A little about Alfa
crayzayjay
03-11-2002, 05:17 PM
Alfa Romeo - Cuore Sportivo
http://www.mrtraffic.com/alfa.gif
The Alfa Romeo story began when The Società Italiana Automobili Darracq was founded in 1906 with the aim of manufacturing low cost motor cars. Unfortunately the company ran into difficulties when the booming car market began to falter. The Darracq factory was sold to Italian car enthusiasts, and Alfa was subsequently born in 1910 as Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica di Automobili. The group was not successful and taken over in the mid 1910's by an engineer by the name of Nicola Romeo. Put 2+2 together and there you have it, one of the most evocative names in motoring history: Alfa Romeo.
Production ceased during WW1, but resumed in 1920 with the first full Alfa Romeo designed car, the G1 touring car which at the peak of its power developed 90bhp from its 3l 6-cylinder engine.
Nicola Romeo asked Giuseppe Merosi, his chief engineer, to begin work on a new engine to compete in "3000 Formula" racing. This dedicated racing effort would pay off in the late 20's, and the 3 liter engine Merosi designed would remain unchanged in basic design until the mass production cars of the early 50's.
The years between the wars are when Alfa established itself as one of the truly great marques producing exotic racing and famous sports cars. From the late 20's to the early 50's Alfa Romeo was the most prominent racing marque in the world. Other brands came and went, but Alfa remained on the scene continuously.
Alfa ended this era with the magnificent victories on the worlds first Formula One championships in 1950 and 1951 with the Tipo 159. Alfa took the title both years.
In 1954 appeared the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, available in Sprint version with a 1290cc dohc engine, the Berlina saloon and Spider cabrio appearing the following year. The 1900 was revised to become the 2000 with a modified engine and an extra 10bhp. The 2000 was available as a Berlina and a Spider. The 2600 was introduced in 1962 in Berlina, Spider and Sprint variants as the 'large' Alfa Romeo, and was the first production Alfa to use brake discs.
In 1963 the Giulietta was replaced by the Giulia, which used a 1570cc engine (derived from the Giulietta engine). Numerous variants of this were produced, some of the more famous being the Spider Duetto, the Giulia GTV, the GTA race car, the GT Junior and the Giulia Super.
The 1750 Saloon, GTV and Spider, in production from 1967, used a yet further enlargened engine and a stretched chassis and replaced the 2600. The Montreal World Exhibition in 1967 also brought forth a new Alfa Romeo, the Montreal. This was a 2+2 car and used a 2600cc V8 engine.
1969 saw the introduction of the Giulia 1600S saloon and the GT 1300 Junior Zagato and the following year most of the Alfa range was revised. The 1750 was replaced in 1971 by the 2000 (still directly derived from the 1290cc Giulietta engine!), available as a saloon, GTV and Spider Veloce.
1972 was a year of revolutionary change for Alfa Romeo with the introduction of the Alfasud (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?threadid=34972) , the first front-wheel drive Alfa, designed by Rodolfo Hruska and using a 1200 four cylinder horizontally opposed engine. In the same year the Alfetta was introduced, the most significant technical change being the move to a de Dion rear suspension and rear mounted transaxle containing clutch, gearbox and differential. This was joined in 1974 by the Alfetta GT, a coupe design by Giugiaro.
In 1976 the first diesel powered Alfa was introduced, the Giulia diesel. The Giulietta name was revived in 1977 for an Alfetta based car with 1300 and 1600 engines. The Alfetta continued with the 2000. A new top-of-the-range Alfa was introduced in 1979 in the shape of the Alfa 6. This used an all new 2492cc V6 engine producing 160bhp and a similar suspension layout to the Alfetta. A coupe version, the GTV6 was also introduced.
In November 1986, after 13 years of straight losses and problems with the union, Alfa Romeo was bought by Fiat. Despite this (or maybe thanks to it...), the Alfa Romeo brand is today stronger than it has been for a long time, fostering its unique racing heritage with a truly great range of cars from the fresh 166, the wonderful 156 (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?threadid=34993) to the thrilling GTV/Spider (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?postid=345196&t=7097#post345196) sportcars. Add current car of the year the 147, replacing the 145/146 sisters, which continues to show that Alfa Romeo are on the way up. And make no qualms about it, that is a wonderful thing. As long as Alfa Romeo continue to provide us with beautiful, characterful, inspiring cars, the automotive world will be a better place.
"Every time I see an Alfa Romeo pass by, I raise my hat"' -- Henry Ford
Sources: http://www.carsfromitaly.com/alfaromeo/index.html
http://www.alfaromeo.co.uk
http://hem.passagen.se/pas/alfa/history.htm
cheers,
jay
http://www.mrtraffic.com/alfa.gif
The Alfa Romeo story began when The Società Italiana Automobili Darracq was founded in 1906 with the aim of manufacturing low cost motor cars. Unfortunately the company ran into difficulties when the booming car market began to falter. The Darracq factory was sold to Italian car enthusiasts, and Alfa was subsequently born in 1910 as Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica di Automobili. The group was not successful and taken over in the mid 1910's by an engineer by the name of Nicola Romeo. Put 2+2 together and there you have it, one of the most evocative names in motoring history: Alfa Romeo.
Production ceased during WW1, but resumed in 1920 with the first full Alfa Romeo designed car, the G1 touring car which at the peak of its power developed 90bhp from its 3l 6-cylinder engine.
Nicola Romeo asked Giuseppe Merosi, his chief engineer, to begin work on a new engine to compete in "3000 Formula" racing. This dedicated racing effort would pay off in the late 20's, and the 3 liter engine Merosi designed would remain unchanged in basic design until the mass production cars of the early 50's.
The years between the wars are when Alfa established itself as one of the truly great marques producing exotic racing and famous sports cars. From the late 20's to the early 50's Alfa Romeo was the most prominent racing marque in the world. Other brands came and went, but Alfa remained on the scene continuously.
Alfa ended this era with the magnificent victories on the worlds first Formula One championships in 1950 and 1951 with the Tipo 159. Alfa took the title both years.
In 1954 appeared the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, available in Sprint version with a 1290cc dohc engine, the Berlina saloon and Spider cabrio appearing the following year. The 1900 was revised to become the 2000 with a modified engine and an extra 10bhp. The 2000 was available as a Berlina and a Spider. The 2600 was introduced in 1962 in Berlina, Spider and Sprint variants as the 'large' Alfa Romeo, and was the first production Alfa to use brake discs.
In 1963 the Giulietta was replaced by the Giulia, which used a 1570cc engine (derived from the Giulietta engine). Numerous variants of this were produced, some of the more famous being the Spider Duetto, the Giulia GTV, the GTA race car, the GT Junior and the Giulia Super.
The 1750 Saloon, GTV and Spider, in production from 1967, used a yet further enlargened engine and a stretched chassis and replaced the 2600. The Montreal World Exhibition in 1967 also brought forth a new Alfa Romeo, the Montreal. This was a 2+2 car and used a 2600cc V8 engine.
1969 saw the introduction of the Giulia 1600S saloon and the GT 1300 Junior Zagato and the following year most of the Alfa range was revised. The 1750 was replaced in 1971 by the 2000 (still directly derived from the 1290cc Giulietta engine!), available as a saloon, GTV and Spider Veloce.
1972 was a year of revolutionary change for Alfa Romeo with the introduction of the Alfasud (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?threadid=34972) , the first front-wheel drive Alfa, designed by Rodolfo Hruska and using a 1200 four cylinder horizontally opposed engine. In the same year the Alfetta was introduced, the most significant technical change being the move to a de Dion rear suspension and rear mounted transaxle containing clutch, gearbox and differential. This was joined in 1974 by the Alfetta GT, a coupe design by Giugiaro.
In 1976 the first diesel powered Alfa was introduced, the Giulia diesel. The Giulietta name was revived in 1977 for an Alfetta based car with 1300 and 1600 engines. The Alfetta continued with the 2000. A new top-of-the-range Alfa was introduced in 1979 in the shape of the Alfa 6. This used an all new 2492cc V6 engine producing 160bhp and a similar suspension layout to the Alfetta. A coupe version, the GTV6 was also introduced.
In November 1986, after 13 years of straight losses and problems with the union, Alfa Romeo was bought by Fiat. Despite this (or maybe thanks to it...), the Alfa Romeo brand is today stronger than it has been for a long time, fostering its unique racing heritage with a truly great range of cars from the fresh 166, the wonderful 156 (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?threadid=34993) to the thrilling GTV/Spider (http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?postid=345196&t=7097#post345196) sportcars. Add current car of the year the 147, replacing the 145/146 sisters, which continues to show that Alfa Romeo are on the way up. And make no qualms about it, that is a wonderful thing. As long as Alfa Romeo continue to provide us with beautiful, characterful, inspiring cars, the automotive world will be a better place.
"Every time I see an Alfa Romeo pass by, I raise my hat"' -- Henry Ford
Sources: http://www.carsfromitaly.com/alfaromeo/index.html
http://www.alfaromeo.co.uk
http://hem.passagen.se/pas/alfa/history.htm
cheers,
jay
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