Alfisti from all over Europe at the Alfa Romeo Passion Meeting
06/08/2023
It is not often that hundreds of Alfa Romeos come together for a meeting. But on Saturday, June 3, 2023, 690 Alfas and over 1700 enthusiasts gathered in Jungfrau Park in Matten near Interlaken for this year's "Passion Meeting". The meeting took place for the fifth time. The event celebrated 100 years of Quadrifoglio and 60 years of Autodelta.
Alfa sports cars, limousines and racing cars from various eras were on display in beautiful weather, and the owners were particularly proud to be able to show off their own vehicles to numerous enthusiasts. From the elegant Giulietta SS (Sprint Speciale) to the new Tonale plug-in hybrid, everything was there.
Rarities on the site included a beautiful Alfa Romeo Giulia GTC with left-hand drive, an Alfa Romeo 1900 C Sprint Touring from the first series (1952) and an original Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA, all three cars attracted a lot of attention. Three racing Alfasuds could also be admired in the middle of the forecourt, two of them in the TI version and one in the Sprint version. Beautiful pictures were also taken around the Alfa Romeo 1750 GTAm from Autodelta, as well as of a Gulf-design GTAm parked opposite.
However, it wasn't just about cars in Interlaken, but also about famous Alfa drivers. Arturo Merzario, now 80 years old, handed out autographs and took photos with his fans at the event. The former racing driver drove for the Autodelta/Alfa Romeo team in 1975 and 1977 and won the 1975 Targa Florio with the Tipo 33, among others. These and many other victories made him a racing legend.
In addition to numerous classic cars such as the Alfa 75, the Giulia Super, the GTV and the Spider, many modern Alfas were also on display, such as the Giulietta QV, the Giulia Veloce, the Stelvio and the 4C, as well as an 8C Spider. Several examples of the Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA and GTAm special series, limited to 500 units, were also on site. Younger drivers were also on the road in Alfas such as the 164, 155 and Mito, so there was no shortage of new blood.
Catering was available from the food trucks, and information was provided by exhibitors and sponsors such as Pirelli and Züriring. Some Alfas were awarded prizes from the car care company Sonax. First place for the most beautiful classic car went to the Alfa Romeo 1900 C Sprint Touring from the first series (1952), and one of the two Cup Alfasud TIs from 1976, also known as the Trofeo Alfasud, was awarded a prize for the Alfa with the most beautiful history. This was the original winning car of the first Alfa Romeo one-make cup "Alfasud" with Filippo Niccolini. An Alfa Romeo 4C in the classic "Alitalia" colors was also awarded first place for the most original newtimer.
This year's Alfa Romeo Passion Meeting 2023 was a complete success, so the organizers Marco Kehl, Svetlana Ferraiuolo, Alvaro Battoia and Giosue Viva are already planning with confidence for the 2024 edition.
