Last weekend Alfa Romeo
presented an official stand at Automotoretro in Turin,
showcasing the Giulietta, equipped with the 1750 TB
engine, alongside three historic racing models drawn
from its museum at Arese, all four cars bound together
by the 'Quadrifoglio' legend.
The Giulietta has proved a much needed hit for the
struggling brand; the C-segment 5-door hatchback has a
tough act to follow as it succeeds the much-loved 147 in
the showrooms, but is so far hitting its sales targets
since it's launch last summer and it is a thoroughly
all-round accomplished car that also debuts a new
platform architecture, C-Evo. At Automotoretro the
example on display was the range topping Quadrifoglio
Verde version fitted with the dynamic new 1750 turbo
engine and sporting its signature accessories including
a polished carbon fibre effect tailgate spoiler and
discreetly ribbed side skirts.
Racing has been fundamental to Alfa Romeo right through
its 100 year history, even if in the most recent years
it has turned away from these core values that built its
reputation. However as the centenary demonstrated last
year the brand is always keen to celebrate a history
hewn out by success on the leading race tracks of the
world, a reputation that is the envy of its rivals, and
three significant machines that turned back the pages of
tradition were lined up alongside the new Giulietta,
representing three sporting arenas where Alfa Romeo
came, saw and conquered: single-seaters, GT sports cars
and touring cars.
The Giulietta and the
trio of historics, were all linked together by wearing
the famous "Quadrifoglio" emblem. First up was the RL
Targa Florio which was the original car to wear the
potent symbol. Put on the car prior to its debut in 1923
to bring good luck to its driver Ugo Sivocci, when the
Sicilian swept to victory, it was the first of many that
the car, which weighed in at just half that of its road
going sister, would go on to claim. Winning the 1923
Targa Florio saw the "Quadrifoglio" swiftly adopted by
Alfa Romeo's racing team as a lucky charm, an
association that has survived through to today.
Immediately behind the
single-seater at the Lingotto Fiere was the unusual 1900
Sport Spider prototype from 1954 which is part of the 'Museo'
collection, an automotive treasure trove that is now
safeguarded for the future from Alfa Romeo's attempts to
break it up following a defining court case in Milan
last summer that the carmaker lost. The 1900 Sport
Spider, shaped by Bertone, was a prototype racing car
that was never given the green light, however the 'Museo'
maintains it in full working order and it is regularly
brought to events. The final car on show at
Automotoretro was a GT 1300 Junior from 1970 with the
'flared' fender look that went on to define the 'Giulia GTA', a car which swept all before it in top-level
touring car racing. Curiously all four cars, which were
appropriately all red, each wore a
different interpretation of the 'Quadrifoglio' emblem,
most notably the RL Targa Florio that started the famous
association off with a 'green cloverleaf', its version was
actually embossed within a white diamond shape.
Aside from the quartet of cars on the official stand the
halls were full of Alfa Romeo road and racing models
from yesteryear, including another sleek machine picked
out from the bowls of the official museum: the stillborn
SE 048 SP, a sports-prototype built by Abarth for Group
C racing almost twenty years ago but which never got to
turn a wheel in anger before the project was quietly
dropped. Other Alfa Romeo racing novelties on show
included a 'Formula Alfa Boxer', the grassroots level
single-seater.
Many generations of Alfa Romeo's history were dotted
around the halls, with the slippery Bertone-penned 105
series coupé and Giulia Super both being very much in
evidence, the latter notably represented by an
eye-catching original 'Carabinieri' liveried example in
'matte' olive green. Also standing out from the crowd
was a beautifully restored Giulia Sprint Speciale and an
equally immaculate Alfasud Sprint coupé of series 1
vintage.
