One of the classic European cars of all time is the Alfa Romeo. This Italian-made car has a long and rich history. Darracq Italiana is where the story begins. This company, founded in 1907 by an Italian businessman from Milan, Cavaliere Ugo Stella, was associated with the French automobile company of Alexandre Darracq. The first cars were produced in Naples, but soon after the partnership collapsed and Ugo Stella moved the company to a small neighborhood in Milan; and the new company was renamed ALFA. The acronym ALFA stands for Anonymous Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili (meaning Lombard Automobile Factory).
The first non-Darracq cars were produced in the 1920s and had an impressive 24 bhp. The designer, Giuseppe Merosi, would later go on and design new ALFA cars with more powerful engines and a sleek exterior. It is from these humble beginnings that we have the Alfa Romeo of today. In 1911, ALFA entered the auto racing business and the rest is history.
Over the years, Alfa Romeo established itself as a racing car, winning numerous driving competitions across Europe. As well as winning Le Mans many times, the car has also recorded victories in the Formula One World Championship.
In the 1960s, Alfa Romeo became part of European culture. It was a popular car like the 2600 sprint GT.
During this time period, ALFA engineers began to modify and redesign the engines. The GTA was a powerful twin-engined car that emerged during this re-engineering process and won several prestigious car races in Europe.
From the 1930s to the 1970s, Alfa Romeo went through countless difficulties. Two successive world wars and the financial pessimism of the 1970s led to financial difficulties. In 1986 FIAT took over ALFA and created a new group known as Alfa Lancia Spa.
In the 1990s, Alfa Romeo began producing cars in other parts of Italy. Among the new cars of the 1990s were the new spider and the GTV. Both cars are no longer produced and are considered vintage.
In 1995, Alfa Romeo stopped exporting its cars to the US mainly due to competition from American cars. In 2007, this decision was reversed, and Alfa began exporting cars to the United States. Years past, the 8C Competizone made its debut in the US Alfa is now thinking of adding the Brera and Spider to the US market. Today, Alfa Romeos are only sold through Maserati dealerships in the US. There are currently talks with the Italian giants and Chrysler to use the closed factories to build some Alfa Romeo models in the US.
For the time being, the global economic downturn has slowed the full return of the new generation of Alfa cars to the US.
With a strong history of success and innovation, ALFA Romeo is destined to return to the top. With great style, speed, power and the color red, what more could you want from AR?