Alfa-Romeo
La Meccanica delle Emozioni: A Century of Racing, Passion, and Unforgettable Design
Introduction
Alfa Romeo’s story is a operatic saga of racing glory, financial turmoil, and unparalleled passion. Founded as A.L.F.A. (Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili), the brand quickly established itself as a dominant force on the racetrack, breeding legends like Enzo Ferrari. Alfa Romeos are not just cars; they are mechanical emotions. They are celebrated for their soulful engines, exquisite handling, and some of the most beautiful designs ever penned, creating a fervent, cult-like following that tolerates their quirks for the sheer joy they provide.
| Detail | Information |
| Founded | 1910 (as A.L.F.A.) |
| HeadQuarters | Turin, Italy (Originally Milan) |
| Name Origin | A.L.F.A. + Nicola Romeo (industrialist) |
| First Car | Alfa Romeo 24 HP (1910) |
| Motto | La Meccanica delle Emozioni (The Mechanics of Emotion) |
| Parent Company | Stellantis |
Iconic Alfa Romeo Engines
- Twin Cam ( Bialbero ) (1954-1994): The heart of Alfa. A dual overhead camshaft engine that was advanced for its time and used in nearly every Alfa for decades, known for its willingness to rev and distinctive sound.
- Busso V6 (1979-2005): The symphony. A 2.5L or 3.0L V6 designed by Giuseppe Busso, renowned as one of the greatest-sounding production car engines of all time.
- Nord Twin Cam I4 (1960s-1980s): The race-bred inline-four. An engine derived from Alfa’s Grand Prix cars, used in road cars like the Giulia GTA and Alfetta GTV.
- 2.9L Twin-Turbo V6 (2016-Present): The modern masterpiece. Developed with Ferrari-derived components, this engine powers the Giulia Quadrifoglio and Stelvio Quadrifoglio, delivering supercar performance in a sedan/SUV.
Legendary Alfa Romeo Models
- Alfa Romeo Giulietta (1954-1965): The post-war icon. Especially the Sprint Coupe and Spider, it symbolized Italy’s rebirth and was a critical and commercial success.
- Alfa Romeo Giulia (1962-1978): The family sedan that raced. The lightweight Ti model was a homologation special, and the GTA ( Alleggerita ) became a legendary touring car.
- Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Stradale (1967-1969): The holy grail. Arguably the most beautiful car ever made, this was the road-going version of a successful sports prototype racer.
- Alfa Romeo Alfetta GT/GTV (1974-1987): The classic coupe. Known for its transaxle layout (gearbox at the rear for perfect weight distribution) and timeless design.
- Alfa Romeo Spider (1966-1993): The timeless roadster. Immortalized in film (The Graduate), its long production run is a testament to its beautiful Pininfarina design.
- Alfa Romeo 75/Milano (1985-1992): The last rear-wheel-drive sedan. A driver’s car with a transaxle layout and available V6 power, sold as the Milano in the US.
- Alfa Romeo 4C (2013-2020): The modern mid-engine sports car. A lightweight, carbon-fiber tub sports car that returned to Alfa’s core values of light weight and driving purity.
The Quadrifoglio Legend
The four-leaf clover (Quadrifoglio Verde*) is Alfa Romeo’s most famous symbol, and its origin is rooted in racing superstition. In 1923, driver Ugo Sivocci painted a green clover on a white square on his car for luck before the Targa Florio race. He won. The symbol became a talisman for the factory racing team. The white square was later removed, leaving just the green clover, signifying the loss of Sivocci himself, who died in a crash testing a car without the symbol. Today, it designates the highest-performance models in Alfa’s lineup.