close friend of the boxer, Ali purchased the car for his third wife, Veronica Porche. However, his wife couldn’t drive a stick shift and Ali decided to gift his newly-purchased Alfa Romeo to Shanahan who went on to own the sports car for more than 40 years.

This Alfa Romeo continues to look fresh to this day, despite its age. This is helped in part by the timeless silver paintwork and black convertible top. It is noted in the eBay offering that the car actually received a full respray in the factory color prior to being sold. The interior, which includes black leather bucket seats, is also said to be in “great condition” and includes matching carpet, the original three-spoke wooden steering wheel and instrument panel.

Included in the sale of the Alfa Romeo was all original documentation including the original Illinois registration with Ali’s signature.

Powering the Spider Veloce Series II is a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with double overhead cams and fuel injection. A five-speed manual transmission sends power to the rear wheels.