Are you looking for a top of the line luxury brand? Do you want to stand out as you drive on the highway rather than just blending in?
If so, you should learn about Alfa Romeo. In its 112 year history, the company has created vehicles that help the everyday person include luxury into their life. Keep reading to find out more about Alfa Romeo.
How the Company Got Started
Alfa Romeo was born when Cavalier Ugo Stella combined efforts with Societa Italiana Automobili Darraq, which was a popular French car manufacturer that was having financial trouble. After the companies were merged in 1909-1910, the company was named ALFA. The abbreviation stands for Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili. Shortly after the merger, the company produced their first vehicle, the 24HP. It was named after the company’s first technical director, Giuseppe Merosi, and was released in Milan. Next, Merosi designed the company’s first racing vehicle, the Alfa Grand Prix. This was the first race car that had a twin spark ignition, which was a significant achievement at the time.
Financial struggles continued for the company throughout World War I, but like always, the company persevered. ALFA was bought by Nicola Romeo, a popular and extremely successful electrical engineer. When this happened, the company started going by the name Alfa-Romeo Milano. As the company moved into the 1920s, they flourished in the racing area. This contributed to much of their early success, both on the regular road and the racetrack.
In the 1940s, the founder was unfortunately shot due to concerns dealing with World War II. Once this happened, they also lost their factory, which caused the company significant hardship. However, by 1947, the company was under new leadership and had begun producing new vehicles like the Freccia d’Oro and the Villa D’Este.
The 1960s brought the company new success when Giuseppe Luraghi was named chairman and a new factory was opened in Naples, Italy. By this time, the Giuletta had become the most famous car – selling 100,001 units in 1961.
40 years later, they were still continuing to make popular cars like the Giulia and the 4C coupe (which was a more affordable version of some of their other models).
As the company has continued to grow, they have also continued to see immense success with the sales of their vehicles and brought new, innovative ideas to the automotive industry.
Influence of Other Companies
Currently, they are owned by the over-heading company Stellantis. Technically, this company is owned by Fiat.
The Logo
Just like the name of the company has evolved over the years, so has the logo. Despite the many changes the symbolic logo has had, its circular shape, left cross, and snake feature have not changed. Since its origin in 1910, the logo has featured these things. However, the colors have changed from blue to green to red. In 2015, the company did its most recent update by removing the gold tone in the name of the company. It changed to silver, matching the rest of the crest.
Sales
Although the company has only recently been reintegrated into the American automotive market, they have not sacrificed on sales. From the 1970s to the mid-late 1990s, the company averaged between 2,000 and 6,000 cars per year in sales. According to CarSalesBase, the company has sold over 92,000 cars since 2014. Statistics are not available from 2008-2014.
Many Different Models
Alfa Romeo has a unique selection of vehicles available for purchase. Here’s a list of the ones currently available:
Model | Avg Asking Price | Picture | Description |
Used: $31,990 New: $45,550 | The Stelvio is a unique SUV that features a 2.0L Turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, amazing hosepower, and is all-wheel drive. It also can go from 0-60 MPH more quickly than any other vehicle in its class. The Stelvio is also available in a Quadrifoglio model. | ||
Used: $27,990 New: $43,350 | The Giulia is another unique vehicle produced by Alfa Romeo. It has a 2.0L turbocharged 4-cylinder engine, can get up to 280 horsepower, and can go to 0-60 MPH in 5.1 seconds. It also has all-wheel drive. The Giulia is also available in a Quadrifoglio model. | ||
Used: Unavailable New: $40,000 | The Tonale will be released in 2023 in the United States. |
Most Popular Model
Before Alfa Romeo was reintroduced to the U.S. in 2008, their most popular vehicle was the Duetto. Its reign as the most popular vehicle lasted from 1950 until 1995. Overall, their most popular vehicle of all time was the Alfasud. It was a small, compact vehicle that came onto the automotive scene in the early 1970s. It was made in a factory in southern Italy.
Geographic Popularity
Alfa Romeo is an Italian company, as all of their vehicles are made and produced in Italy. They export all of the vehicles that they sell from Italy to places all across the globe. While they have experienced a decline in popularity due to unforeseen circumstances throughout their history, they have still remained an iconic brand internationally.
Sustainability
Because Alfa Romeo is underneath the Stellantis company, they follow many of their safety practices. Their website states: “Our spirit defines us. We know that long-term success is achieved by linking economic growth with respect, financial performance with social responsibility, and industrial development with environmental stewardship.”
“As a leading company, we take our Corporate Social Responsibility seriously and embed it into business practices. We are committed to shaping a better future through a strong sense of responsibility and leadership in a new era of sustainable mobility. We engage with our stakeholders through dialogue aiming to create and share value with them: our employees, our customers, our partners, our suppliers, our host territories and their communities, our investors and the environment.”
The company focuses on committing “to contributing to a decarbonized economy by engaging our talents and assets on our road to carbon neutrality across our products, plants, and other facilities….through sustainable mobility solutions that leverage on our leadership in clean and advanced technologies…”
In 2017, the company was awarded several European honors for the safety features of the Giulia. Since then, they have continued to produce sustainable vehicles by using things like carbon fiber exterior.
Safety
Alfa Romeo cars are known for being extremely safe vehicles. Like their views on sustainability, the company highly values safety. Here are some of the safety features you can find on their 2022 models:
- Airbags for all passengers
- Brake Assist
- Electronic Stability Control
- Integrated Turn Signal Lights
- Blind Spot Monitor
- Lane Departure Warning
- Cross-Traffic Alert
Looking to sell your Alfa Romeo for Cash?
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