Whether you are a fan of Italian cars or not, there should always space in an enthusiast's heart for Alfa Romeo. This year, the legendary brand celebrates its 110th birthday, and although it is not the oldest car brand in the world, it is a real miracle that Alfa survived this long.
During all those years, Alfa survived two world wars, countless recessions, numerous production delays, financial problems, and rumors of poor quality of their vehicles. More than once, rumors circulated the industry that this most excellent Milanese brand is going under. However, every time, Alfa managed to beat the odds and return with even better and faster cars.
But perhaps more than anything, this Milanese giant was celebrated for the gorgeous designs of their cars and the fact that the company made those designs affordable to the general consumer. Alfa Romeos are STILL some of the most gorgeous cars on the road, rivalling even Ferrari.
Today, we will celebrate Alfa Romeo's vitality and courage with a choice of ten best and most beautiful road-going Alfas ever made.
10 Alfa Romeo 8C
Before the Second World War, Alfa was mainly in the business of making and selling race cars. The road-going examples were rare and always expensive, so the production was very limited. Derived from the racing model, their 8C series was introduced in the early '30s, the straight-eight engine first displaced 2.3-liter, which later grew to a 2.9-liter. The famous engine had a lot of power making Alfa 8C was one of the most luxurious sports cars of the era.
9 Alfa Romeo 1900
After the war, Alfa abandoned the luxury sports car philosophy and turned to mass-production. In 1950, they wowed the world with the debut of the Alfa Romeo 1900 sedan, a very advanced vehicle. It had a high-revving twin-cam engine, uni-body construction, modern design, and respectable performance. The Alfa 1900 become very successful and sold in big numbers and had a good racing career like all classic Alfas.
8 Alfa Romeo 1750 GT
The epitome of the classic Alfa sports car is definitely the gorgeous Tipo 105 series, introduced in 1963 and sold through 1977. It was based on the compact Giulia sedan but offered a Bertone-designed coupe body, twin-cam engines, and better performance. It was just the car for the time, and over the years, Alfa managed to sell over 100,000 examples all over the world.
7 Alfa Romeo Spider
If you think that only the British know how to make a legendary roadster, think again. The world-famous Spider debuted in 1966 and immediately became Alfa's best-seller managing to stay in production for an incredible 28 years. With its timeless design and sporty driving dynamics, Spider is still one of the most desirable classic roadsters.
6 Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale
Nobody is really sure how many Stradales were made. Alfa Romeo said they built 18 cars; experts say only 13 were delivered, and test drivers say just nine vehicles were sold to customers. Whatever the case, the 33 Stradale stands as one of the most beautiful cars Alfa has ever built and a testament to the passion and technical excellence this company was always known for.
5 Alfa Romeo Montreal
The '70s recession hit Alfa pretty hard, but Italians didn’t abandon their mission to offer exceptional cars different from anything else on the road. That is why Alfa created the Montreal. Never officially sold in Canada (or America), it had a 2.6-liter, race-derived V8 engine, fantastic styling, and competitive performance. It looked like the Miura, but it was significantly cheaper.
4 Alfa Romeo 164
The '80s marked political and financial troubles in Alfa, but the company continued to deliver new models. By the end of the decade, Alfa introduced the 164, big sedan with front-wheel-drive and full of modern technology. The 164 was a competitor to the BMW 5-Series, and it was the last Alfa Romeo to be sold in the United States until the return of the current Giulia.
3 Alfa Romeo 156
In 1997, Alfa introduced the 156, a compact family sedan with a retro design, a wide range of engines, and a well-designed chassis. It was a smashing hit, at least in Europe, and the market went crazy for this good-looking and dynamic Alfa. After many decades, Alfa finally had a car to compete with BMW, Audi, and Mercedes and once again showed what this legendary company can do if given time and space.
2 Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione
The retro-futuristic movement in the car industry that Alfa started with the 156 model was continued with one most beautiful modern sports cars. The 8C Competizione debuted in 2007 and was sold for just three years. It featured a Ferrari-designed V8 engine, a unique chassis, and a design that was a throwback to legendary 33 Stradale and Giulia Sprint Veloce. Only 1000 cars were made, 500 coupes and 500 convertibles.
1 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio
Faced with very stiff competition, changing market, and a need for a fresh approach, Alfa decided to go all-in with what it knows best – sporty models, great design, and unmistakable Italian charm. The newest Giulia sedan is a celebration of that approach, especially when in the Quadrifoglio trim. With 509 hp from the Ferrari-derived twin-turbo V6 engine and brutal performance, this supersedan guarantees that Alfa will live for another 110 years, at least.