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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 |
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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 |
#3
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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) |
#4
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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) |
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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 |
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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) |
#7
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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 |
#8
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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.... |
#9
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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 |
#10
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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!? |
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