by Luke Peters
Since the introduction of the A.L.F.A 24 HP in 1910, Alfa Romeo cars have been known for their innovative design and groundbreaking technology in automobile engineering. The Italian car manufacturers have made a name in automobile technology and have been known to produce some of the most iconic cars of all time. Alfa Romeo has a huge fan base worldwide and is often counted amongst car manufacturing moguls like BMW, Mercedes and Audi etc. The Alfa Romeo fans in Italy have dubbed themselves as ‘Alfista’ and a singular fan is called ’Alfisti’ exemplifying the popularity of Alfa Romeo. Below is a list of the top 5 most iconic and popular Alfa Romeo cars.
Alfa Romeo Duetto Spider
Photo from jenskramer
Produced between the years 1966-1967, the Duetto Spider was made iconic after its famed appearance in the 1967 Hollywood flick ‘The Graduate’. It appears in a scene when the lead actor Dustin Hoffman rides the vehicle. This even spawned a special edition ‘Alfa Graduate’ which was available in the US markets in the 1980’s.
Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale
mycarheaven
Introduced in 1967, the 33 Stradale is perhaps one of the most stunning car designs from the 60’s. The car made its appearance at the Monza Sport Car Show and was the first production car to feature the Butterfly doors. The full aluminum-body 33 Stradale was powered by a 2-liter V6 and a Colotti 6-speed manual.
8c Competizione
lambo8
Embracing the more recent trends in car design the 8C Competizione was launched in 2003 at the Frankfurt Motor Show as a concept vehicle and later in 2007 as a commercial variant. The sporty yet classic Alfa Romeo design made it an obvious attraction among fans and automobile enthusiasts. The 4.7-liter V8 engine provided the car with an impressive top speed of 292 km/h. The 8C Competizione was available in both coupe and spider (convertible) variants.
Alfa Romeo Montreal
infoway
Introduced as a concept car in 1967 at the Expo 67 in Montreal, Canada, the Alfa Romeo Montreal is one of the most iconic Alfa Romeo cars of the later 60’s. The car was designed at Bertone Studios by Marcello Gandini and was known for its sleek yet muscular design. The car was powered by a mighty 2.6-liter quad-cam 90° V8.
Alfa GTV6
Produced in the 1980’s, the GTV6 was based on the Alfa Romeo Alfetta GTV and featured a mighty 2.5-Liter V6 engine. The car was slightly redesigned, with a bulge atop the engine hood that not only made the car look more muscular and mean but also improved the air intake. The GTV6 was also a very successful racecar with several wins at the European Touring Car Championship and the British Touring Car Champion Ship.
With a plethora of beautiful and stylistic car designs, Alfa Romeo represents the pinnacle of Italian Car engineering. Alfa Romeo cars were designed by several legendary car designers and have made a mark in design and innovation in automobile technology.
Luke Peters is an automobile enthusiast and a part time musician. His passion for fast cars and fast music often keeps him on a lookout for new and interesting facts about automobile technology. He is also the contributor to AlfaRomeo159.com an informative website on Alfa Romeo 159 and relate Alfa Romeo cars.
Ah, my kind of article! Alfa Romeo, you are a virus for which there is no antidote, and we are thankful about it.
If you think about it, Alfa Romeo deserves a high spot on the pantheon of the car culture. The aluminum block is pretty much the same design since inception in the twenties. Dual-overhead cams aluminum body and head, and hemispheric chambers have come standard on Alfa Romeos. It always makes me chuckle when I see Hemi on V8. Seriously, what else?
Another standard on Alfa Romeo since the fifties, save for one or two cars were five speed transmission.
Remember when it took a few seconds before you could start a diesel engine in the 70s and 80s? Here is a quick trivia. Who invented the fast start for diesel engines? Alfa Romeo.
I test drove the 8C Competizione and what a car. I’m getting around to writing the story. The Montreal you show here is perfect and the one I want has a blue interior. That V8 is the same you show in the most beautiful car of all time, at least according to me, the 33 Stradale. It uses no less than the detuned engine of the famed 33 racer, a 2L V8 making 260 HP… and that was in the 60s!
The company, both pre-Nicola Romeo and post offered so much to the automotive world. There is a reason why once an Alfisti, pretty much always one. Now when are they going to make an electric vehicle!?