Alfa Romeo - an Italian manufacturer of racing cars, sports cars, luxury passenger cars and delivery vans. From 1986, the brand belongs to the FIAT concern.
In 1906, the pioneer of motoring, Alexandre Darracq, established a company selling cars in the town of Portello near Milan, which in 1909 started assembly of Darracq cars in its own factory. Alexandre Darracq fell into financial trouble and in 1910, local entrepreneurs from Lombardy bought his plant, after which he named him Alfa, which was the abbreviation of Anonim Lombard Fabbrica Automobili (Lombardzka Fabryka Samochodów Spółka Akcyjna). During World War I, the authorities forced the plant to undertake military production. In 1918, the factory management was replaced by engineer Nicola Romeo. A second part of the name Alfa Romeo was made from his name.
In 1933, Alfa Romeo was bought by the state organization IRI (Instituto Riconstruzione Industriale), but it retained full autonomy.
For several decades, Alfa Romeo stood out by using engines in the boxer system in the cars it produces. After its acquisition from IRI by FIAT in November 1986, the production of engines of this type was discontinued for reasons of economy.
Among the Alfa Romeo commercial vehicles there were trucks, trolleybuses and vans. In the 1940s and 1950s, trolleybuses Alfa Romeo 110 AF and Alfa Romeo 140 AF. The company also produced Alfa Romeo Matta off-road vehicles.
The brand cars are most often stylized by Carrozzeria Pininfarina.