June 24th Today the famous Italian car manufacturer designs Gran Turismo sports and celebrates 100 years, but remontémomos 1910 to see what happened in Italy.
The Frenchman Alexandre Darracq in 1906 had decided to build a car factory in Naples, Italy and for this he founded the "Societa Italiana Automobili Darracq" but soon realizes that the strength of Italian industry was concentrated in the north and that's why I decided to make the move from the factory to the city of Portello on the outskirts of Milan, buying a plot of 36,000 m2.
In 1909 the company suffered a significant drop in their sales and branch manager Darracq in Italy, Ugo Stella tells the engineer Giuseppe Merasi, the design of a car outside the Italian public taste, and was born on 24 HP
On 1 January 1910, a small group of businessmen from the area of Lombardy, decided to begin construction of French Darracq cars and Frenchman Alexandre Darracq it sells its Italian subsidiary, complete Integrate the factory in Portello.
Finally, on June 24, 1910 constitute the "Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili" and decide to adopt as a shield badge, a red cross on a white field, taking the shield of the city of Milan and adding "Biscione" which is the serpent on a blue symbol of the Visconti family.
And so the first car out of the new factory in 1911, is 24 Hp designed by Merasi, being a big seller because it was reliable, easy to drive and excellent mechanics.
Intelligently designed Merasi other models, derivñandolos of 24 HP and 12 HP called it was simpler, but very good car and 15 HP Corsa, with obvious sporting performance as its name suggests.
In 1914 he increases the power of this latest model and baptizes 15/20 HP, however the first true sports car is the HP 40/60, 1913 I was 6 liters and are constructed of 27 copies and debuted at the Parma career climb - Berceto to succeed in its category.
Alfa gradually be more involved in the races and were all the rage in the old continent.
In 1915 the company suffered its first major crisis and the "Banca Italiana di Sconte" who was the owner of most of their actions, Nicola Romeo puts the Bank as agent.
Romeo was a Neapolitan businessman turned the tide of the factory to the manufacture of war materials for aircraft engines and air compressors.
The First World War Alfa means for producing a break in her car but also an increase of their capital.
After the Great War the company back to its core business, building cars and Nicola Romeo merges the "Società Anonima Nicola Romeo" with the ALFA ("Anonima Lombarda Automobili Factory") and thus was born the "Alfa-Romeo Spa" and the first model after the war, the Torpedo 20/30 HP of 4.2 liter and its derivative sports cilindradad the 20/30 ES, are the first cars that are already the final name of Alfa-Romeo.
Thus began the rich history of Alfa Romeo that comes through the years until now and hopefully that will endure for many centuries.
Alfa 24 HP
Alfa 24 HP Torpedo
Targa Florio in 1912, Baldoni and Massi with Alfa 24 HP
Coppa Florio 1914, Franchini in his Alfa 40/60 HP
The changes suffered by the Alfa logo through the years.
And this is the current logo with the distinctive red cross on a white background and "Biscione" of the blue background Visconti of Milan.
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