Alfa Romeo, The True Luxury Of Italy

Alfa Romeo is an Italian luxury car brand, founded in 1910 in Milan, by Alexandre Darracq and Nicola Romeo. It has been characterized by its elegant design and high-performance cars, focused on the sports sector or grand touring cars. Alfa Romeo is currently listed as a subsidiary of the Fiat Group.

History

Alfa Romeo was born in 1910, when Alexandre Darracq sold them its Italian subsidiary, Darracq SA Together with the company, it also sold its factory to an industrial group in Lombardy that had just started its operations. From it the Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili (ALFA) was built. On the other hand, in 1911, the Italian businessman, Nicola Romeo had started his own machinery factory called Società in accomandita semplice Ing.Nicola Romeo e Co.

Four years later, investors from Romeo e Co. took over ALFA. This was put in charge at the Portello factory for the construction of war material during the First World War. At the end of the war in 1920, it was decided to merge ALFA and Società Anonima Ing.Nicola Romeo e Co. The war dedication would thus end, returning to the manufacture of cars.

Alfa Romeo, from 1932 to 1986 would form the Istituto per la Ricostruzione Industriale.  Created to save Italy’s leading banks from bankruptcy. In 1987, due to various financial problems over the years, Alfa Romeo joined the Fiat Group, as did other Italian brands such as Maserati, Lancia or Ferrari.

The first Alfa Romeo cars

In 1921, after the end of the First World War, Alfa Romeo entered production, thus developing the Torpedo 20/30 HP and its sports version the 20/30 ES. A year later, Maserati designed the car that would launch Alfa Romeo to fame, the RL, a sleek 6-cylinder car. The success was such that more than 2,500 units were manufactured; in addition to producing derivatives to achieve greater power.

The touring version, called RLT with 61 CV and the sporty RLS with 71 CV that reached 151Kmph. Subsequently, the 4-cylinder RM model came out, a more economical and compact version of the RL. 500 units of this car were sold.

Thanks to agreements with Ferrari, Fiat designer Vittorio Jano begins the glorious new era of Alfa Romeo. He contributed the famous P2, which left a mark in the racing world. Also, from the hand of Jano is the design of the 6C-1500. A street car classified as a sports car thanks to its performance. Later the jewel of alfa romeo would arrive, descendant of the 6C-1500, the 6C-1750. It would be the improved and more powerful version, reaching 100 CV of power and 170Kmph.

Second World War

Ugo Gobbato, already in command of the brand, decided to suspend the activities of the company to focus on the production of military vehicles. The Alfa Romeo factories were strategic points as well as enemy targets, the one in Portello being bombed three times. At the end of the war, Gobatto was accused of collaborating with Germany despite having avoided the requisition by them. After being acquitted, he was murdered on a street in Milan.

The CLN appointed Pasquale Gallo as the new commissioner of Alfa Romeo. Despite the problems caused by the war, the production of the 6C-2500 Sport cars was carried out. In 1946, Orazio Satta Puliga, was appointed as the new chief designer. His first contribution was the 6C-2500 S Freccia d’Oro, a more rounded and shorter version of the 6C-2500 Sport. Next to him, the 6C-2500 SS Villa d’Este came out, a name that he took after winning a contest with that name. From the 6C-2500 SS Villa d’Este, draw inspiration from the V-shaped bonnet design on various current Alfa Romeo models.

Alfa Romeo news

Today, Alfa Romeo seeks to return to the US market, an ambition it had abandoned in 1995. Its current models are truly beautiful cars that maintain the classic essence that marked the 6C-2500 SS Villa d’Este with its V-bonnet. design is somewhat similar between them, they all adapt to the corporate lines really well. Currently the Alfa Romeo range is made up of the MiTo, Stelvio, Giulietta, Giulia, 4C and 4C Spider.

If you are looking for cars with presence and an elegant touch, good performance and you plan to make an investment, Alfa Romeo is for you. Their cars are not only beautiful, but they will measure up to what you need.