The History of Alfa Romeo

Even the melodic name Alfa Romeo carries the unmistakable atmosphere of Italy, a country whose people know a good thing when they see it. The famous Alfa Romeo brand celebrated its 100th anniversary a couple of years ago, since its story began in 1910.

The prehistory of Alfa Romeo goes back to 1905. In sunny Naples, a Frenchman named Alexandre Darracq opened a branch of his Paris company to officially produce two car models. The first car had an 8 or 10 horsepower engine, while the other had a somewhat more powerful 14 hp engine. The branch Darracq created was named Societa Anonima Italiana Darracq (SAID). In 1909 one of its investors, the Milanese aristocrat Cavaliere Ugo Stella, became its chairman. 

However, in that same year, 1909, Darracq's venture went bankrupt. The cause was a banking crisis that upset all the manufacturers' plans. But as the saying goes, nature abhors a vacuum. In 1910 a large car factory was opened in Lombardy under the name "A.L.F.A." The abbreviation stands for "Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili," or "Lombard Automobile Factory, Inc."

In 1915 the company got the name we know today. Nicola Romeo, the factory's new owner, gave the company his name and dropped the abbreviation, shortening it simply to "Alfa." Cars under this badge became known for their excellent driving qualities. To prove their status as fast cars, they successfully took part in prestigious races many times.

The worldwide fame the company won fairly quickly came mainly from its racing and sports cars, in which famous drivers of the 1920s set their records. This helped Alfa Romeo survive the economic turmoil of the 1920s. 

One of the first Alfa cars, the 24 HP, reached speeds of up to 100 kilometers per hour (62 mph). That was the start of the triumph of Alfa Romeo sports cars. Driving one of them, opera singer and racer Giuseppe Campari scored a clean victory in competitions in Italy. Interestingly, second place in those races went to the driver of an Alfa Romeo 20/30 HP, whose name would soon become known around the world: Enzo Ferrari, the future founder of the legendary Scuderia. He worked for the company as a test and race driver, and later, in the 1930s, became head of the Alfa Romeo racing team, later known as Alfa Corse.

In 1929 Enzo Ferrari founded the sporting society "Scuderia Ferrari" to build a full racing team, find sponsors, and oversee racing. So Alfa Romeo handed responsibility for organizing competition to Scuderia Ferrari and kept only the manufacturing side.

The legendary racer Tazio Nuvolari joined Alfa Romeo in 1930 and quickly won a string of major races. Tazio's achievements, his distinctive, aggressive driving style, and his rivalry with Varzi still stir fans' imaginations.

In 1933 Alfa Romeo officially withdrew from racing, having won nearly every possible prize and earned the status of an "invincible car." Enzo Ferrari continued to race Alfa Romeos under his own name, indirectly representing the brand's interests on the track. In time, Scuderia Ferrari became the official Alfa Romeo racing team.

The Alfa Romeo slogan, "elegance and prestige," suits the cars perfectly. For example, the Freccia d'Oro ("Golden Arrow") sports car was a great success and charmed hundreds of car enthusiasts around the world. King Farouk of Egypt, Prince Rainier of Monaco, Rita Hayworth, Tyrone Power, and other powerful figures all drove the Golden Arrow. After Alfa Romeo won the Grand Prix, the Targa Florio, and the Monza circuit races, and the name became associated with famous drivers, the brand entered an eventful period of postwar development. Alfa Romeo won in Formula 1 and the Mille Miglia, which became a symbol of the company's revival.

The company prospered until the end of the 1970s, delighting fans with new victories and reliable, fast models. Then Alfa Romeo's success began to fade, and the company lacked the funds to shore it up. So it was decided to form mutually beneficial alliances with other automakers. In 1981 this produced a joint venture between Alfa Romeo and Nissan called A.R.N.A. ("Alfa Romeo Nissan Automobili"). In 1985, for the brand's 75th anniversary, the quite successful Alfa Romeo 75 appeared, with a top speed of 220 kilometers per hour (137 mph).

But the success again proved temporary. After lengthy negotiations, Alfa's new ally in 1986 became Fiat, which Alfa Romeo joined, giving it a new round of glory.

In 2010 a new model with a romantic name appeared: the Alfa Romeo Giulietta. A new Alfa Romeo Giulia was planned to roll off the line in 2014, set to take the place of the Alfa Romeo 159 and the sporty Alfa Romeo 4C. The first-place finishes of legendary drivers behind the wheel of unmatched Alfa Romeos are not forgotten today. Owners of these cars are rightly proud to drive machines of a special class, whose very name is wrapped in the glory of great victories. And the Alfa Romeo museum, located in a suburb of Milan, is always full of interested visitors.