Jeremy Clarkson once opined on Top Gear that “you can’t be a true petrolhead until you’ve owned an Alfa Romeo”. Whether you agree with the sentiment or not, there’s no denying the Italian marque has quite the history behind it and remains an enthusiast favourite.
This week, the brand marks yet another chapter in its history as it celebrated its 115th birthday yesterday, June 24, 2025.
To celebrate, its current parent company Stellantis hosted a major event held on Sunday June 22 at the Alfa Romeo Historical Museum in Arese, Italy. With an audience of more than 1300 enthusiasts, including some of the 300 official Alfa Romeo clubs from around the globe, more than 350 of the brand’s legendary cars took part in the event.
115 of those vehicles were included in a mosaic that spelled out “Alfa Romeo 115” on the museum’s internal track, with the museum itself celebrating its 10th anniversary of reopening following renovations.
Other features of the event included a 115 Years of Alfa Romeo conference which revisited key moments in the brand’s history, including showcasing the wind tunnel model of the 33 Stradale.
The program concluded with a spectacular car parade led by ‘Tributo GTA’ models, an homage to the legendary Giulia Sprint GTA which is now celebrating its 60th anniversary, and a group toast paying tribute to the deep sense of belonging that has always driven the Alfisti community.
Alfa Romeo has also released a free 100-page e-book celebrating Alfa’s beginning in 1910 when the very first 24 HP was introduced, through to its cars of today including the 33 Stradale supercar.
The e-book also features archival photography from the Alfa Romeo Historical Museum, the stories behind the brand’s logo and ‘Trefoil’ fascia, along with pieces from key figures at Stellantis and the Alfa Museum.
A brief history of Alfa Romeo
The Alfa Romeo brand was born in Milan in 1910 as ‘A.L.F.A.’ – an acronym for ‘Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili’ – when it was created to acquire the assets of the Italian arm of French manufacturer Darracq.
In 1915, it was acquired by entrepreneur Nicola Romeo, who expanded its portfolio to include aircraft engines and heavy machinery. In 1920, the company’s name was officially changed to Alfa Romeo.
Producing a number of successful road and race cars through the 1920s, financial troubles then hit, leading to Romeo’s departure in 1928 and the brand’s acquisition by the Italian government.
Although continuing to make luxury vehicles following this acquisition, the financial hardship of World War II led to its attention turning to producing small cars.
The Giulietta was a key introduction for the brand in 1954, with its ‘Twin Cam’ engine remaining in production until 1994. The brand might’ve been producing mass-market vehicles, but they blended the style, dynamics, and performance of luxury and sports cars.
The brand was sold to Fiat in 1986 as it had been operating at a loss since the ’70s. In 2014, Fiat merged with Chrysler to form Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, with FCA subsequently merging with Peugeot (PSA Group) to form Stellantis. Through these ownership changes, the brand has maintained its distinct identity.
Alfa Romeo has been involved in a number of motorsports over the years including sportscar, touring car, and Formula 1 racing. Indeed, the Scuderia Ferrari racing team was initially formed by Enzo Ferrari as an Alfa Romeo racing team before the Ferrari brand was born in 1939.
