9781422269657
ALFA ROMEO HITS THE ROAD The Formation of A.L.F.A.
Of course, Alfa Romeo didn’t die there. Ugo Stella and his Italian co investors chose to rebrand with a name that divested them from Darracq on the surface. He remained in business with them as a designer. In 1909, S.A.I.D. ended, and the same group of gentlemen founded a new manufacturing firm called Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili (A.L.F.A.), with Stella as its chairman, in 1909. The Italians shortened the brand’s lengthy name to the nickname Alfa (pronounced like the word alpha ) from its abbreviation. We’ll get to where the Romeo (pronounced "Ro-may-oh") came from in 1915. The company went right to work creating amazing vehicles. 24 HP (1910) In 1910, the automaker released its first auto, the 24 HP, the brainchild of engineer Giuseppe Merosi. The road car featured a 4.1 liter four-cylinder engine and a single drive shaft. With a top speed of 62 miles per hour, it suited those who enjoyed taking their family for a Sunday drive in the countryside. In this case, the model name came from the horsepower rating of the engine. In the early 1900s,
Alfa Romeo Hits the Road
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