Alfa Romeo Automobiles
Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. is a Stellantis subsidiary that operates as an Italian premium automobile manufacturing company. The day of the company’s founding, June 24th, 1910, was spent in Milan, Italy. “Anonyma Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili” was the company’s original name, and “Alfa” is an abbreviation of that name.
Alfa Rome
Stellaris owns the Italian luxury vehicle manufacturer Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. (Italian: [alfa romo]). The business was established in Milan, Italy, on June 24, 1910. It was originally called “Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili,” from whence “Alfa” was derived. Anonymous investors created the firm, thus the name “Anonima,” which is Spanish for “anonymous” and was a recognized business structure at the time.
Near the early stages of establishment, the business purchased the Portello manufacturing facility from the defunct Italian automaker Darracq in Milan. The company began in 1911 and had been producing sporty cars and competing in auto races. Until its activities were integrated with those of the P.S.A. Group to establish Stellantis on January 16, 2021, Alfa Romeo was owned by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, the business responsible for producing Alfa Romeo automobiles.
| Alfa Romeo Indy V8 engine | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Alfa Lancia Industriale |
| Production | 1989–1991 |
| Configuration | 90° V-8 |
| Displacement | 2.65 L (162 cu in) |
| Valvetrain | 32-valve, DOHC, four valves per cylinder |
| Compression ratio | 11:1 |
| Turbocharger | Yes |
| Fuel system | Mechanical multi-point fuel injection |
| Fuel type | Gasoline |
| Oil system | Dry sump |
| Power output | 680–720 hp (507–537 kW) |
| Torque output | 400 lb-ft (542 N⋅m) |
Giuseppe Merosi
The company’s initial model year of production was 1910, and Giuseppe Merosi was responsible for its first automobile; the 24 H.P. Two A.L.F.A. models, each with 24 horsepower, were driven by Franchini and Ronzoni in the 1911 Targa Florio. Nicola Romeo, a businessman from Naples, took control of the company in August 1915 and quickly shifted its focus to making weapons for the Italian and Allied armies. The first automobile to bear the new Alfa Romeo moniker was the 1920 Torpedo 20-30 H.P.
When the Ing. Nicola Romeo & Co.'s financial backer, the Banca Italiana di Sconto, collapsed in 1921, the Italian government created the “Consorzio for Sovvenzioni sui Valori Industriali” to bail out the affected industrial enterprises, among them Alfa Romeo. The company’s railway operations were spun off in 1925, and Nicola Romeo himself departed the business in 1928. In 1933, the Italian government restructured its holdings under the auspices of the Istituto per la Ricostruzione Industriale (IRI), a state-run industrial organization.
Alfa Romeo Twin Cam Engine
After the end of World War II, the firm had trouble getting back on its feet financially, so it shifted its focus to mass producing inexpensive compact cars rather than customizing high-end models. It created the Alfa Romeo Twin Cam engine in 1954 and used it until 1994. Finmeccanica was sold to the Fiat Group in 1986 because the Istituto per la Ricostruzione (IRI), the state conglomerate that oversees Finmeccanica, found the brand to be unprofitable.
In motorsports, Alfa Romeo has been a consistent winner in Grand Prix, Formula One, sports car, touring car, and rally competitions. It has fielded works entrants and private cars, competing as a constructor and engine supplier. In 1913, Alfa Romeo produced its first racing vehicle three years after its inception, winning the first ever Grand Prix automobile world championship in 1925. Since the drivers’ race triumphs bolstered the brand’s sporty reputation, Enzo Ferrari created the Scuderia Ferrari racing team in 1929, first as an Alfa Romeo racing team until 1939. Ferrari has more victories than any other brand in history.
History of Alfa Romeo
The company’s name is a portmanteau of “A.L.F.A.”, the company’s original moniker, and Nicola Romeo, the businessman. She acquired control of the company in 1915.
Foundation and Early Years
A Darracq 8/10 HP was produced by Alfa Romeo’s forerunner, Darracq Italiana, in 1908. In 1910, Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili (A.L.F.A.) produced their first automobile, the A.L.F.A. 24 hp (with Castagna torpedo body).
Società Anonima Italiana Darracq (SAID) was a company established in 1906 by the French car corporation of Alexandre Darracq with some Italian investors. SAID was the original owner of the A.L.F.A. plant. One of them was the Milanese nobleman Cavaliere Ugo Stella, who in 1909 took the helm as chairman of the SAID. [6] The company’s first location was in Naples, but late in 1906, Darracq felt Milan would be a better fit, and a plot of land was purchased in the Milan district of Portello for a new factory of 6,700 square meters (8,000 sq yd) was built. The Italian Darracq vehicle business shut down in late 1909 due to poor sales.
A.L.F.A
By purchasing the assets of Italian Darracq, which was on the verge of collapse, Ugo Stella and his fellow Italian investors established a new firm called A.L.F.A. Giuseppe Merosi, employed in 1909 to develop new automobiles more suited to the Italian market, created the first car the business manufactured; the 1910 24 H.P. Merosi created several new A.L.F.A. vehicles, some of which included 40-60 H.P. engines.
Two A.L.F.A. models, each with 24 horsepower, were driven by Franchini and Ronzoni in the 1911 Targa Florio. In 1914, an innovative Grand Prix automobile called the GP1914 was developed; it had a four-cylinder engine with double overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, and double ignition. [8] However, A.L.F.A.'s vehicle manufacturing was interrupted for three years due to the First World War.
Nicola Romeo
Nicola Romeo, a businessman from Naples, took control of the company in August 1915 and quickly shifted its focus to making weapons for the Italian and Allied armies. During World War II, the plant was greatly expanded to create munitions, aircraft engines and other components, compressors, and generators based on the company’s existing vehicle engines. Romeo re-invested his war earnings in the locomotive and railway carriage industries after World War II by purchasing facilities in Saronno (Costruzioni Meccaniche di Saronno), Rome (Officine Meccaniche di Roma), and Naples (Officine Ferroviarie Meridionali).
While building automobiles wasn’t initially planned, the A.L.F.A. plant had enough of the necessary components from 1915 to finish 105 automobiles in 1919. The business rebranded as Alfa Romeo in 1920, with the Torpedo 20-30 H.P. being the first vehicle to bear the new name.
Enzo Ferrari
Their first success came in 1920 when Giuseppe Campari won at Mugello and continued with second place in the Targa Florio driven by Enzo Ferrari. Giuseppe Merosi remained in his role as chief designer, and the business kept turning both reliable road vehicles and winning racing cars (including the 40–60 H.P. and the R.L. Targa Florio).
To replace Merosi as Alfa Romeo’s head designer, the company wooed Vittorio Jano away from Fiat in 1923 with the help of a teenage racing driver called Enzo Ferrari. In 1925, Jano oversaw the production of Alfa Romeo’s P2 Grand Prix car, which helped the company claim the maiden world championship for Grand Prix cars. Jano’s P2 unit laid the foundation for the company’s engine architecture, including light alloys, hemispherical combustion chambers, centrally-placed spark plugs, two rows of overhead valves per cylinder bank, and dual overhead camshafts.
This unit was then used as the basis for a series of smaller- to medium-displacement 4-, 6-, and 8-cylinder inline engines designed for road vehicles. The strength and dependability of Jano’s designs were demonstrated. The factory team was privatized and renamed Scuderia Ferrari after Enzo Ferrari, who proved to be a stronger team manager than a driver. After Ferrari departed from Alfa Romeo, he focused on developing his vehicle designs. Before World War II, Tazio Nuvolari frequently raced for Alfa and won numerous races.
Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 Scuderia Ferrari
Nicola Romeo departed Alfa Romeo in 1928, and the government stepped in to save the company in 1933. Mussolini’s Italy used Alfa Romeo as a political tool, and the car eventually became a symbol of the country itself. During this time, it was known for producing high-end, custom automobiles for the affluent, with bodywork by Carrozzeria Touring or Pininfarina. The Alfa Romeo 2900B Type 35 race cars were the most successful of their time.
The Alfa plant, converted to make Macchi C.202 Folgore engines during the war, was attacked repeatedly and had difficulty recovering after the war ended. The expensive cars were on the road. The Giulietta series of berline (saloons/sedans), coupes, and open two-seaters was introduced for the 1954 model year, marking the production of smaller, mass-produced automobiles. The Alfa Romeo overhead Twin Cam four-cylinder engine, which initially displaced 1300 cc, was used across all three models. The displacement of this motor would be increased to 2000 cc, and it would stay in production until 1995.
Summary
Since 1910, when Cavalier Ugo Stella invested in a car plant owned by Alexandre Darracq, Alfa Romeo has been a part of the automobile industry. It was located in the suburbs of Milan, Italy, and was known as the “Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili” (or “A.L.F.A.”). After World War I, when Nicola Romeo took over the firm, the two men worked together to build automobiles.
ALFA Production Vehicles
The plant continued to provide the Allies and the Italian military with equipment for many years after the war ended. As the Second World War ended, Nicola Romeo found inspiration in the unfinished ALFA production vehicles. Romeo wanted to carry on the tradition of originality and creativity in automotive design established by Stella and Darracq.
The birth of Alfa Romeo launched an industry that would become synonymous with Italian style and elegance for decades. Following a rebranding effort in February 2007, Alfa Romeo, now officially known as Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. F.C.A., was formed in 2012 when Fiat and Chrysler joined into one corporation. In January of 2021, Groupe P.S.A., a French automaker, amalgamated with F.C.A. to become Stellantis, a conglomerate of 14 luxury, premium, sports, and commercial vehicle brands.
Design and Technology
Over the years, Alfa Romeo has pioneered several technical advancements, and the corporation is frequently an early adopter of cutting-edge tools. The first production usage of its signature double overhead cam engine was in the 1914 Grand Prix automobile, and the first production application in a road car was in the 1928 6C 1500 Sport.
In the 1940 Mille Miglia, Alfa Romeo put one of the earliest electronic fuel injection systems to the test in a 6C 2500 with an “Ala spessa” body. A semi-high pressure circulating fuel pump supplied the engine’s six electrically driven injectors.
Models destined for the North American market in 1969 were equipped with mechanical fuel injection from SPICA, an Alfa Romeo subsidiary. Alfa Romeo claims that the engine’s power and performance are comparable to the carbureted variant’s. Since the 2.0-litre Bosch electronic fuel injection wasn’t available until the 1982 model year, the SPICA system stayed in use until then. In the 1980 Alfa Romeo Spider, offered in the United States, mechanical variable valve timing was first implemented. Today, several specimens of SPICA-powered Alfas are still on the road. After 1983, every single Spider produced by Alfa Romeo had electronic V.V.T.
105 Series Giulia
The 105 series Giulia was an advanced car, using techniques such as all-wheel disc brakes and a polycarbonate radiator header tank. The drag coefficient (Cd) was also the lowest of any vehicle in its category. Alfetta 2000 and G.T.V. followed suit, featuring unique characteristics, including 50:50 weight distribution, standard fit alloy wheels, and a transaxle.
- The Alfa Romeo 164 was designed using a cutting-edge, entirely computer-aided design (CAD) system.
- The 156 was the first passenger vehicle to employ a Common rail diesel engine and included an automated/paddle-shift gearbox named Selespeed.
- The MiTo system utilizes technology first presented in 2009: Multiair, an electro-hydraulic variable valve actuation system. In 2016, Alfa Romeo introduced the Giulia with standard electronic brakes.
Body Design
- Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS (1939, serial number 913.008) by Technical museum of Vadim Zadorozhny.
- Italy is home to a plethora of renowned automotive design studios that have happily taken on contracts to create ideas and production car forms for
- Alfa Romeo’s body designs have often been tremendously influential, and other automakers have widely emulated the company’s manufacturing methods.
- The following is a list of innovations and some of how other automakers have copied them.
- Aerodynamics, the 1960s. In terms of Cd, the Giulia 116-series was exceptionally efficient. During this time, automakers like Toyota tried creating a line of cars with identical profiles.
Fairing of Bumpers
In the 1970s, Alfa Romeo developed a method of design called “fairing of bumpers” to incorporate bumpers into the general bodywork design of automobiles to fulfil American crash requirements without compromising the aesthetic lines of the vehicles. The Alfa Romeo 75 of the 1980s was the pinnacle of this design approach. Particularly in Germany and Japan, the method was extensively imitated.
The Alfa Romeo 164 of the 1980s: Comparing the development and impact of this vehicle’s design to those of earlier Alfa Romeos is practically impossible. The 164 was the first production model to use computer-aided design and manufacturing tools exclusively. Furthermore, the 164’s aesthetic legacy lives on in the current Alfa Romeo lineup. An increased emphasis on onboard computers was only one of several 164-inspired design innovations adopted by other manufacturers.
Pseudo-coupé
Pseudo-coupé, the 1990s phenomenon: Despite being four-door vehicles, Alfa Romeo, advertised the 156 and 147 as two-doors by emphasizing the front door handles and hiding the rear door handle. The newest Civic hatchback from Honda has this design language, echoed in the Mazda RX-8 four-door coupé and the Renault Clio V.
The Brera and 159 in the 2000s: The success of Giorgetto Giugiaro’s design for these vehicles demonstrates that, with computer-aided design (CAD) software, many concepts can be quickly translated into production cars.
Alfa Romeo, owned by F.C.A., has maintained its traditional Italian style. Their flare is seen in cars like the 4C Spider and Giulia. The acquisition of Alfa Romeo by F.C.A., one of the world’s top manufacturers, broadens F.C.A.'s ability to market the luxury supercar brand to a wider audience. McKevitt Alfa Romeo of Berkeley is a great resource for information on Alfa Romeo, including its history and current ownership.
Frequently Asked Question - FAQs
Following are the most commonly asked questions about Alfa Romeo:
1 - Does Ferrari make Alfa Romeo?
FIAT Chrysler and not Ferrari presently own Alfa Romeo. After briefly sharing the same (metaphorical) building, Alfa Romeo and Ferrari are officially no longer affiliated.
2 - Who Owns the Alfa Romeo?
Although the Fiat Chrysler Automobile Group is the current owner of the Alfa Romeo brand, both the name and the logo have a rich history that is all their own. A new chapter in the history of Alfa Romeo began in Milan, Italy, when Stella bought the assets of the bankrupt Italian automaker Darracq and founded Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili.
3 - Does Alfa Romeo have a sister company?
Until its activities were integrated with those of the P.S.A. Group to establish Stellantis on January 16, 2021, Alfa Romeo was owned by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, the business responsible for producing Alfa Romeo automobiles.
4 - Is Alfa Romeo in trouble?
Alfa Romeos have a bad reputation for a few different reasons. As indicated by the Reliability above Index, the Axle and Suspension are common sources of distress. This is the cause of a quarter of a million and nineteen per cent of all errors. Electrical problems are the second most common cause of failure (18.13%).
5 - Are Alfa Romeos reliable?
Overall, among a group of 32 manufacturers, a survey ranked Alfa Romeo as the fifth most reliable. Alfa Romeo did better than competitors in the premium market, such as Audi, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, and BMW.
6 - What does an Alfa Romeo cost?
What is the approximate price of an Alfa Romeo Giulia? The Giulia Sprint starts at $42,950, while the top-of-the-line Giulia Quadrifoglio begins at $80,030. This Alfa Romeo is quite pricey regardless of trim level.
7 - Are Alfa Romeos made in Italy?
Even now, vehicles with the Alfa Romeo name are manufactured in several Italian cities; their unique history and design have made them a global phenomenon.
8 - Is the Alfa Romeo Giulia a good car?
The Alfa Romeo Giulia is an excellent compact luxury automobile. Its class-leading performance is attributable to its fun-to-drive nature, plush interior, and powerful engine. The Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, with its powerful twin-turbocharged V6, is popular among performance-oriented buyers.
9 - Why is Alfa Romeo so special?
Alfa Romeo is a unique brand for many reasons. The firm produces distinctive and excellent cars in design and performance, allowing them to compete in markets where differentiation is more challenging. The Giulia and the Stelvio demonstrate how far Alfa Romeo has come as a brand.
10 - Are Alfa Romeo’s good in the snow?
Heated front seats, a heated steering wheel, and heated washer nozzles are all part of the Cold Weather Package, which is available for your driving pleasure and convenience no matter where the road may take you. When it comes down to it, drivers in areas where it frequently snows are best served by an Alfa Romeo.
Conclusion
The Alfa Romeo brand has been slowly withering for many years, and things never seem to improve. Things seem to have taken a turn for the worst about the time when F.C.A. — before the Stellantis merger, of course — began skinning it to the bone as the 4C Spider went on the chopping block, thereby ending any hopes of a comeback for the 8C or G.T.V. nameplates. The Giulietta was scheduled to be phased out in 2020, and a replacement small electric S.U.V. was planned for the same year. Alfa Romeo’s new management has taken the unusual step of ending production of the Giorgio platform and announcing a strategy that includes postponing the release of popular models like the Tonale while increasing pricing. If F.C.A. had sold Alfa to Volkswagen, events likely would have turned out quite differently. Twice in the same decade, opportunities presented themselves.
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