The Quadrifoglio logo with the four-leaf clover, the former Autodelta racing department, the iconic Giulia Sprint GT model, engine designer Giuseppe Busso, winning the German Touring Car Championship (DTM) - Alfa Romeo is celebrating numerous anniversaries in 2023. They are among the topics of monthly events at the Museo Alfa Romeo in the Milan suburb of Arese. The factory museum launched this series of so-called backstage conferences four years ago to give fans of the brand exclusive insights behind the scenes and into the company's archives.
Sporty beauties
The cycle begins in January with a day dedicated to the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione. Alfa Romeo presented this super sports car as a world premiere 20 years ago at the IAA in Frankfurt.
The February event focuses on the 40th anniversary of the Alfa Romeo 33, one of the brand's best-selling models.
Motorsport
Spring is all about motorsport. The 60th anniversary of Autodelta is celebrated at the Museo Alfa Romeo. Founded in March 1963 by Carlo Chiti in Udine, the company moved to Settimo Milanese shortly afterwards and from then on operated as the official racing department of Alfa Romeo.
Giuseppe Busso, one of the most important engine designers in Alfa Romeo's history, was born 110 years ago. Among other things, Busso developed the legendary twin-camshaft four-cylinder engine of the Giulia and the famous V6 cylinder of the Alfetta. Alfa Romeo won numerous titles in the European Touring Car Championship with both engines. The engine of the 155 V6 Ti, with which Alfa Romeo won the German Touring Car Championship (DTM) in 1993, is also based on the Busso design.
The four-leaf clover
In July, the Museo Alfa Romeo honors the unmistakable logo of all racing cars and particularly sporty series models of the brand: the four-leaf clover, called Quadrifoglio in Italian. This now 100-year-old symbol of Alfa Romeo's sporting soul first appeared in 1923 on the factory racing car in which Ugo Sivocci won the Targa Florio endurance race on the Mediterranean island of Sicily.
The events in July and August will focus on less explored topics in Alfa Romeo's corporate history: heavy commercial vehicles and production in Brazil. In September, everything revolves around the Alfa Romeo Montreal, a sporty grand tourer with a V8 engine.
Alfa Romeo and Zagato
In October, the theme is the partnership between Alfa Romeo and Carrozzeria Zagato, which gave rise to the TZ sports car in 1963, for example. In November, another milestone from 1963 is celebrated: the presentation of the Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GT. The coupé, usually named "Bertone" for short after its designer, is considered the forerunner of a long line of legendary Alfa Romeos.
At the end of 2023, in December, visitors can explore the situation of Alfa Romeo during the Second World War, when production was relocated from the Milan suburb of Portello to several temporary locations.
These journeys through more than a century of Alfa Romeo history are enriched by the stories and testimonials of former employees, historians, journalists, racing drivers, members of brand clubs and automotive experts. At the 44 backstage conferences held since 2019, around 80 of these experts brought the Museo Alfa Romeo to life together with hundreds of production and racing cars, prototypes and exhibits from the factory archive.
The events, which are free of charge for visitors, are accompanied by a supporting program, including vehicle parades on the museum's own test track.
Further information can be found on the Alfa Museum website.
