There’s an old saying about Alfa Romeo ownership: “before setting out, first dig two graves.” Maybe that saying is about revenge, but it can also be true of this particular Alfa. Of course, both those graves will be for your wallet, as this DTM car is sure to kill as many tires as it does dollars at auction. This particular 155 V6 DTM car is up for auction at RM Sotheby’s and is sure to fetch a pretty penny.

What on earth is DTM?

For some, DTM may be an obscure word. No worries, as it is a rather niche form of racing from an outside perspective. The series is a subset of the larger touring car racing genre, which has been around since just about forever. The touring car genre encompasses cars available for public purchase that are modified for racing.

Of course, the series fits the old adage “what races Sunday sells on Monday.” So too does DTM, or Deutsche Tourenwagen Masters. In its current iteration, DTM has been running since 2000, but previous series like the one this Alfa Romeo took part in date back to the ’80s and ’90s. As a matter of fact, some of the most famous names in racing, like Ayrton Senna, dabbled in touring car and DTM racing during the mid-’80s.

The gavel rules all

While this particular Martini-liveried car wasn’t raced by the legendary Brazilian driver, it is a winning car. This particular 155, which participated in the 1996 season, carried its driver, Nicola Larini, to two race wins. Not only that, but it also brought Alfa Romeo a healthy second-place finish in the manufacturer’s standings for the 1996 season. Solid results and they certainly help to bolster the price of this particular 155, which also participated in the 2019 DTM Classics Series.

On the subject of price, this Alfa Romeo 155 is estimated by R.M Sotheby’s to sell for between 700,000 and 800,000 Euros. That’s about $973,000. A hefty price to be sure, but this race car is completely bespoke, with around $425,000 in restorations taking place over the lifespan of the car. But if you want to show up all the Corvettes at your local track day, you’ve got to pay the price somewhere.

Alfa Romeo makes one hell of a racer

Question is, what is it you’re paying for from a mechanical standpoint? Quite a lot as it turns out. The 155’s V6 churns out a massive 460 hp through a six-speed sequential gearbox. Of course, there’s plenty of aerodynamics to keep things in check. The 155 is bristling with wings, splitters, diffusers, and canards to keep you on the power as much as possible.

Honestly, as far as cool factor goes, there really isn’t much out there that’s going to beat owning a race-winning DTM car. Sure, there are plenty of million-plus dollar hypercars that might be faster around a circuit, but they won’t look anywhere near as cool doing it, and that’s really what all that money is going to. Besides, who doesn’t want to play race car driver every once in a while?