Alfa

As director of the new company was named a promising young engineer Ugo Stella (Ugo Stella), which would develop two engines "24 HP» and «12 HP» for future vehicles. January 1, 1910, it was decided to start production of the first of them, and in June, was founded a new company Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili («Stock car factory Lombardy"), abbreviated as ALFA (alfa - Italian spelling of the word "Alpha").
In a company logo with characters of Milan - a snake (really huge), swallowed a man and a red cross on a white field - the symbols that embody the power of enterprise and which will contribute to the success of the world (see the coat of arms of Milan). Legend has it that the founder of a noble family lombardiyskoy Visconti (Visconti) during the first Crusade killed a Saracen in a duel, which was depicted on a shield, snake devouring a man and a red cross on a white field, reminiscent of the heroic deed of a resident of Milan, the first to establish a cross on the wall of Jerusalem during the First Crusade.


Alpha 24HP
For the design of the first car was invited to Giuseppe Merosi (Giuseppe Merosi), who previously worked at FIAT. His first creation was the model 24HP, speeds up to 100 km / hour. The motor of the car gave out 42 hp. At the same time was released 12HP model with engine capacity 12 hp, will soon be more powerful version of 15HP. After modernization in 1914 she received an index 15/20HP. In the same year the company released the most powerful model with 40/60HP verhneklapannym engine of 6082 cm ³.
In 1915, the management of the company was asked to engineer and entrepreneur Nicola Romeo (Nicola Romeo). It was he who added the prefix to the name of «Romeo». Since all the cars coming out of the factory gate, bear the name of «Alfa Romeo».
The first car with a new name has become a model 20/30HP with engine 4.2 liters and its sports version 20/30ES.
In 1920, Giuseppe Merosi creates a model of RL, the British nicknamed the "small Rolls-Royce». In the same year was its first victory at the world championship racing. In 1923 was created by a race car P1. After success on the race track management decided to establish branches of sports and racing cars. The new department was headed by Vittorio Jano (Vittorio Jano), who had invited for the post of chief branded racing team, a little-known racing driver Enzo Ferrari (Enzo Ferrari). Vittorio Jano adhered to the theory of the introduction of a small engine with a working volume of the "most optimal" power system, develop a high capacity with small dimensions. A few months after joining the Alfa Romeo Vittorio Jano creates a model of P2, which won the world championship in 1925.


Alfa Romeo 6C
Model based on the P2 in 1925, was established road version 6C1500.
Deep links "Alfa Romeo" with Italian banks had nearly led to its collapse on the eve of the economic downturn, when the major shareholders of financial firms have been ruined. Nicola Romeo, a protege of banks, was relieved of his duties as president, Hugo became Odzhetti (Ugo Ojetti), former director of the newspaper "Korriere della Sera» (Corriere della Sera). All of these organizational difficulties have reduced activity in both the manufacturing firm, and in both the sports arena. But she soon made up for lost time. It was decided based on the model 6S1500 organize the production of new series, which is in memory of former president was given the index «NR» (Nicola Romeo). But the real success and popularity came to who was born in 1929 model 6S1750.


Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Scuderia Ferrari
At a time when the whole of Europe was raging economic crisis, the firm quietly worked on the new machines. Long before the first signs of aging 6S1750 Jano undertook the development of a new car. We are talking about another famous model 8S2300, equipped with 8-cylinder engine capacity of 2336 cm ³ with a compressor, develop power 140 hp
1930 was very successful for Alfa Romeo, particularly in the business plan. Besides the focus on motorsport, the company started its struggle to attract customers simple, as all its previous products have been designed for very wealthy clients. Has been completely reorganized our sales department. At the same time opened a representative office in England, France, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Hungary and Czechoslovakia. Their duties included the organization of sales and service of cars, as well as advertising the advantages and achievements in sport Alfa Romeo. The appearance on the highways of Europe new German racing cars made Italian firm quickly upgrade their cars: an improved version with an 8-cylinder engine was 8S2300V index, and soon created a new 8S2900.
In 1929 Enzo Ferrari establish a sports club with the center of Scuderia Ferrari in Modena, whose main objective was to create a professional racing team and participate in racing. By 1933, the Scuderia is the official team of Alfa Romeo. Since his arrival the company has considerably strengthened its position in the sport. Cars Alfa Romeo won the race at Le Mans from 1931 to 1934, the Targa Florio - from 1931 to 1935, and also won the Mille Miglia races from 1931 to 1934, 1936 and 1937.
After passing the first stage of modernization of the standard cars, Ferrari set about creating their own race cars. In the mid-30s had been built a few models - 8-cylinder 8C, 12-cylinder two-engine 12C and even Bi-motore. As they say automotive historians, "they had different success," but to keep growing pressure from the more advanced German machines could not. This has resulted in the resignation of Jan, after the war he continued his work at the company Lancia.
Technical Director took place Spaniard Wilfredo Rikart (Wilfredo Ricart). For all his short life of the Alfa Romeo he was famous for only the ability to conduct lengthy discussions about the future of the company, and as an inheritance left only two race cars, have never taken part in the competitions. It was a model 162 with a V-shaped 16-cylinder 3-liter engine and a model 512 with motor central location. At the same time, Enzo Ferrari won permission from the Director General of the firm to attract talented engineer Gioacchino Colombo (Gioacchino Colombo) to develop a new racing car polutoralitrovogo class. After a while, racing Alfa Romeo 158 was born. In 1939 he began development of the car with 2500. The production of aircraft engines.