Considering Alfa Romeo’s long, storied history, it only makes since it has a factory museum. For some years, that had slipped into disrepair, a situation that has now been repaired. And with good reason.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne has made Alfa one of the core products in an offensive that has it putting eight new models in dealerships by 2018. At that point, Alfa is meant to have sales of 400,000 vehicles around the world. Last year it sold about 74,000.
Recently, Alfa launched its new Giulia Quadrifoglio performance sedan, which is meant to compete with the BMW M3, Mercedes-Benz C63 S AMG and Cadillac ATS-V. The program was at the company’s former headquarters in Arese, just outside Milan. Included in the launch was a tour of the recently refurbished museum in Arese. Following is a brief tour of that exhibition hall, which should be on your itinerary if you’re ever in Italy. For more information, check out this page about the Alfa Romeo in Arese.
And now, off to the museum
Alfa Romeo Museum, Arese, Italy
2-A trio of great Alfas: (left to right) 1925 RL Super Sport, 1931 6C 1750 Gran Sport and 1932 8C 2300 Corto Mille Miglia. Which is your favorite?
3-Among the most admired automobiles from any age are the Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Berlinettas by Touring. The engine is a 2.9-liter supercharged inline-8 with 180 horsepower. Revs Institute’s Collier Collection also has one of these magnificent machines from 1938.
4-Luigi Bazzi at Scuderia Ferrari tried to match the German Grand Prix race cars by creating this twin-engine Alfa Romeo Bimotore for 1935. The two 3.2-liter engines had a reported combined horsepower of 540.
5-Before World War II, Wilfredo Ricart designed this mid-engine Alfa Romeo Tipo 512 for Grand Prix racing. It was never fully developed before the war began and only two were created.
6-This is the 1.5-liter flat-12 created for Ricart’s 512. It has a pair of superchargers and was said to produce 335 horsepower. Is it complex enough for you?
7-Two Alfetta Grand Prix cars. In the foreground is a Type 158, the model Giuseppe Farina drove to win the first Formula One World Drivers’ Championship, which was in 1950. The other is a Type 159 the type Juan Manuel Fangio used to win the title in 1951. The latter had a two-stage supercharged 1.5-liter straight-8 with 425 horsepower.
8-Always a fan favorite, its official title is the 1952 1900 C 52, but everyone calls it by its nickname, the Disco Volante. That means “flying saucer” in Italian and refers, of course, to the Touring-created bodywork. Underneath is the driveline of the Alfa 1900.
9-How many favorites are in this view of one floor at Arese? A Giulia Sprint GTA, a Giulia Sprint GT, a TZ (Tubolare Zagato), a Giulia sedan, a Giulietta SZ and a Giulietta Sprint Speciale.
10-Arguably one of the most important show cars on the late 1960s was the Bertone Carabo. Penned by Marcello Gandini, it is based on an Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale chassis and debuted at the 1968 Paris Motor Show.
11-These Alfas were big favorites in the GT classes. On the right is a 1970 GTA 1300 Junior, on the left a 1970 1750 GTAm. It wasn’t unusual to see the lift an inside wheel during hard cornering.
12-Gordon Murray designed the Brabham BT45-Alfa (background), while the 179 was created by Alfa Romeo and is the type Mario Andretti drove in 1981.
