History of Alfa Romeo

Alfa Romeo excites drivers with passionate performance while enticing passersby to admire its breath-taking Italian style. We’re proud to be purveyors of this luxurious automobile at Van Nuys Alfa Romeo of Van Nuys, California. Find out where this brand’s roots came from and where it is headed.

History of Alfa Romeo

The company was born on June 24, 1910, in Milan, Italy, after Ugo Stella acquired the shares of Società Italiana Automobili Darracq, a company he managed that was struggling economically. Alfa is an acronym for Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili, which means Anonymous Lombardy Automobile Factory.

  • In 1915, Alfa did not have the money to convert its auto factory to production for World War I. So Nicola Romeo, an engineer, bought Alfa to produce portable compressors and airplane engines.
  • In 1923, the company began its string of racing triumphs with the Targa Florio race in Sicily. Alfa Romeo RLs placed first, second, and fourth. The victories continued at Le Mans, the Monaco Grand Prix, the German Grand Prix, and the Vanderbilt Cup with more aerodynamic racers.
  • The company became state-owned in 1932. During the time of World War II, the factory was bombed, which hindered profitability even after the war. Alfa Romeo turned to smaller mass-produced vehicles to replace its luxury vehicles while garnering more racing victories.
  • Despite its success on the track, the company fell into financial trouble by the 1970s. In 1986, after years of non-profitability, the company merged with its rival Lancia into Alfa Lancia Industriale S.p.A, which was part of Fiat.
  • In 2007, Fiat Auto S.P.A. became four new companies, still under the control of Fiat, including Alfa Romeo Automobile S.p.A.
  • In 2008, Alfa Romeo returned to the U.S. market with the 8C Competizione coupe after having left in 1995.
  • In 2014, Fiat merged with Chrysler to become FCA US LLC, more commonly known as Fiat-Chrysler.
  • In 2021, Fiat-Chrysler merged with the P.S.A. Group, a French company that manufactures Peugeot and Citroën, to become Stellantis.

Who Makes Alfa Romeo Cars?

With all this history of sales and acquisitions, you may be wondering who owns Alfa Romeo. Stellantis now controls Alfa Romeo and makes its vehicles. Because the company combines 14 vehicle brands, it currently ranks as the third-largest automaker in the world by revenue and fourth-largest by volume. It is headquartered in Amsterdam but has operation centers in the USA, Italy, and France.

Where is Alfa Romeo Made?

The Cassino Assembly Plant in Piedimonte San Germano, Italy, makes the Alfa Romeo models and the Maserati Grecale with an assist from its 4,300 employees. The factory used to manufacture several Fiat and Lancia models.

The Alfa Romeo Difference

Alfa Romeo currently thrills with two powerful vehicles clad in luxurious Italian coats.

  • The 5-seat Giulia thrills with 280 horsepower and 306 lb.-ft. of torque from its 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder. It reaches a top speed of 149 MPH with a rush from 0 to 60 in only 5.1 seconds. The available Q4 All-Wheel Drive System adjusts torque sent to the front axle to counteract traction loss in as little as 0.15 seconds.
  • Inside, you can adjust the 10-way power driver and passenger seats, surrounded by leather on the steering wheel and seats. Connections to your compatible smartphone let you make calls and deal with text messages on the dashboard screen while you’re still on the highway.
  • The bigger Stelvio uses the same engine with nearly identical specs except for the top speed of 144 MPH and a 0-60 time of 5.5 seconds. When you fold down the rear seats, cargo volume jumps to 56.5 cu. ft.
  • Guarding your journeys are driver assists, such as Forward Collision Warning, which can detect potential collisions and prevent them from happening at Full Stop braking. Intelligent Speed Control keeps a safe distance between you and the next car through automatic speed adjustments.

Are you eager to invest in the Alfa Romeo difference around Los Angeles? Then make your way to Van Nuys Alfa Romeo for a test drive.