Happy 100th Birthday Alfa Romeo
 

From AW

*****
It hasn't been sold in the United States for the better part of two
decades. Its last Grand Prix victory was in the early 1950s. The
reliability of some of its cars can be charitably defined as iffy.
But it has a history second to none.

Today, Italian automaker Alfa Romeo celebrates its 100th anniversary.
The original red dream began on June 24, 1910, and festivities to
mark the occasion will stretch through the weekend in Milano.

So what is it about Alfa that conjures up such magic and memories?
Alfa is a microcosm of why enthusiasts like cars. It doesn't have to
be rational. It's fun and it's elusive, exciting and invigorating.
And it's simply about the automobile. Money and maintenance aren't
part of the discussion.

Alfisti know most of this, but here's a short version of some
memorable moments in the history of the brand.

The company was founded in 1910, and the first car to wear the famous
badge was the 24 HP. The name, originally A.L.F.A., stands for
Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili (which means Lombard Automobile
Factory, Public Company). A.L.F.A. was bought by Neapolitan engineer
and businessman Nicola Romeo in 1915, and the Alfa Romeo moniker was
born.

The company truly found its legs in the 1920s and '30s, as the age of
the automobile grew rapidly around the world. The 8C 2300 from the
early '30s took the world by storm with its supercharged
eight-cylinder inline engine, and 8Cs remain a favorite at summer
concours.

An Alfa won Targa Florio in 1923, helping to launch the long racing
lineage of Italian cars. The brand counts 10 victories at
Targa--second only to Porsche--and Alfa won the Mille Miglia a record
11 times. Overshadowed by the unparalleled racing history of a company
it helped begat--Ferrari--Alfa does, in fact, count two world
championships in Grand Prix racing. Despite withdrawing from Formula
One in the 1950s, its two titles equal Renault and Mercedes. Antonio
Ascari, the father of Ferrari champion Alberto Ascari, and Enzo
Ferrari drove for Alfa.

Twice the company mobilized to support Italian efforts in world wars
and its factories were converted for wartime production. Alfa plants
were bombed during World War II.

As Italy rebuilt, the company emerged for a golden age in the 1950s
and '60s with the Guiletta and then the Giulia. The marque was
cemented in pop culture when Dustin Hoffman famously drove a spider
in the 1967 classic The Graduate. Over the years, Alfa also
collaborated extensively with Milanese body maker Zagato and design
house Pininfarina, themselves both icons of Italian carmaking.

Despite Hollywood magic, Alfa would ultimately struggle in the United
States, and it withdrew in 1995 amid declining sales and reliability
questions. The most memorable Alfas endure for their sexy sheetmetal
and driving dynamics, though the company was never a threat to
Detroit's Big Three.

Fiat bought Alfa in 1986. Its recent history has been decidedly less
glamorous, but there have been highlights and signs of life. Car fans
did get a (high-priced) taste of Alfa again, when the 8C Competizione
made it to U.S. shores in coupe and spider forms. But it was
extremely limited; just 50 coupes and 35 open-tops arrived. The MiTo
was revealed in 2008, and just this winter, the new Giulietta broke
cover at the Geneva motor show, offering fans the tantalizing
potential for more.

With this as a foundation, Alfa followers are left to ponder what lies
ahead.

As the Fiat conglomerate now stewards Chrysler, Alfa is poised to
return to U.S. shores in the next few years, using the parent
company's resources as a touchstone. With its present more secure
than ever, perhaps Alfisti can look to the future with a
ray--illuminated in red--of hope.

*****

View the attachments for this post at:
http://www.jlaforums.com/viewtopic.p...36142#52836142

Happy 100th Birthday Alfa Romeo
 

JLA wrote:
> From AW
>
>

Seconded


--
Catman MIB#14 SKoGA#6 TEAR#4 BOTAFOF#38 Apostle#21 COSOC#3
Tyger, Tyger Burning Bright (Remove rust to reply)
116 Giulietta 3.0l Sprint 1.7 GTV TS GT 3.2 V6
Triumph Sprint ST 1050: It's blue, see.
www.cuore-sportivo.co.uk

Happy 100th Birthday Alfa Romeo
 

Catman spoke:
> JLA wrote:
> > From AW
> >
> >
>
> Seconded

Indeed.

Last night I took the dogs for their evening manic 1/2 hour
in the countryside, and on the way home, trickling down a
single track lane in 2nd, I suddenly gave in to the impulse
to floor it in 2nd - as the Alfa surged forward, the seat
pressed hard against my back, an insane grin plastered my
face.

Thinking about it, only in the 164 V6 would I regularly
take narrow twisty lanes just to feel that elation.

--
Rob Pearson
156 1.9jtd sportwagon (now)
164 V6 Lusso (gone)

Happy 100th Birthday Alfa Romeo
 

"JLA" > wrote in message
...
> From AW
>
> *****
>
> Today, Italian automaker Alfa Romeo celebrates its 100th anniversary.
> The original red dream began on June 24, 1910, and festivities to
> mark the occasion will stretch through the weekend in Milano.
>
>>
> *****
>
> View the attachments for this post at:
> http://www.jlaforums.com/viewtopic.p...36142#52836142
>

Absolutely !!

Anyone who considers themselves even half-interested in cars should get an
Alfa a.s.a.p (while they still have a bit of Alfa "soul").

I bought my 156 in 1998 in a moment of reckless abandon - it's my first
Alfa, I still have it, and love it to pieces (despite its many, many
quirks).

Dave S.... :>)) (now saving furiously for a Giulietta)

Happy 100th Birthday Alfa Romeo
 

Dave Savage > wrote:

> (now saving furiously for a Giulietta)

Heh, you too.

Well, I'm not saving furiously, I'm going to hold out for a few years
until they fall out of favour with the press and I can pick one up for
peanuts.
--
SteveH

Happy 100th Birthday Alfa Romeo
 

"SteveH" > wrote in message
.. .
> Dave Savage > wrote:
>
>> (now saving furiously for a Giulietta)
>
> Heh, you too.
>
> Well, I'm not saving furiously, I'm going to hold out for a few years
> until they fall out of favour with the press and I can pick one up for
> peanuts.
> --
> SteveH

I would agree with you, but .......

Having now seen a Giulietta in the flesh .... it's gorgeous, and I reckon
alfisti will buy it in loads with their hearts, not their minds (if you want
a dull, worthy, reliable car ... buy German (shame they're efficient at
footy too, judging by the debacle I've just watched)). I'm assuming that
Giulietta's are OK mechanically, with a few expected Alfa "quirks".

Going off topic : why blame Capello - he's clever enough to have just got
himself a shiny new contract. It's the players who are rubbish. With the
wages they're on , I'd expect them to walk on water never mind win the world
cup. I reckon most Southern League teams could beat England.

Dave S...... :>)) (because I'm Italo / Scottish)

Happy 100th Birthday Alfa Romeo
 

Dave Savage > wrote:

> Going off topic : why blame Capello - he's clever enough to have just got
> himself a shiny new contract. It's the players who are rubbish. With the
> wages they're on , I'd expect them to walk on water never mind win the world
> cup. I reckon most Southern League teams could beat England.
>
> Dave S...... :>)) (because I'm Italo / Scottish)

Hmmm.

Well, he took some of the wrong players, played players out of position,
played players who were obviously not fit due to injuries sustained
during the season and chose a captain who has only played one captain's
game in his entire career - and is still living off the back of it.

So many ifs and buts - most of which come back to the manager, his team
selection, his formations and his tactics.

These are players who have been superstars, on the whole, in the
domestic league - and many of whom have proven their worth in the
Champions League - if they play badly for England, there is only one
variable in there. The manager.

Roy Hodgson has a proven record of motivating average players to achieve
way above what's expected of them - and he's stalled over signing for
Liverpool - so I say give him a chance - I've had enough of the big name
foreigners now.
--
SteveH

Happy 100th Birthday Alfa Romeo
 

"SteveH" > wrote in message
.. .
> Dave Savage > wrote:
>
>> Going off topic : why blame Capello - he's clever enough to have just got
>> himself a shiny new contract. It's the players who are rubbish. With the
>> wages they're on , I'd expect them to walk on water never mind win the
>> world
>> cup. I reckon most Southern League teams could beat England.
>>
>> Dave S...... :>)) (because I'm Italo / Scottish)
>
> Hmmm.
>
> These are players who have been superstars, on the whole, in the
> domestic league - and many of whom have proven their worth in the
> Champions League - if they play badly for England, there is only one
> variable in there. The manager.
>
> SteveH

You're missing my point : " These are players who have been superstars,
on the whole, in the domestic league " : what does this tell us about the
domestic league (whatever that is) ?? It tells us that it's rubbish,
inhabited by a bunch of over-paid prima donna's. A lot of people seem to
forget that it is the players, not the manager, who run up and down a field
for 90 minutes, kicking a round object to and fro.

Bottom line : we'll take English football seriously next time they win the
world cup.

Dave S....

Happy 100th Birthday Alfa Romeo
 

Dave Savage > wrote:

> You're missing my point : " These are players who have been superstars,
> on the whole, in the domestic league " : what does this tell us about the
> domestic league (whatever that is) ?? It tells us that it's rubbish,
> inhabited by a bunch of over-paid prima donna's. A lot of people seem to
> forget that it is the players, not the manager, who run up and down a field
> for 90 minutes, kicking a round object to and fro.
>
> Bottom line : we'll take English football seriously next time they win the
> world cup.

I really don't see your point, given that English clubs have dominated
the latter stages of the European Cup in recent years.
--
SteveH

Happy 100th Birthday Alfa Romeo
 

On 27/06/2010 21:51, SteveH wrote:
> Dave > wrote:
>
>> You're missing my point : " These are players who have been superstars,
>> on the whole, in the domestic league " : what does this tell us about the
>> domestic league (whatever that is) ?? It tells us that it's rubbish,
>> inhabited by a bunch of over-paid prima donna's. A lot of people seem to
>> forget that it is the players, not the manager, who run up and down a field
>> for 90 minutes, kicking a round object to and fro.
>>
>> Bottom line : we'll take English football seriously next time they win the
>> world cup.
>
> I really don't see your point, given that English clubs have dominated
> the latter stages of the European Cup in recent years.


Ah but how many of the players in said English clubs are.....English??
Not that many I fink!?