History and models
Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo was founded in Milan in 1910 and tied racing to road cars from the start: it won the first World Automobile Championship and the first Formula One World Championship. Its badge, with the cross of Milan and the Visconti serpent, has barely changed in over a century.
Here is its history year by year: the brand’s milestones and the generations of every model Move has in its catalogue, with specs and maintenance plan.
How the Alfa Romeo logo has changed
7 versions of the logo, from the first to today’s.
-
1910–1919
“ALFA” and “MILANO” around the red cross of Milan and the Visconti “biscione”, with two Savoy knots -
1919–1925
Under Nicola Romeo the ring now reads “ALFA-ROMEO” -
1925–1946
A laurel wreath around the badge for the first World Championship -
1946–1950
After the war, a single-colour (red) badge without the Savoy knots -
1950–1972
Colour returns, with “ALFA ROMEO” and “MILANO” -
1972–2015
“Milano” is dropped (with the Alfasud plant in Naples) and the drawing is simplified in 1982 -
2015–today
Badge renewed with the new Giulia: no line between the cross and the serpent
Alfa Romeo models
Each with its generation timeline, specs and maintenance plan.
Giulietta
1954–2020 · 5 generations · 42 versions
Giulia
1962–today · 5 generations · 31 versions
Spider
1966–2010 · 8 generations · 30 versions
Alfasud
1972–1989 · 4 generations · 37 versions
Alfetta
1972–1984 · 3 generations · 20 versions
33
1984–1994 · 3 generations · 20 versions
75
1986–1992 · 2 generations · 17 versions
164
1989–1997 · 2 generations · 9 versions
156
1997–2007 · 3 generations · 48 versions
147
2000–2010 · 2 generations · 28 versions
MiTo
2008–2019 · 3 generations · 25 versions
Alfa Romeo history year by year
The brand’s milestones, its logo changes and the launch of every generation of its models.
The 1910s
A badge with the cross and the serpent
The brand’s badge combines Milan’s two symbols: the city’s red cross and the serpent (“biscione”) of the Visconti family.
A.L.F.A. is founded in Milan
A group of Lombard investors set up the Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili in the former Darracq plant at Portello. Its first car is Giuseppe Merosi’s 24 HP.
Nicola Romeo takes over
Neapolitan businessman Nicola Romeo takes control of the company, which makes military equipment during the First World War.
The 1920s
The cars become Alfa Romeos
As car production resumes after the war, the brand name joins Alfa and Romeo.
First World Championship
The P2 wins the first Automobile World Championship. To celebrate, a laurel wreath is added around the badge.
Enzo Ferrari races Alfas
Enzo Ferrari founds Scuderia Ferrari in Modena, which acts as Alfa Romeo’s racing team through the 1930s.
The 1930s
State ownership
After the 1929 crash, the state holding IRI takes over Alfa Romeo, which remains state-owned until 1986.
The 1940s
The 1950s
First Formula One World Championship
Giuseppe Farina wins the first Formula One World Championship in the 158 “Alfetta”; Juan Manuel Fangio wins in 1951 with the 159. The same year brings the 1900, the first Alfa built on a production line.
The Giulietta
First as the Sprint coupé and a year later as a saloon, the Giulietta brings Alfa Romeo to far more buyers.
The 1960s
The Giulia
A compact saloon with an aerodynamic body and twin-cam engine that spawns a long family of coupés and spiders.
The “Duetto” Spider
Designed by Pininfarina, it stays in production with few fundamental changes until 1993.
The 1970s
Alfasud and a badge without “Milano”
Production of the Alfasud begins at Pomigliano d’Arco, near Naples. As not everything is built in Milan any more, the word “Milano” is dropped from the badge.
The 1980s
The 1990s
The 156, Car of the Year
The 156 saloon wins European Car of the Year and relaunches the brand.
The 2000s
The 2010s
New Giulia and a refreshed badge
On its 105th anniversary it unveils the new rear-wheel-drive Giulia, refreshes its badge and reopens its museum in Arese.
The first SUV: Stelvio
The Stelvio arrives, the brand’s first SUV, built on the Giulia’s underpinnings.
The 2020s
Part of Stellantis
The merger of Fiat Chrysler and Groupe PSA creates Stellantis, which Alfa Romeo becomes part of.
Tonale, the first plug-in hybrid
The compact Tonale SUV brings electrification to the brand, including a plug-in hybrid version.
Junior, the first electric Alfa
Unveiled as the “Milano”, it is renamed Junior after the Italian government objected to it being built outside Italy. It is the first Alfa Romeo with a fully electric version.