Loan Display: Rare CIJ Alfa Romeo P2 Toy Cars

The Alfa Romeo P2 tinplate toy car is the Holy Grail of toy collecting, and an extraordinary private collection of twenty are now on display to the public at The Garden Rooms at Tennants, having been generously loaned by the owner. This collection of 20 models is possibly the largest in the country and would certainly hold its own against any in the world. 

The Alfa Romeo P2 was made by the French company CIJ between 1925 and 1935, modelled after the full-size racing car that was first built in Italy 1924 by legendary designer Vittorio Jano. The model version has stylish looks evocative of inter-war Grand Prix racing and as a piece of miniature toy engineering it has few equals. Every detail has been included, bonnet louvres, three filler caps, suspension, external exhaust pipe, working steering wheel, take off wheels and, of course, a powerful clockwork spring motor to allow them to be raced.

The models are painted in a variety of colours reflecting the racing colours of various nations, including the famous German Silver Arrows, Bleu de France, Italian Rosso Corsa, and British Racing Green. Also on display is a very rare factory prototype of a remote controlled P2 car, made by CIJ to revive the brand in the 1930s but never put into production. Accompanying the cars on display are further pieces of Automobilia from the owner’s private collection – all relating to Alfa Romeo and motor racing in the 1920s and 30s.

The display is open to the public until 31^st May and is free to enter.

Opening Hours