The car manufacturer Alfa Romeo was founded in 1910 and just one year later, in 1911, it entered the racing circuit. The brand has long been a ground breaker, bringing exciting new advancements and developments to the world of luxury automobiles and the world of racing. Join us as we take a look at how they will be competing on the world stage this year.
The History of the Brand
The groundwork for Alfa Romeo began in 1906 with the Società Italiana Automobili Darracq in Milan, Italy. Financial times were hard, however, and in 1909 the company shares were sold to Italian aristocrat Ugo Stella. Stella relaunched fledgling business and renamed the factory Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili – A.L.F.A. or “Alfa”.
The first vehicle to come off the new production line in 1910 was the 24HP, designed by Guiseppe Merosi. The car had a single block 4.1-liter engine, single drive shaft and reached a top speed of 62 mph. The company’s success grew, and they ventured into racing. Merosi was tasked with designing a vehicle that would help Alfa establish a reputation in international racing. He came up with the first auto to feature a twin spark ignition. The Alfa Gran Prix had a 4 cylinder 4.5-liter engine helped it to reach a top speed of 87 mph. Alfa had arrived on the world stage, just four years after opening production.
The First Alfa Romeo Race Car
World War I led to a break in auto production, but by the 1920s Alfa Romeo was back in the auto business and established themselves as leaders in the racing world. The Alfa Romeo RL became a massive success. Ugo Sivocci painted the now famous Quadrofoglio design on his car and led the team to victory in the Targa Florio. Sivocci’s clover is a part of the brand today and a symbol of race-worthy capabilities and also good luck. Since the 1920s, Alfa Romeo has been one of the names to watch on the world stage. In 2018, the brand has teamed up with one of the most winning drivers to generate quite a bit of buzz in racing circles.
2018 WTCC
The Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR by Romeo Ferraris was introduced in 2016 and has done well. The Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR team recently made a huge announcement. The highly successful racer Fabrizio Giovanardi will come out of retirement at the age of 51 to drive an Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR in the 2018 World Touring Car Cup. Giovanardi enjoyed much success with the brand in the early part of the 21st century. After test driving the Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR he decided to once again rejoin the Alfa Romeo racing team. He shared that:
“I had the pleasure of driving the Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR very recently, and I was very very impressed by the car. For me, it will be a come back on the world stage after a few years out of racing, but my passion and thirst for victory are intact. At Monza, I had the chance to start a journey that hopefully will bring a lot of satisfaction for all those involved in the Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR by Romeo Ferraris project.”
The Giulietta TCR
And the vehicle that Giovanardi will be driving for Alfa Romeo as it competes on the world stage this year? The Giulietta TCR has a 1742 cc engine with a 6 speed sequential gearbox. Its maximum output is 330 hp at 6.500 rpm, and its maximum torque is 420 Nm at 3.500 rpm. The Giulietta TCR has a maximum speed of 247 kilometers per hour.
Manager Michela Cerruti explains that “Racing at the highest level in 2018 represents a big step forward for our organisation and for Team Mulsanne, who will be competing against many prestigious brands and top teams. From our side, we have progressed with the Alfa Romeo Giulietta TCR by Romeo Ferraris, and the positive feedback received from Fabrizio at the test in Monza has made it possible to materialise what at the beginning was only a dream. Still, we do not live in wonderland, and we know we’ll have to perform at 100% to be competitive in a top series as challenging as the WTCR.”
It will be exciting to see what Alfa Romeo accomplishes at the 2018 World Touring Car Cup. So, tell us, will you be watching? If you love automobiles, you might also want to read our article on the world’s most expensive cars.
