Alfa Romeo celebrates 108 years of history

A passion for mechanics. That was the driving force which, in 1910, brought together a group of investors with a love of speed and engineering - a chain of events that will soon deserve a more in-depth article in our classics section.

From that passion came Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili - or ALFA, if you prefer.

The Romeo suffix arrived only eight years later, when engineer Nicola Romeo acquired the marque, which was already standing out through its motorsport results and the engineering solutions featured in its cars.

So much history…

Always associated with values such as beauty, performance and cutting-edge engineering, Alfa Romeo’s 108-year history has not been entirely smooth.

Alfa Romeo faced financial difficulties on several occasions, putting its survival at risk, until it found the stability it needed in 1986 under the Fiat Group, now FCA.

But today, we will not be focusing on the marque’s past. Otherwise, we would have to discuss Formula 1, rallying, speed, endurance - in short, competition. We would need to mention badges such as 6C, TI, GT, GTA, TZ and SZ; names including Giulietta, Giulia and Spider; and magical numbers such as 1750, 1900, 33 and 155. And I have not even mentioned half of them…

Today is a day for celebration. The best way we found to mark the occasion was to publish our Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio review on this very day.

As you saw in our YouTube channel launch trailer, we recorded this video more than six months ago. It was meant to be released earlier but… it is a good thing that it was not. This way, we can use the video to celebrate the marque’s 108 years of history in fitting style.

The Alfa Romeo Giulia is undoubtedly a model that embodies Alfa Romeo at its very best over recent decades.

The future of Alfa Romeo

Alfa Romeo was reborn in 2012, after a decade in which the marque’s values had become blurred. The first model of this new era for the Italian marque was the Alfa Romeo 4C. Above all, it reaffirmed the brand’s values and commitments for the future: beauty, nobility, technology and, naturally… cuore sportivo.

The Alfa Romeo 4C delivered all of that. Like so many other cars in Alfa Romeo’s history, it inspired as much passion as criticism - in my case, both (revisit my thoughts at this link). In the end, what remained were the marque’s promises of improvement.

Alfa Romeo Giulia: the new-generation pillar

Yet the definitive Alfa Romeo of the ‘new generation’ was not the 4C. That distinction belongs to the new Alfa Romeo Giulia, the Italian marque’s new cornerstone. This foundation has already led to other hugely important models, such as the Stelvio and, in the coming years, the new Giulietta.

What does the future hold for the marque? This article contains all of Alfa Romeo’s plans through to 2022. But let us return to the present.

A new museum opening, a return to Formula 1… at 108 years old, Alfa Romeo has more vitality than ever.

More than simply remaining true to itself, Alfa Romeo is better than ever. Congratulations, Alfa Romeo! Here is to another 108 years.