Alfa Romeo (car brand)

Alfa Romeo Automobili SpA is a renowned Italian car brand with a sporty image. Besides sporting family cars, coupes and convertibles, the brand known for its legendary sports cars. This is due to the fact that Alfa Romeo since its early years, has been involved in car racing. This Alfa Romeo has taken part in many big race tournaments like the Auto GP and Formula 1 . Alfa Romeo builds about 150,000 cars annually and is the largest Italian car manufacturer after parent company FIAT .

Alfa Romeo in 1910 originated from SAID, the Italian branch of the French car manufacturer Darracq . The company first was named ALFA (Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili), until it was taken over by Nicola Romeo .



Content
[verbergen]  *1 History  ==History [  edit ] == ===The early years [  edit ] === Alfa 24 HPIn 1906 the Società Anonima Italiana Darracq was ( SAID ) in Italy founded by the Frenchman Alexandre Darracq . Darracq thought the Italian car market, which at that time was still in its infancy compared to Germany and France, was ripe for his older and smaller models. SAID was started by him as part of his pre-existing French car factory ( Darracq ).
 * 1.1 The early years
 * 1.2 World War I
 * 1.3 The interwar
 * 1.4 World War II
 * 1.5 After the war
 * 1.6 Autodelta
 * 1.7 FIAT era
 * 2 Imago
 * 3 Logo
 * Motorsport 4
 * 4.1 Quadrifoglio
 * 4.2 Alfa Romeo GTA
 * 5 Models
 * 5.1 Current models
 * 5.2 Old models
 * 5.3 Sports Cars
 * 5.4 Concept Cars
 * 5.5 Body Shop
 * 6 Future
 * 7 External links

Although his idea to conquer the Italian market with older and small models from the perspective of the economist was smart, Darracq was not successful with SAID. His first two models for the Italian market were motor too weak for the currently poor and steep Italian roads. SAID could not compete with the cars that were imported into Italy.

Despite the approaching end of SAID Darracq was not prepared better model design aand his Italian company. In 1909 Darraq was bought out by the manager of the Italian branch, Ugo Stella . These hired Giuseppe Merosi to develop new models that would be acceptable for the Italian market. The association with the bad models Darracq was broken by from 24 June 1910 to introduce a new name for the company Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili, known as ALFA. The first real Alfa was the24 HP, with 4084 cc, four cylinders and 42 horsepower. This was four times the power of the largest Darracqmodel that he had to replace. ===War [  edit ] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Around 1916, during the First World War , the last Darracqfamilielid sold his shares to the bank. This they did by selling to a pump and compressor manufacturer , Nicola Romeo . Romeo was successful in manufacturing for the war industry and needed new factory space. He was, like mining, not a lover of cars. Romeo bought for his goal the other shareholders of Alfa completely and got the entire company owned.He began to use the factories to manufacture tractors, aircraft engines and railway equipment. How much there was fabricated, cars rolled no more of the band during the war years. During these years the company named Romeo even to himself. ===The interwar period <span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 of Scuderia Ferrari<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">After the war in 1918 the war industry collapsed. Nicola Romeo was a skilled entrepreneur and saw the opportunity to produce yet to cars. The company was renamed again. The name Romeo for the cars would mean little outside the mining world, where Nicola Romeo until the war was successful. Nicola however still wanted to see his name associated with the company and did not just use the prewar name ALFA. The compromise was "Alfa Romeo".

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">To display the new brand Alfa Romeo began to take part in the various races that were held in Italy, and they knew here to book with some degree of success and actually build brand awareness. Sales grew steadily. Around 1925 was Merosi as chief engineer succeeded by Vittorio Jano . Jano left for his appointment the race team FIAT. At that time, Enzo Ferrari the head of the racing team of Alfa Romeo (after too many races for Alfa Romeo drove) and Ferrari was responsible Jano far to get FIAT leave to come to work for Alfa Romeo. Jano constructed immediately legendary P2, a car that seven years would dominate the grand prix races. In 1932, the P2 was followed by the Tipo B, a car that won every Grand Prix for two years he attended. In 1933 Alfa Romeo threatened to go bankrupt, but the Italian government stepped in and the IRI(Institute for Industrial Reconstruction) was owner of the company. Immediately Alfa Romeo withdrew from all competitions and racing of Alfas was left to Scuderia Ferrari . During the second half of the 30s Alfa Romeo goes to the wind, and in 1938 will Alfa Corse created to bring control of the racing division back to Alfa Romeo itself. ===World War II <span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">By Italy's participation in the Second World War arose later for Alfa Romeo kinds of organizational problems. Supply became increasingly difficult and moreover, the factories were bombed thrice in 1940 , 1943 and1944 . The last bombardment led to an almost complete cessation of production in Portello . ===After the war <span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === The 159 formula 1 car to Fangio in 1951won the world title.Alfa Romeo Tipo 159<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In 1945, work was resumed on a small scale, with the production of marine engines, aircraft engines and even modern electric cookers. Car production also began, starting with the 6C 2500 - and later the Tipo 158 -Grand Prix cars, which in 1950 were developed by the Tipo 159 's with some visual and thoroughly modernized and more powerful engines. Alfa Romeo had by the war trauma behind them. Once again the production was completely up to date, the company also played with streetcars again a significant role, including a series of special creations based on the 6C 2500, with bodywork by Pininfarina and Carrozzeria Touring

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">1950 Alfa Romeo was the year of the turnaround, both in the industrial and sports. Explained in the fifties Alfa Romeo concentrated on models that were built in large series. The company had two objectives: the start of the assembly line production, and achieve sporting success with in-built high performance standard products. TheAlfa Romeo 1900 Alfa Romeo was the first which was produced entirely on the conveyor belt. 1950 was also the first year of Formula 1, and Alfa Romeo dominated the first two years. With Giuseppe Farina and Juan Manuel Fangio was twice won the world title.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">However, the market changed, and Alfa Romeo stepped out of the formula 1 to focus more on production cars. In 1954 it produced the Giulietta on. In those years, developed a trend that is still far in the years would continue beyond: the collaboration between its own development department and external bodywork stylists such asBertone , Zagato and Pininfarina . In 1960 began the construction of a new plant in Arese, which opened three years later. The first car that was produced was the Giulia, of which more than a million copies were built in different versions. The seventies were a period of ups and downs for Alfa Romeo. Management Problems were interspersed with sporting success. The period was determined by the economic and financial situation of the company, which did not fully meet the demand of the market and also encountered many problems with the energy crisis . 1970 was the year of the Montreal, Bertone dream car for the 1967 World Expo in Canada , which would eventually go into production. ===Autodelta <span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In 1964 became Autodelta created under the direction of Carlo Chiti and Lodovico Chizzola . The company was mainly occupied with the development of racing cars based on standard production models. In 1970 Autodelta worked closely with McLaren and delivered it to the race team, the three-liter V8 engines used in Formula 1. ===FIAT era <span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In 1986 sold the public company Finmeccanica Alfa Romeo to the FIAT group, which together with Lancia merged into a new company, Alfa Lancia SpA called, which was the year after operation.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The launch of the Alfa 156 in September 1997 is a key moment in the repositioning of Alfa Romeo in the European market. The Alfa 156 was voted Car of the Year 1998 ; it was the first time that Alfa Romeo has won this prestigious award. In 2001 was the Alfa 147 also named Car of the Year.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In 2005 bought the FIAT group brand Maserati from Ferrari . The Alfa Lancia and Maserati SpA was raised was added to Alfa Romeo. The duo was named "Polo Sportivo". The brands share engines, chassis and gearboxes, and in some cases also distributors.

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">On 1 February 2007 was the FIAT group reformed and became Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Lancia and Fiat in separate companies. Alfa Romeo was that company called Alfa Romeo Automobili SpA. The different companies remain all wholly owned by Fiat Group Automobiles SpA. ==<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[Image  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The brand has a large group of fans called "Alfisten". According to this Alfisten symbolizes Alfa Romeo some values ​​that speak to the imagination: a sporty heart (cuore sportivo in Italian ), a beautiful engine sound, character, elegant shapes and Italian flair. Still struggling Alfa Romeo since the Alfasud with the image that delivers the cars that would be less reliable. Then would be Alfa Romeo cars suffer more rust than other brands, mainly in the models between late 60's and late 80's would apply. Alfa Romeo chose in the late 90s to all models as standard with zinc to treat to deal definitively with this image. ==Logo <span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == Badge on an 8C from 1938<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The Alfa Romeo logo was in 1910 designed by Romano Cattaneo when he was commissioned to design a logo for the new Milanese car brand. The logo consists of two Milanese symbols: right snake of the family of the Visconti 's on a light blue background (the idea for this was from a young artist from the development department of Alfa that at the Castello Sforzesco in Milan was waiting for a tram when his eye fell on the serpent on the Filaretetoren ) and left the red cross on a white background, taken from the cross that the Milanese Giovanni da Rho during the Crusades first city walls of Jerusalem placed. Originally both symbols were enclosed by a dark blue circle with the words "ALFA" (top) and "Milano" (bottom). Following the acquisition of the company by Nicola Romeo in 1915 was "Romeo" was added to the logo. After the Alfa Romeo P2, the first world championship for cars won the logo was surrounded with a gold laurel wreath. When in 1971 the Alfa Romeo Alfasud not in Milan but in Pomigliano d'Arco near Napleswas produced, Milano disappeared from the logo. ==Motorsport <span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Alfa Romeo has been very successful in various branches of motorsport. The brand posted victories include:

<p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Besides this Alfa Romeo extremely successful in touring car championships, including the FIA WTCC and DTM . ===Quadrifoglio <span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">In 1923 Ugo Sivocci used during the Targa Florio on both sides of his race car the image of a four-leaf clover, quadrifoglio in Italian, to bring him luck in the race. The quadrifoglio to date is typical of the race cars of Alfa Romeo. ===Alfa Romeo GTA <span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">The type designation Alfa Romeo GTA is used since 1965 for the sportiest versions. GTA stands for Gran Turismo ALLEGGERITA (Italian for lightened). ==Models <span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == Alfa Romeo MiTo===Current models <span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Alfa Romeo leads at this time (2015) the following models:
 * 24 Hours of Le Mans (four times)
 * Formula 3 (eleven)
 * Mille Miglia (eleven)
 * Targa Florio (ten times)
 * World Champion Formula 1 (twice)
 * World Grand Prix (prewar) (once)
 * World Group C (twice)

===Old models <span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === ===<span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);"><span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">[Sports  Cars <span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;">edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">]  === ===Concept Cars <span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Design has always played a major role in the history of Alfa Romeo. Over the years are also made ​​numerous design studies there, albeit by the Centro Stile own, albeit with major Italian design studios such asPininfarina , Bertone , Zagato and ItalDesign - Giugiaro . ===<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[Bodywork  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] === <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">It used to be common for a car was available in several body styles. These coins were designed by external companies and built in limited numbers. Based on Alfa Romeos were carrossiën built by ao Pininfarina ,Bertone , Zagato , Vignale , Castagna , Carrozzeria Touring , Ghia , Viotti , Stabilimenti Farina , Boneschi , Boano and Ellena , Garavini , Marazzi , Figoni et Falaschi and OSI . ==<span class="mw-editsection" style="-webkit-user-select:none;font-size:small;margin-left:1em;line-height:1em;display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;unicode-bidi:-webkit-isolate;font-family:sans-serif;"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">[Future  edit <span class="mw-editsection-bracket" style="color:rgb(85,85,85);">] == <p style="margin-top:0.5em;line-height:22.3999996185303px;color:rgb(37,37,37);font-family:sans-serif;">Alfa Romeo will again put firmly in the market with nine new models that will appear over a period of four years. The producer wants to reintroduce himself in many markets, including those of Britain and the United States. It does not by its least model, namely the 4C mid-engine. In 2015 Alfa is launching a new, rear-wheel drive midsize sedan based on the platform Giorgio. Around the time of launch an SUV will also be based on the Jeep Cherokee come on the market.
 * Alfa Romeo MiTo
 * Alfa Romeo Giulietta
 * Alfa Romeo 4C