The first ever
model to carry the "Alfa Romeo" name and the only one left
in the world, the Alfa Romeo G1 owned by Kiwi Alfa Romeo importer, Neville
Crichton, has returned to Italy as part of its Australia-wide tour to celebrate
the centenary of Alfa Romeo, but it has not left the country.
During a visit to the Australian Capital, Canberra for
the Auto Italia car event, the Alfa Romeo G1 was the
guest of honour at a reception held by Gianludovico De
Martino di Montegiordano, the Ambassador of Italy and,
with the event held in the grounds of the Italian
Embassy which is technically Italian soil, the G1 made a
symbolic return to the country of its birth.
Surrounded at the Embassy by some of the most valuable
classic Alfa Romeos in Australia, the reception for the
G1 was the ideal precursor to one of the largest
displays of Italian cars - and, in the shape of a Fiat
Ducato – commercial vehicles ever seen in the national
capital, with a fleet of Alfa Romeos, headed by the G1,
leading the display the following day alongside Lake
Burley Griffin in the heart of capital.
The
next outing for the Alfa Romeo G1 is, once again, in
Italy, or rather, Sydney’s little Italy, Norton Street
in Leichardt, when it will lead off the competitors in
the annual Italian Connection Trophy, the motoring event
that links the Sydney and Melbourne Italian communities
and which raises money for the Duchenne Foundation. The
Alfa Romeo G1 will be on display from 07.00 in The Forum
at the start of the event on 21 May 2010.
