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Happy birthday, Alfa Romeo: celebrating its 111-year history

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When A.L.F.A. was established on June 24th, 1910, its cars were red. A few years earlier, Italy had been assigned this colour for its racing cars. Since then, red has become an integral part of Alfa Romeo’s DNA. Today, on the brand’s 111th anniversary, the Museum will be tinged with red to welcome the many enthusiasts coming to Arese. Red, the parade of Alfa Romeo’s belonging to private individuals opened the 4-day event and will continue until June 27th. Red is the dress code for visitors on this special day and red masks are being distributed free of charge at the entrance. This special temporary exhibition at the Museum will recount the infinite nuances and interpretations of this colour, displaying models and features from various eras in an evocative roundup: from cars painted by hand through to the paintwork technologies of recent years, from the orange hues of Italian red to the darker Proteo red, and of course as well as Alfa Red, known by its code, AR 501.

On Alfa Romeo’s anniversary, deliveries of the first Giulia GTA and GTAm

This day of celebration, attended by representatives of the Alfa Romeo Clubs as a testimonial to their profound passion for the Biscione brand, will set the scene for an event that perfectly links the brand’s glorious history to the future. Today, early-bird purchasers of the exclusive Giulia GTA and GTAm will be able to collect the first of these extraordinary cars, only 500 numbered units will be produced. For these lucky few, an exclusive customer experience has been prepared, as part of a dedicated journey that binds together tradition and innovation: they will have the opportunity to chat to the Heads of the Brand and of Design and Engineering, who will take them through this exclusive experience, telling them about its details and the background of a unique project. Customers will discover the DNA of these cars as they move through the Museum focusing on the quest for lightness, developed over the decades to improve performance on the track and driving pleasure on the road. Most importantly, they can sit in the driver’s seat of their new Giulia and take part in an exclusive parade on the Museum’s indoor track. It will be a remarkable opportunity to drive this supercar. Fitted with a supercharged variant of the 403 kW 2.9 V6 Bi-Turbo engine, with a best-in-class power-to-weight ratio of 140 kW per litre, it epitomizes the brand’s unique capability to combine style and sportiness.

However, the remarkable performance of the Giulia is based not only on its high-performance engine but also on the extensive use of ultralight materials. The Giulia GTA has thus been able to achieve a weight up to 100 kg lower than that of the Quadrifoglio version, on which it is based.

A special event for the Clubs and parades for all enthusiasts

Not to be missed on this day of celebration will be a special event for those who live out their passion for the Biscione brand in a special way: the Alfa Romeo Clubs. The parade scheduled for 3 pm is especially for them, followed at 3:30 pm by a meeting in the Giulia Hall, with a live stream to be broadcast for those unable to come to Italy or Arese due to the challenging circumstances caused by the pandemic. At the meeting, the plans for the Museum will be shared and new ideas and proposals will be explored.

Another highlight will be the various parades open to all Alfa Romeo cars of any age, model, or colour. Participation is free and included in the Museum ticket – like all the other activities – but registration is required, by emailing info@museoalfaromeo.com.

Live from the Austrian Grand Prix: Alfa Romeo is also Formula 1

The Museum will also be hosting a live stream of the run-up to the Austrian GP, with the practice sessions, qualifiers and the race itself to be broadcast live on the big screen in the Giulia Hall. On Friday 25th, there will be an exclusive event where guests can chat via a live link with the team’s drivers Kimi Räikkönen and Antonio Giovinazzi at the Spielberg circuit, to discover the secrets of the paddock and garage in a virtual tour. Also on show will be the Alfa Romeo Racing Orlen single-seater show car, proudly displaying the logo created to celebrate the brand’s 111th anniversary.

Once again, Alfa Romeo wished to pay tribute to its history, an unstoppable journey made up of prestigious cars, with an unmistakable style, famed all over the world. A history made up of sporting victories, excellence in motoring and technology, but most of all one made up of women and men who have created and made a place for the brand in the hearts of fans in every corner of the world.

With the support of the Centro Stile, a logo has been created that pays tribute to the brand’s 111-year history.

The logo draws its inspiration from the iconic elements found in its design: the “Biscione” (a viper) from the coat of arms of the noble Visconti family of Milan, and across – the symbol of Milan. The cross is transformed and bears a sequence of the numeral 1, which spreads out along a line of perspective, as if to suggest the passage of time from past to present, thus dynamizing the number 111. This logo will be used at the Austrian Formula 1 Grand Prix to replace its classic design: with its specific form and geometry, the logo graphics and the shape of the car will complement each other to highlight the dynamic aspect of the racing car.

Historical itineraries and activities for groups and families

Over the weekend, two in-depth lectures will be given on the brand’s history: the one on Saturday 26th will look at the first A.L.F.A. victory (Modena, 1911, Regularity Race). On Sunday 27th, the talk will go into the 4C prototype, designed by the Centro Stile Alfa Romeo in 2011. At the end of the lectures, 4C owners will be invited to parade with their cars on the indoor track.

Keeping with history, the “Sea Horses” exhibition is still open, with its illustration of the use of Biscione engines in sailing, from racing to freight and from naval to fishing vessels. Guided tours “behind the scenes” of the Museum can be booked daily. The tours will visit two floors of storerooms holding cars, engines, trophies, chassis and other artifacts not usually on public view.

Over the weekend, activities are also planned for groups and families: from the creative workshop for children scheduled on Saturday 26th at 3 pm, to the treasure hunt on Sunday 27th at 4:30 pm. The full schedule can be viewed at museoalfaromeo.com here and all activities are included in the entrance fee. Reservations are required, by writing an email to info@museoalfaromeo.com.

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