The Museo Storico Is Where Alfa Romeo Keeps The Legend Intact | Stories

6 April 2020 Redazione News, Stories

Alfa Romeo is ready to celebrate its 110^th anniversary and the Museo Storico is the ideal place to retrace the myth of the “Biscione” from Arese.

Words by Alessandro Marrone / Photos by Gian Romero

It all officially began in Milan way back on the 24 June 1910, after distancing from the Società Italiana Automobili Darracq, a company that from 1906 until then was producing licensed models of the French parent company. From this very moment it simply became A.L.F.A (anonima lombarda fabbrica automobili). The suffix “Romeo” was later added with the acquisition by the entrepreneur Nicola Romeo, who in 1918 decided to make more personal the incredible adventure in which he had thrown himself. An adventure nowhere close to be simple, but rather characterized by the many difficulties that would have affected this kind of company still at its very beginning, which after presenting the 24 HP model had to face the First World War. This situation inevitably led to a period of crisis, one of the many in the history of the car manufacturer.

But if it is precisely the difficulties that forge the grandeur of an enterprise, the “Biscione” did not give up and soon came back in full strength thanks to the arrival of the key figure of Nicola Romeo. At this point the company managed to cope with the production of war vehicles and once the First World War was over, they could devote themselves to cars like the 20-30 HP. The lack of an adequate sales network and the growing debts, represented however another serious blow that led the Italian State to take over the management of the brand, focusing solely on motor racing. It was precisely in 1925 that the Alfa Romeo P2 became the car to conquest the first automotive world championship in history. A new perspective opened then and further wins in racing made possible to attract the attention of the political world, with the aim of keeping the brand alive, despite the continuous economic difficulties that were struggling to be definitively moved away. Close to the Second World War, Alfa Romeo was producing numerous models that the whole world envied for beauty and prestige, masterpieces of absolute elegance that worthily represented Italy in the world. This newfound position of excellence was also underlined by its successes in the racing world. Everyone wanted to drive an Alfa Romeo and it is precisely here that the legend of the “cuore sportive” was consolidating, race after race.

With the Second World War, Alfa Romeo production was once again mainly focused towards war vehicles and due to the numerous bombings, once the conflict ended, they had to start over again, initially forced to an extremely limited production, situation that was definitively reversed between 1946 and 1950, thanks to Orazio Satta Puliga, who in collaboration with Finmeccanica managed to introduce the so-called assembly line. This meant a substantial reduction in costs, an increase in production and consequently in profits. The exponential growth of the models coming out of the Alfa Romeo gates was driving Italy in the immediate post-war period, taking advantage of the economic boom and for one of the many fundamental models of the brand, the Giulietta, nicely nicknamed “the Italian girlfriend”.

Always paying great attention in producing cars that kept intact both the elegance and the sportiness that had allowed Alfa Romeo to be a point of reference for everyone, the following decades saw lucky models and those that helped Alfa getting a wider customers range, just think that in 1972 the Alfasud was the first of their model with traction on the front axle only. The 80s and 90s are not only a dark period for music or the way we tanned our hair, but they were suffocating Alfa Romeo for the lack of new models, not to mention an increasingly fierce competition. In 1986, after practically exhausting every solution to the ever deepening crisis, FIAT group acquired Alfa and soon tried to limit costs by sharing existing platforms between the brands, bringing for the first time in Alfa Romeo’s history to have front-wheel drive also on medium-sized sedans. Over the following years, more models arrived aiming at a clientele more interested in practicality than emotions, but on the occasion of the 2010 centenary, under the leadership of Sergio Marchionne, plans have finally changed.

We thus welcomed the new Giulietta, a more modern hatchback finally ready to take on its competitors, the 4C purebred sports car and the Giulia sedan, which also marks the return of rear wheel drive on a medium size Alfa sedan. It was the turn of the Stelvio and the amazing Ferrari-derived engines, the Quadrifoglio. The Alfa Romeo myth is once again in perfect health and still represents that unmistakable Italian pride made of emotion and passion, a desire for speed and adrenaline, beauty and harmony of the forms. In June we are preparing to celebrate its 110^th anniversary and all the vicissitudes (too) briefly told in our modest tribute to the brand cannot give an idea of how extraordinary it is to still have the opportunity to trepid waiting for the incoming models that are going to make Alfa Romeo even more exciting in the coming years.

That’s why we went to Arese, at the Museo Storico Alfa Romeo, the ideal place to relive this fantastic story worthy of a compelling novel, to be retraced model after model, an anecdote after the other, savoring those legendary feats that have written indelible pages in the world of motorsport, but also for being amazed by the beauty of such eternal lines carved in imagination and which manage to avoid the passing of time. Works of art painted on metal and rubber, such as the avant-garde shapes of the concept cars or those style icons that represent the fabulous 50s and 60s. Walking in this place makes you feel like a child again, retracing moments of a never forgotten era while observing those less exotic models, as you return to discover the meaning of dreams, when you remain astonished as you devour every millimeter of the 33 Stradale. A story full of twists, so as to make the most inspired thriller novelist turn pale, a legacy that must be kept and handed down, a journey along the most beautiful and exciting road that can be traveled. An entire book would not be enough, let alone an article, so forgive me if I have been so quick, but I prefer to let you admire some of our photos, inviting you to discover the museum firsthand, since you will not find the same cars even if you visit it ten times in a single year, thanks to the numerous models that are periodically pulled out of the so-called “backstage”, everything with the aim of handing down as much as possible the thousand stories of a brand that in the course of its first 110 years has proven to be so strong and alive to overcome any possible adversity.