Alfa Romeo are one of very few sports car manufacturers to share a passion with everyday drivers, whether that’s some inspirational touring vehicles or balance sheet-friendly fleet cars.
There are countless car enthusiasts out there who share huge amounts of respect for Alfa Romeo, mainly for providing younger and less well-off drivers with the opportunity to get their hands on some of the most innovative creations in the automobile industry. There’s no doubting the fact that Alfa Romeo bring the joy of owning a sports car to the masses.
The founder of Alfa Romeo, Cavalier Ugo Stella, began the project after purchasing an abandoned car factory on the outskirts of Milan. It took a single year after its inception in 1910 for the company to demonstrate their manufacturing prowess, turning heads at countless events with their 24 HP car. Alfa Romeo were gradually turning into a dominant force within the European motorsport scene, with one particularly notable appearance at the Targa Florio endurance race.
Alfa Romeo’s reputation for producing envious automobiles was growing at an incredible rate and by the 30’s they were producing one of the finest touring cars the world had ever seen.
The 8C 2300 was a critically acclaimed model, recording successes in numerous contests including the Le Mans 24 hour race and the Mile Miglia. Unfortunately, production of these beautiful cars was halted in 1944 after the factory manufacturing them was bombed.
Alfa Romeo’s plant continued manufacturing once the Second World War came to an end. The 50’s were hugely significant in terms of motorsport, with new focuses creating a new brand of unique, highly complex and visually stunning cars.
It was this era we were given the Giulietta; a stunning vehicle manufactured for the very first time in 1954. You could get your hands on the Giulietta in both coupe and convertible models, so it was an incredibly attractive prospect for consumers across Italy. It ultimately became an icon on the streets of Milan and beyond and captured the hearts of the Italian people.
There were 100,000 Giuliettas on the streets by 1961 and Alfa Romeo’s production line was attracting interest from all over the world. The Giulia Saloon, released to the public in 1962, was an incredibly stylish alternative that widened the customer base even further for Alfa. This ever-growing popularity resulted in the Alfisti movement of the mid-1960’s.
The Alfasaud was released a few years earlier in 1970 and blew the world of automobiles wide open once more. It was a front-wheel drive hatchback that provided you with all the sporty necessities and that high performance experience racing enthusiast coveted.
It was the beginning of the modern day Alfa Romeo; a car meant for the people but offering completely out-of-the-ordinary features and designs. From here on out you had 2nd generation Giuliettas, turbo-diesel Alfa Romeos such as the Alfetta 2000 TD and wedge-shaped saloons manufactured as part of new wave 80’s movement.
The Alfa Romeo 155 lead the way from the 90’s onwards where Alfa Romeo began exploring updated model designs. The 155 was victorious in the Italian Superturismo and the British Touring Car Championship in 1994.
Then came the Spider and the GTV in 1995, followed closely by the 156 and the GT. The noughties saw the release of the stunning 8C sports car which revisited cylinder racing cars prior to WW2. Motoring enthusiasts were inspired on a global scale by the reinvigoration and super-car lovers waited in anticipation for their chance to try out this stunning redesign.
Today a five door hatchback Giulietta has captured the hearts of the modern motor sorting consumer base. It incorporates low running costs, low CO2 emissions and outstanding fuel economy. Most importantly of all, it’s an affordable model that provides today’s drivers with the opportunity to experience the very best of what Alfa Romeo has to offer.
Article provided by Mike of Apex Luxury Car Hire.
