Carstopics

The History of the Automobile
Early Steam Powered Cars
Old Engraving depicting the 1771 crash of Nicolas Joseph Cugnot's steam-powered car into a stone wall.

More of This Feature
• Part I:Steam Cars • Part 2: Electric Cars • Part 3:The First Gas-Powered Cars • Part 4:The Assembly Line
Related Resources
• More Car History • Car Model History • Car Parts History • History of Steam Engines • Railroads • Car Invention Trivia
By Mary Bellis
The automobile as we know it was not invented in a single day by a single inventor. The history of the automobile reflects an evolution that took place worldwide. It is estimated that over 100,000 patents created the modern automobile. However, we can point to the many firsts that occurred along the way. Starting with the first theoretical plans for a motor vehicle that had been drawn up by both Leonardo da Vinci and Isaac Newton.
In 1769, the very first self-propelled road vehicle was a military tractor invented by French engineer and mechanic, Nicolas Joseph Cugnot (1725 - 1804). Cugnot used a steam engine to power his vehicle, built under his instructions at the Paris Arsenal by mechanic Brezin. It was used by the French Army to haul artillery at a whopping speed of 2 1/2 mph on only three wheels. The vehicle had to stop every ten to fifteen minutes to build up steam power. The steam engine and boiler were separate from the rest of the vehicle and placed in the front (see engraving above). The following year (1770), Cugnot built a steam-powered tricycle that carried four passengers.
In 1771, Cugnot drove one of his road vehicles into a stone wall, making Cugnot the first person to get into a motor vehicle accident. This was the beginning of bad luck for the inventor. After one of Cugnot's patrons died and the other was exiled, the money for Cugnot's road vehicle experiments ended.
Steam engines powered cars by burning fuel that heated water in a boiler, creating steam that expanded and pushed pistons that turned the crankshaft, which then turned the wheels. During the early history of self-propelled vehicles - both road and railroad vehicles were being developed with steam engines. (Cugnot also designed two steam locomotives with engines that never worked well.) Steam engines added so much weight to a vehicle that they proved a poor design for road vehicles; however, steam engines were very successfully used in locomotives. Historians, who accept that early steam-powered road vehicles were automobiles, feel that Nicolas Cugnot was the inventor of the first automobile.
After Cugnot Several Other Inventors Designed Steam-Powered Road Vehicles
Cugnot’s vehicle was improved by Frenchman, Onesiphore Pecqueur, who also invented the first differential gear.
In 1789, the first U.S. patent for a steam-powered land vehicle was granted to Oliver Evans.
In 1801, Richard Trevithick built a road carriage powered by steam - the first in Great Britain.
In Britain, from 1820 to 1840, steam-powered stagecoaches were in regular service. These were later banned from public roads and Britain's railroad system developed as a result.
Steam-driven road tractors (built by Charles Deitz) pulled passenger carriages around Paris and Bordeaux up to 1850.
In the United States, numerous steam coaches were built from 1860 to 1880. Inventors included: Harrison Dyer, Joseph Dixon, Rufus Porter, and William T. James.
Amedee Bollee Sr. built advanced steam cars from 1873 to 1883. The "La Mancelle" built in 1878, had a front-mounted engine, shaft drive to the differential, chain drive to the rear wheels, steering wheel on a vertical shaft and driver's seat behind the engine. The boiler was carried behind the passenger compartment.
In 1871, Dr. J. W. Carhart, professor of physics at Wisconsin State University, and the J. I. Case Company built a working steam car that won a 200-mile race. Early Electric Cars
Steam engines were not the only engines used in early automobiles. Vehicles with electrical engines were also invented. Between 1832 and 1839 (the exact year is uncertain), Robert Anderson of Scotland invented the first electric carriage. Electric cars used rechargeable batteries that powered a small electric motor. The vehicles were heavy, slow, expensive, and needed to stop for recharging frequently. Both steam and electric road vehicles were abandoned in favor of gas-powered vehicles. Electricity found greater success in tramways and streetcars, where a constant supply of electricity was possible.
The History of Electric VehiclesLearn more about the history of electrical vehicles from 1890 to the present.
However, around 1900, electric land vehicles in America outsold all other types of cars. Then in the several years following 1900, sales of electric vehicles took a nosedive as a new type of vehicle came to dominate the consumer market.
Next page > The First Gas Powered Cars

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Abarth
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Abarth & C. Spa

Type
Since 1971 a subsidiary ofFiat S.p.A.
Founded
April 15 1949 in Turin
Headquarters
Turin, Italy
Key people
Karl (Carlo) Abarth - FounderLuca di Montezemolo - PresidentLuca De Meo - CEO
Industry
Automotive
Website
abarth.it

Abarth 695, derived from Fiat 500
Contents
1 History
2 Abarth cars
2.1 Cars produced by Abarth include the following models:
2.2 New cars produced under Abarth & C. S.p.A. (2007 - )
3 See also
4 Notes
5 External links
//

[edit] History
Abarth is an Italian racing car maker founded by Italian-Austrian Karl (Carlo) Abarth in Turin in 1949.[1]
In the 1960s, Abarth & C. S.r.l was quite successful in hillclimbing and sports car racing, mainly in classes from 850cc up to 2000cc, competing with Porsche 904 and Ferrari Dino. Hans Herrmann was a factory driver from 1962 until 1965, winning the 500km Nürburgring in 1963 with Teddy Pilette
Later, Johann Abt was promised by Carlo Abarth that he could drive a factory car for free if he won all the races he entered—which Abt nearly did, winning 29 of 30, the 30th being a second.
Along with its racing cars, Abarth produced high-performance exhaust pipes. Later, Abarth diversified in producing various tuning kits for road vehicles, mainly for Fiat. Abarth was also associated in producing sports or racing cars with Porsche and Simca.[2]
Abarth was sold to Fiat in July 31 1971,[1] and the racing team sold to Enzo Osella. Abarth became the racing department of Fiat, managed by famed engine designer Aurelio Lampredi. Some models built by Fiat or its subsidiaries Lancia and Autobianchi were co-branded Abarth, the most famous being the Autobianchi A112 Abarth. Abarth also prepared Fiat Group's rally cars like Fiat 124 Abarth and 131 Abarth. In the 80s Abarth name was mainly used to mark performance Fiats like Fiat Ritmo Abarth 130 TC. The name was almost forgotten in 1990s and in 2000s it was used like a trim/model level on FIAT cars, like the FIAT Stilo Abarth.
In 2007 Fiat Automobiles SpA relaunched the brand with the Grande Punto Abarth and the Grande Punto Abarth S2000. The brand is to be seen as a separate division to the main Fiat brand in a similar way that the Renault Sport brand is to the mainstream Renault. It is based in the Officine 83, part of the old Mirafiori engineering plant.[3] The company CEO is Luca De Meo, who is also the CEO of Alfa Romeo and Chief Marketing Officer of the Fiat Group.[1][4]

[edit] Abarth cars

Abarth race cars.

Fiat Abarth 1000

1961 Abarth Monomille, rebodied Fiat 600 chassis.[5]

[edit] Cars produced by Abarth include the following models:
Abarth 204A Berlinetta
Alfa Romeo Abarth 2000 Coupe
Abarth 207A Spyder
Porsche 356B Carrera GTL Abarth
Abarth Simca 1300GT
Fiat Abarth 850TC Berlina
FIAT Abarth OT2000 Coupe
FIAT Abarth 1000TCR Berlina
Autobianchi A112 Abarth
Fiat Abarth 595SS
Abarth OT 1300
Abarth Monomille
Abarth 695SS
Fiat Stilo Abarth
Fiat Punto Abarth
Fiat Ritmo 125 TC Abarth
Fiat Ritmo 130 TC Abarth
Fiat 124 Abarth Rally
Fiat 131 Abarth Rally
Fiat Punto Abarth (rally version only)

[edit] New cars produced under Abarth & C. S.p.A. (2007 - )
Abarth Grande Punto (2007)
Abarth Grande Punto SS (2007)
And coming:
Abarth 500
Abarth 500 SS

[edit] See also
List of Formula One constructors

[edit] Notes
^ a b c Abarth wants 100 dealers in Europe. autonews.com. Retrieved on 2008-01-07.
^ Abarth. histomobile.com. Retrieved on 2008-01-22.
^ Abarth's new premises in Turin from duemotori.it (Feb 18, 2008)
^ Press Release. fiatgroup.com. Retrieved on 2008-01-08.
^ The Abarth Monomille. scuderialafortuna.blogspot.com. Retrieved on 2008-01-22.

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:
Abarth vehicles
Official Abarth site
http://www.abarth.be/ : a non commercial website about the Abarth cars of Scuderia La Fortuna
http://www.abarth-gmr.be/ : Abarth works museum - Lier - Belgium
http://www.abarth.com/ : Abarth 695 SS
Abarth at the Open Directory Project
Dutch Abarth Club
Abarth Parts
A112 Abarth Club
http://www.abarth.nl/ Abarth Racing
http://www.puntosports.co.uk/ /Punto Abarth
Abarth Simca 2000 - Photos and Information
v • d • eFiat Group automotive brands
Abarth • Alfa Romeo • Autobianchi • Ferrari • Fiat • Innocenti • Iveco • Lancia • Maserati • CNH GlobalFiat Group Corporate Website
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abarth"
Categories: Fiat Motor vehicle manufacturers of Italy Companies established in 1949 Italian brands Turin motor companies
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A History of Car Logos
all text copyright this website; logos are the property of their respective companies





The Abarth shield shape represents the concept of victory; the red white and green bars were added in recent times to symbolize the Italian origin of these cars. The history of the scorpion in the logo is unknown.

The Alfa Romeo logo represents the coat of arms of the city of Milan and are related to the crusades, hence the cross. On the right, a snake is eating a figure, either a child or a Saracen (depends on who you ask).

The history of the Aston Martin logo is uncertain, if you know anything please email us.

The four rings in the Audi logo represent the four companies of the Auto-Union consortium of 1932 - DKW, Horch, Wanderer, and Audi. The Audi name (latin for "Hear!") disappeared after WWII, but was revived in1965.

The BMW logo is a rounded, stylized representation of a spinning propeller blade (the company build military airplane enginges originally).

Buick's logo originated from the coat of arms of the Buick family (of Scottish origin); a red shield with a checkered silver and azure diagonal line running from the upper left corner of the shield and a gold cross in the lower left corner (the cross had a hole in the center with the red of the shield showing through), and in the upper right corner was an antlered deer head with a jagged neckline. The logo underwent many revisions, then in 1960 the logo was changed to three shields, to represent the three Buick models in production at the time (LeSabre, Invicta, and Electra).

The original Cadillac logo is based on the family crest of the man for whom the company was named, Antoine de La Mothe, Sieyr de Cadillac (though many believe the crest is a fake, concocted for the purposes of the company's logo). The symbolism of the wreath surrounding the crest is uncertain (though the original wreath design was a bouquet of tulipped leaves).

Popular legend has it that the Chevrolet logo was inspired by wallpaper in a French hotel where William C. Durant was staying (the legend says he saw the pattern marching off into infinity as a design on the wallpaper and tore a piece of it off to keep to show to friends and later turn into the company logo). However, his wife says that the bowtie emblem was first seen by her husband in a Virginia newspaper on a vacation around 1912, upon which he told her that the thought it'd be a very good emblem for the Chevrolet (per Chevrolet Pro Management Magazine, October 1986).

The Chrysler logo has undergone quite a few changes over the years; the one shown here is an adaptation of the original medallion logo used on Chrysler cars at its inception in 1925. This logo was brought back to use in 1994, and the pair of silver wings were added after the company merged with Daimler-Benz in 1998. Now that Chrysler's been sold to Cerberus, they're switching back to the Pentastar design, though the cars are still using the logo shown here.

The Citroen car company was founded by Andre Citroen, who got started in the industry by building gear wheels. The two chevrons of their logo is meant to represent gear teeth.

The Cizeta logo portrays a wolf's head, representing the Tiberian she-wolf that fed Romulus and Remus, the orphaned children of Mars who founded Rome. The blue and yellow colors are the colors of Modena, Italy (where the company was founded, though it's since moved to California). The word 'Cizeta' is the founders's initials, when spoken in Italian (his name was Claudio Zampolli).

The modern Corvette logo is a variation of that designed by Robert Bartholomew (an interior designer at Chevrolet) in 1953. It features two flags, one a checkered flag and the other one featuring to icons, a Chevrolet bowtie logo and a fleur-de-lis. The fleur-de-lis was chosen since Chevrolet was a French name, and a fleur-de-lis is a French symbol meaning peace and purity.

The origin of the Daewoo logo is uncertain, though our research indicates the three branches may be reprsentative of an image the company was striving for - growth as an automaker, stability in all the operations, and trust between company and customers. If you know more, please email us!

The Dodge Ram logo first appeared as a hood ornament in the 1930s, used on both trucks and cars. The Ram was chosen for the image it portrays - sure-footed, King of the Trail.

The prancing horse featured on the Ferrari logo was the emblem of Italian WWII flying ace Fancesco Baracca, whose parents persuaded Enzo Ferrari to use the symbol of their late son for his Alfa Romeo race cars. When Ferrari later started his own car company, he continued use of this logo.

In 1982, the Uno was the first Fiat to wear the new five-bar logo. Legend has it that Fiat design lead Mario Maioli was driving past the factory at night during a power outage, and saw the giant Fiat logo against the fading sky. He sketched what he saw; the spaces between the letters represents the light he could see between the letters of the sign.

Henry Ford's right-hand-man, Harold Wills, printed business cars to earn money as a teen, and when Mr. Ford needed a logo, Wills pulled out his old printing set and used a font that he had used for his own cards. The oval was added in 1912, and blue was added for the Model A in 1927.

The Infiniti logo is derived from the symbol for infinity, not surprisingly. The concept of the open road and traveling toward infinity was one the company wanted the customer to feel. The logo also suggest Mt. Fuji.

Originally the Swallow Sidecar Company, Jaguar gained its new name in 1945, though why this particular animal was chosen is uncertain (though it makes a much better hood ornament than a swallow...). It's thought the leaping jaguar is meant to represent the speed, power, and quickness of the cars.

The phantom insignia on the Koenigsegg logo is a tribute to the Swedish air force squadron that operates out of the airbase where Koenigsegg's factory is also located (they use the ghost as their emblem).

The founder of Lamborghini, Ferrucio Lamborghini, had a passion of bull fighting, as evidenced by the logo chosen for his car company - a charging bull. Mr. Lamborghini also carried this theme over to the names of his cars, almost all of which were named after eithera breed of fighting bull or a paritcular bull.

The origin of the Lancia logo is uncertain. If you know anything about it, please email us!

The letters at the top of the Lotus logo are the initials of Lotus' founder, Anthony Colin Bruce Chapman. It's unknown why he chose the name 'Lotus' for his car company. The green background is British Racing Green, the color of British cars in his day. The yellow background symbolizes the sunny days Mr. Chapman hoped lay ahead for his company.

The trident prominent in the Maserati logo is the traditional symbol for Bologna, where the cars were originally made (they're now built in nearby Modena).

Rei Yoshimara, a world-renowned corporate image-creator, designed the Mazda logo. The 'V' represents wings outstretched.

The three pointed star of Mercedes' logo represents their domination of land, sea, and air. First used on a Daimler in 1909, a laurel wreath was added in 1926 to signify the union with Benz, and was later simplified to the current logo design in 1937.

Some believe that the Mitsubishi logo represents a ship's propellers (Mitsuibishi was involved in shipbuilding early in the company's existence). However, a more commonly accepted explanation is that the logo is formed by the joining of two family emblems and does not represent any part of a ship.

The origin of the Morgan Motor Company's logo is uncertain, though the wings may be inspired by a flying ace of the First World War, Captain Ball, who said that to drive a Morgan three-wheeler as the nearest thing to flying on the ground. If you know more about this log, please email us!

Interesting, the modern day Opel logo originally featured a slylized dirigible airship inside the 'O', representing German engineering expertise (this was from 1937 to 1947). It since evolved, into a stlized airplane from 1954 to 1964, and then to today's lightning bolt in 1964.

The origin of the Pagani logo is uncertain; if you know anything about this please email us.

The Panoz logo was designed by company founder Daniel Panoz. The red, white, and blue colors represent the fact that Panoz is an American company, while the swirls are a tribute to the integration of balance and symmetry represented by the Yin-Yang symbol. The shamrock in the middle reflects the company's, and the founder's, Irish roots.

One of the earliest Puegeot models was built in the city of Belfort, whose emblem was the lion. The car was thus known as a Lion-Peugeot, and adopted the Belfort city emblem.

The Pontiac logo represents an arrowhead. This logo was introduced in 1958, replacing the Indian Chief head silhouette emblem used since 1928.

The Porsche badge is the coat of arms of the city of Stuttgart (where the cars are built). The city was built on the site of a stud farm, which explains the horse in the coat of arms; the antlers and red and black stripes are part of the arms of the Kingdom of Wurttemberg.

The Renault diamond logo was first used in 1924 (it was previously circular), and had a very functional purpose originally - the center of the badge was cut out to allow sound from the horn, positioned directly behind, to escape.

The Rover logo represents a Viking ship, a link between the meaning of 'Rover' (to wander about) and the Vikings, which did very much the same thing albeit via the oceans rather than land.

The Saab logo shown here, introduced in 2000, is an evolution of the design introduced in 1987 (the company used only a text logo until then). Designed by artist Carl Fredik Reutersward, the original logo depicted a mythological beast Gripen (a griffen). The Gripen head is derived from the coat of arms of Count von Skane, which was used as the symbol for the Swedish province of Skane, where Saab was formed.

The history of the Scion logo is uncertain, though there's an apparent 'S' cutting verticall through the center of the logo.

The history of the Seat logo is uncertain, though it's obviously meant to represent an 'S'.

The Skoda logo is a winged arrow, but has no apparent significance (other than to give the impression of speed).

Apart from the Smart name (all lowercase), the Smart logo features a 'C' for 'Compact', and an arrow for 'forward thinking'.

After building aircraft engines for WWI, Spyker introduced a variant of the logo shown here as it returned to building cars; the logo features a spoke wheel with a horizontal propeller across.

Subaru is the first Japanese company to use a name derived from its own language, and that name is reflected in its logo. The name refers to a group of six stars in the constellation of Taurus (we refer to them as the Pleiades).

The origin of the Tesla Motors logo is uncertain, though it obviously features a 'T'.

The Toyota logo is comprised of three ellipses, representing the heart of the customer, the heart of the product, and the ever expanding technological advancements and opportunities that lie ahead. Another interpretation is that it represents the three interlocking aspects of the culture of the company - freedom, team spirit, and progress. Also, in Japanese 'Toyo' means an abundance of, and 'ta' is rice. In some Asian cultures, those blessed with an abundance of rice are believe to be blessed with great wealth.

The Vauxhall emblem features a Griffen (a lion with an eagle's head), from Fulk le Breant's coat of arms (though note that many believed it to be a Wyvern, but a close exaimination of their logos through history showed a bushy tail and thus it must be a Griffen). Mr. le Breant was a mercenary employed by King John in the 13th century; granted nobility status as a reward for his service, and the land he acquired became known as Fulks Hall. Over time, the name of the land changed, first to Foxhall, then Vaux Hall, and eventually just Vauxhall.

The history of the Vector Aeromotive Corporation logo is uncertain, though appears to be an inverted 'V'.

The modern day Venturi logo was chosen in 1989, and represents a gerfalcon (the world's fastest animal, clocked in excess of 280km/hr in a vertical dive), set on a glove, which symbolizes mastery. Above the gerfalcon is the sun of the region Loire. The oval is a remnan of the original logo. The 'V' shape is in tribute to the region of France, "Pays de Loire", as the 'V' represents a shield bearing its coat of arms.

The Volkswagen logo is simple, but the name has an interesting meaning - in German, it translates as the "Peoples' Car".

Volvo means 'I Roll' in Latin, and the circle/arrow logo is the conventional map sysmbol for steel (which for a long time was Sweden's most famous industry). That circle/arrow symbol isn't arbitray, it represents the shield and spear of Mars, also the alchemical symbol for iron.

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Alfa Romeo
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A.

Type
Since 1986 a subsidiary ofFiat S.p.A.
Founded
24 June 1910 in Milan
Headquarters
Turin, Italy
Key people
Luca di Montezemolo - PresidentLuca De Meo - CEO
Industry
Automotive
Products
147159BreraSpiderGT8C Competizione8C SpiderMi.To
Website
http://www.alfaromeo.com/
Alfa Romeo is an Italian automobile manufacturer founded in 1910. Alfa Romeo has been a part of the Fiat Group since 1986. The company was originally known as A.L.F.A., which is an acronym for Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili (translated: Lombard Automobile Factory, Public Company).
Contents
1 History
1.1 Foundation and early years
1.2 Post war
2 The history of the Alfa Romeo badge
3 Racing history
4 Alfa Romeo in popular culture
5 Production
5.1 Right-hand drive production post-1960
5.2 Return to the United States
6 Automotive
6.1 Current models
6.1.1 Alfa Romeo 147
6.1.2 Alfa Romeo 159
6.1.3 Alfa Romeo GT
6.1.4 Alfa Romeo Brera
6.1.5 Alfa Romeo Spider
6.1.6 Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione
6.2 Future models
6.3 Historic models
6.4 Concepts
7 Other production
7.1 Aircraft engines
7.2 Trucks, light commercial vehicles
7.2.1 LCVs
7.2.2 Trucks
7.2.3 Buses
7.2.4 Trolleybuses
8 See also
9 Footnotes
10 External links
//

[edit] History

[edit] Foundation and early years
The company that became Alfa Romeo was founded as Società Anonima Italiana Darracq (SAID) in 1906 by the French automobile firm of Alexandre Darracq, with some Italian investors. One of them, Cavaliere Ugo Stella, an aristocrat from Milan, became chairman of the SAID in 1909 [1]. The firm's initial location was in Naples, but even before the construction of the planned factory had started, Darracq decided late 1906 that Milan would be a more suitable location and accordingly a trait of land was acquired in the Milan suburb of Portello, where a new factory of 6700m² was erected. Late 1909, the Italian Darracq cars were selling slowly and Stella, with the other Italian co-investors, founded a new company named A.L.F.A. (Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili), initially still in partnership with Darracq. The first non-Darracq car produced by company was the 1910 24 HP, designed by Giuseppe Merosi, hired in 1909 for designing new cars more suitable to the Italian market. Merosi would go on to design a series of new ALFA cars with more powerful engines (40-60 HP). ALFA also ventured into motor racing, drivers Franchini and Ronzoni competing in the 1911 Targa Florio with two 24 HP models. In 1914, an advanced Grand Prix car was designed and built, the GP1914 which featured a four cylinder, double overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder and twin ignition[2]. However, the onset of World War I halted automobile production at ALFA for three years.

24 HP (1910)

6C 2300B Touring (1934)

8C 2900B Touring Spider (1937)

1900 SS Ghia (1954)
In August 1915 the company came under the direction of Neapolitan entrepreneur Nicola Romeo, who converted the factory to produce military hardware for the Italian and Allied war efforts. Munitions, aircraft engines and other components, compressors and generators based on the company's existing car engines were produced in a vastly enlarged factory during the war. When the war was over, Romeo invested his war profits in acquiring locomotive and railways carriage plants in Saronno (Costruzioni Meccaniche di Saronno), Rome (Officine Meccaniche di Roma) and Naples (Officine Ferroviarie Meridionali), which were added to his A.L.F.A. ownership. Car production had not been considered at first, but resumed in 1919 since parts for the completion of 105 cars were still lying at the ALFA factory since 1915 [1]. In 1920, the name of the company was changed to Alfa Romeo with the Torpedo 20-30 HP becoming the first car to be badged as such.[3]Their first success came in 1920 when Giuseppe Campari won at Mugello and continued with second place in the Targa Florio driven by Enzo Ferrari. Giuseppe Merosi continued as head designer, and the company continued to produce solid road cars as well as successful race cars (including the 40-60 HP and the RL Targa Florio).
In 1923 Vittorio Jano was lured away from Fiat, partly thanks to the persuasion of a young Alfa racing driver named Enzo Ferrari, to replace Merosi as chief designer at Alfa Romeo. The first Alfa Romeo under Jano was the P2 Grand Prix car, which won Alfa Romeo the inaugural world championship for Grand Prix cars in 1925. For Alfa road cars Jano developed a series of small-to-medium-displacement 4, 6, and 8 cylinder inline power plants based on the P2 unit that established the classic architecture of Alfa engines, with light alloy construction, hemispherical combustion chambers, centrally-located plugs, two rows of overhead valves per cylinder bank and dual overhead cams. Jano's designs proved to be both reliable and powerful.
Enzo Ferrari proved to be a better team manager than driver, and when the factory team was privatised, it then became Scuderia Ferrari. When Ferrari left Alfa Romeo, he went on to build his own cars. Tazio Nuvolari often drove for Alfa, winning many races prior to WWII.
In 1928 Nicola Romeo left, with Alfa going broke after defense contracts ended, and in the end of 1932 Alfa Romeo was rescued by the government,[3] which then had effective control. Alfa became an instrument of Mussolini's Italy, a national emblem. During this period Alfa Romeo built bespoke vehicles for the wealthy, with the bodies normally built by Touring of Milan or Pininfarina. This was the era that peaked with the legendary Alfa Romeo 2900B Type 35 racers.
The Alfa factory (converted during wartime to the production of Macchi C.202 Folgore engines) was bombed during World War II, and struggled to return to profitability after the war. The luxury vehicles were out. Smaller mass-produced vehicles began to be produced in Alfa's factories beginning with the 1954 model year, with the introduction of the Giulietta series of berline (saloons/sedans), coupes and open two-seaters. All three varieties shared what would become the classic Alfa Romeo Twin Cam engine, initially in 1300 cc form. This engine would eventually be enlarged to just under 2 liters (1962 cc) and would remain in production through 1995.

[edit] Post war
Once motorsports resumed after World War II, Alfa Romeo proved to be the car to beat in Grand Prix events. The introduction of the new formula (Formula One) for single-seat racing cars provided an ideal setting for Alfa Romeo's tipo 158 Alfetta, adapted from a pre-war voiturette, and Giuseppe Farina won the first Formula One World Championship in 1950 in the 158. Juan Manuel Fangio secured Alfa's second consecutive championship in 1951. During the 1960s, Alfa concentrated on competition using production-based cars, including the GTA (standing for Gran Turismo Allegerita), an aluminium-bodied version of the Bertone-designed coupe with a powerful twin-plug engine. Among other victories, the GTA won the inaugural Sports Car Club of America's Trans-Am championship in 1966. In the 1970s, Alfa concentrated on prototype sports car racing with the Tipo 33, with early victories in 1971. Eventually the Tipo 33TT12 gained the World Championship for Makes for Alfa Romeo in 1975 and the Tipo 33SC12 won the World Championship for Sports Cars in 1977.
By the 1970s Alfa was again in financial trouble. The Italian government company Finmeccanica bowed out in 1986 as Fiat Group bought in, creating a new group, Alfa Lancia Industriale S.p.A.,[3] to manufacture Alfas and Lancias. Models produced subsequent to the 1990s combined Alfa's traditional virtues of avant-garde styling and sporting panache with the economic benefits of product rationalisation, and include a "GTA" version of the 147 hatchback, the Giugiaro-designed Brera, and a high-performance exotic called the 8C Competizione (named after one of Alfa's most successful prewar sports and racing cars, the 8C of the 1930s).
In 2005 Maserati was bought back from Ferrari and brought under Fiat's full control. The Fiat Group plans to create a sports and luxury division from Maserati and Alfa Romeo.[4] There is a planned strategic relationship between these two; engines, platforms and possibly dealers will be shared in some market areas.[5]
In the beginning of 2007, Fiat Auto S.p.A. was reorganizated and four new automobile companies were created; Fiat Automobiles S.p.A., Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A., Lancia Automobiles S.p.A. and Fiat Light Commercial Vehicles S.p.A. These companies are fully owned by Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A.[6]

[edit] The history of the Alfa Romeo badge

The Alfa Romeo badge
In 1910 a draughtsman named Romano Cattaneo was given the job of coming up with a badge for a new Milan-based company, ALFA. The story goes that as he was waiting for a tram at the Piazza Castello terminus in Milan, he gained inspiration from the great Visconti family's red cross and biscione (human child-bearing serpent) coat of arms emblazoned over the great door of Castello Sforzesco.
In 1918 after the company was purchased by Nicola Romeo, the badge was redesigned with the help of Giuseppe Merosi, including now the City of Milan's emblem and that of the Visconti family in a circular motif, bordered by a dark blue metallic ring containing the inscription "ALFA - ROMEO" and "MILANO" separated by two Savoy dynasty knots to honour the Kingdom of Italy.
After the victory of the P2 in the inaugural Automobile World Championship in 1925, Alfa added a laurel wreath around the logo.
In 1946 after the victory of the Italian Republic Savoy knots were replaced with two curvy lines.
The name "MILANO", the hyphen and the Savoy knots (lines) were eliminated when Alfa Romeo opened the factory at Pomigliano d'Arco, Naples in early 1970s.

[edit] Racing history
Main article: Alfa Romeo in motorsport
Alfa Romeo has been always involved with motor racing. In the 1920s and 30s Alfa Romeo scored wins at many of the most famous and prestigious races and motoring events such as Targa Florio, Mille Miglia and Le Mans. Great success continued with Formula 1, Prototypes, Touring and Fast Touring. Private drivers also entered some rally competitions, with fine results. Alfa Romeo has competed both as a constructor and an engine supplier, via works entries Alfa Corse, Autodelta and private entries. Today Alfa Romeo is active in different Touring car series and the new Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione is planned to take part to Le Mans GT2 class in the near future.[7]

[edit] Alfa Romeo in popular culture

"Panther" Alfa Giulia Super
In the 1960s Alfa Romeo became famous for its small cars and models specifically designed for the Italian police — "Panthers" and Carabinieri; among them the glorious "Giulia Super" or the 2600 Sprint GT, which acquired the expressive nickname of "Inseguimento" (this car is wrongly supposed to be the one that the famous Roman police marshal and unrivalled driver Armandino Spadafora brought down on the Spanish Steps in 1960 while following some robbers - it was actually a black Ferrari 250 GT/E - this picture of Giulia [1], one of the dozens about this legend, is taken from a movie and not at the Spanish Steps).
Before being bought by Fiat, Alfa Romeo always had a daring commercial policy, constantly experimenting with new solutions and using them in its series production, even at the risk of losing market share. Alfa often used controversial and unorthodox styling too, which often challenged assumptions about styling.
In a British sales brochure:
The Alfa Romeo Giulia 1600 SS - For the man who has everything, here is the car to keep him company. ... The price is GBP 2394.1.3 including tax. Expensive? Naturally! What else would you expect a hand-built Alfa to be? [2]
It represented those makes of cars that permitted sporty driving on common roads, provided the driver was enthusiastic enough to appreciate their particular "sound".
In Italian the owner of an Alfa Romeo is an "Alfista", and a group of them are "Alfisti". Alfa Romeo is sometimes worshipped by its owners, and many models have become cultural symbols. There are many thriving Alfa Romeo owners clubs and Alfa Romeo Model Registers.

Dustin Hoffman's Spider runs out of gas in The Graduate.
In 1967 the famous Dustin Hoffman film The Graduate gave worldwide unforgettable celebrity to the "Spider" (best known by the Italian nickname of "Duetto", or as "Osso di Seppia," meaning "cuttlefish bone," or Round-tail), and its unique shape [3]. The Spider was designed by Pininfarina; derived from several design studies dating back to the late 1950s, the Spider is believed to be the last design on which Battista Farina personally worked.
Also James Bond (Roger Moore) used an Alfa Romeo, the GTV6 in 1983's Octopussy, where he is pursued by two Bavarian BMW police cars.
In the television crime film series Ein Fall für Zwei ("a case for two", over 250 episodes made so far), the leading actor Claus Theo Gärtner, who plays the role of the private detective Josef Matula, has always been driving Alfa Romeo, starting from Giulia Super to the latest Alfa Romeo models.
Alfa Romeo had also "role" in other German detective serie Kommissar Rex (Inspector Rex). At the beginning Tobias Moretti drove a 155 and later Gedeon Burkhard drove 166.
Michael Corleone (Al Pacino) in The Godfather, drove a magnificent, black Alfa Romeo 6C while in exile in Sicily. This was actually the car that was booby-trapped and explodes with Apollonia, his Sicilian wife, in it toward the end of the movie.
John Malkovich, as Tom Ripley, in Ripley's Game, drives a red Alfa Romeo 156 Sportwagon.
Edward Fox, as the Jackal, in 1973's The Day of the Jackal drives a white Giulietta Spider. He repaints the car blue in a rented garage to avoid police, then crashes the car.
Giulietta Masina in Fellini's Juliet of the Spirits is courted by a "Romeo" in a Giulietta (Spider), a double play on words.
Alfa Romeo Giulias appear as Polizia cars in the 1969 movie The Italian Job. During the chase in Turin they all suffer some sort of fate, from breaking down on top of a building to being washed away by a weir.
Alfa Romeo motorcars are recognised by all Motor enthusiasts as being the first "supercar", with the term being coined in the 1920s by a British journalist to describe an Alfa Romeo. Some notable owners include Beppe Carletti (Musician), Jeremy Christian (Track Driver), Jeremy Clarkson (Motoring Journalist), Alex Hucksley (Actor), Roger Moore (Actor) and Michael Schumacher (F1 Driver).
In Dan Brown's novel Angels & Demons, the members of the Swiss Guard all drive Alfa Romeo sedans.

[edit] Production
Until the 1980s, Alfa Romeos, except for the Alfasud, were rear-wheel-drive.
According to the current Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne in order to reap economies of scale, all new Alfa Romeo models will be made from the same basic platform (i.e., frame). Even Maserati will share components with some Alfas.[8]

Quadrifoglio badge on the Alfetta 159
Cloverleaf, or Quadrifoglio, badges denote high-end in comfort and engine size variants of Alfa Romeo cars, but previously denoted Alfa Romeo racing cars in the pre-Second-World-War era. The image first appeared in 1923 when Ugo Sivocci presented one prior to the start of the 14th Targa Florio as a good luck token to the team. This became the symbol of competition Alfas, denoting higher performance. Some modern Alfas wear a cloverleaf badge which is typically a green four leaf clover on a white background (Quadrifoglio Verde), but variants of blue on white have been recently observed as well.
The Alfettas of the early 1980s had models available sold as the "Silver Leaf" and "Gold Leaf" (Quadrifoglio Oro). These models were the top of the range. Badging was the Alfa Cloverleaf in either gold or silver to denote the specification level. The Gold Leaf model was also sold as the "159i" in some markets, the name in homage to the original 159.
The trim levels (option packages) offered today on the various nameplates (model lines) include the lusso ("luxury"), turismo ("touring"), and the GTA (gran tourismo alleggerita ("light-weight grand tourer"). The GTA package is offered in the 147 and 156 and includes a V-6 engine. In the past, Alfa Romeo offered a Sprint (from Italian sprintare, "to accelerate fast") trim level.
In 1989, Alfa Romeo moved car production to other districts in Italy. The Pomigliano d’Arco plant produced the 155, followed by the 145 and the 146, while Arese manufactured the new Spider and GTV. The 156 was launched in 1997, and became quite successful for Alfa Romeo; in 1998 it was voted “Car of the Year”. The same year a new flagship, the 166, was launched. At the beginning of the third millennium, the 147 was released, which won the prestigious title of “Car of the Year 2001”.
The 155, 156, and GTV/Spider are no longer produced. The GTV/Spider was made in limited numbers, and is still a sought after model.
The Arese factory today hosts almost nothing and is nearly abandoned. What remains are some offices and the great Alfa Romeo Historical Museum, a must-see for Alfa Romeo fans.

[edit] Right-hand drive production post-1960
In the 60s, the main Alfa Romeo seat was moved from inside Milan to a very large and nearby area extending over the municipalities of Arese, Lainate and Garbagnate Milanese. However, since then the Alfa seat is known to be in Arese, since the offices and the main entrance of the area are there.
In 1968, Alfa Romeo, a virtually unknown brand within the UK was brought to life at Mangoletsi in Knutsford, Cheshire. (What? Who wrote this? What about Mario Tozzi-Condivi's contribution?).
In the late 1960s, a number of European automobile manufacturers established facilities in South Africa to assemble right hand drive vehicles. Fiat and other Italian manufacturers established factories along with these other manufacturers, Alfa-Romeos were assembled in Brits, outside of Pretoria in the Transvaal Province of South Africa. With the imposition of sanctions by western powers in the 1970s and 1980s, South Africa became self sufficient, and in car production came to rely more and more on the products from local factories. This led to a remarkable set of circumstances where between 1972 and 1989, South Africa had the greatest number of Alfa Romeos on the road outside of Italy.

[edit] Return to the United States
In 1995 Alfa Romeo ceased exporting cars to the United States, the last model to be sold being the 164. Rumors began of their return, however as the FAQ on Alfa's English website had said "The long-awaited return of Alfa Romeo to the United States market should take place by 2007, with a range of new models."
Alfa Romeo's return to United States was confirmed on May 5 2006 by Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne. It will begin in 2008, by selling the 8C Competizione. In late 2009, Alfa Romeo will release the 159, Brera, and Spider after they receive a mid-life styling and technical refreshening. It is anticipated that a year or two later will see the introduction of the Kamal SUV, 169, and possibly the B-segment Mi.To (as a competitor for the MINI Cooper). Alfa Romeos will be sold at Maserati dealers throughout United States.[9]

[edit] Automotive

147

[edit] Current models

[edit] Alfa Romeo 147
Main article: Alfa Romeo 147
A small family car produced by Italian automaker Alfa Romeo since 2000. It is based on the running gear of the larger 156 saloon, which was in production from 1997 to 2005. Most powerful GTA version uses traditional name used on the Alfa Romeo GTA.
It will be replaced with 149 in 2009.

159 Sportwagon

[edit] Alfa Romeo 159
Main article: Alfa Romeo 159
Current mid-size saloon, introduced in production form at the 2005 Geneva Motor Show. The 159 is available with four different gasoline engines and three diesels. 159 Sportwagon is an estate version of this car. Was launched in 2005 to replace the 156.

GT

[edit] Alfa Romeo GT
Main article: Alfa Romeo GT
Front wheel drive small Bertone-designed coupe. The GT was introduced in 2004 and is based on the 156 saloon, which ceased production the following year. Engine options include two petrol (1.8L, 2.0L, 3.2L V6 is discontinued) and one diesel (1.9L) version. Interior is based heavily on the 147.

Brera

[edit] Alfa Romeo Brera
Main article: Alfa Romeo Brera
The car is a 2+2 coupe designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and manufactured by Pininfarina. It was originally introduced as a concept car at the 2002 Geneva Motor Show, and was launched in 2005 as successor to the decade-old GTV. The production version maintained the exterior appearance almost exactly but on a smaller scale.

Spider

[edit] Alfa Romeo Spider
Main article: Alfa Romeo Spider
A roadster variant of Brera coupe was introduced at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show. The car replaced the Spider 916 model, introduced in 1995. Pininfarina assembles this car alongside the Brera in San Giorgio Canavese, Italy.

8C Competizione

[edit] Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione
Main article: Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione
Limited edition supercar (500) presented as a concept car at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show and later released for sale for the 2007 model year. The car uses a Ferrari/Maserati-derived V8 engine, producing 450 horsepower.

[edit] Future models
Alfa Romeo Mi.To (Expected-2008 Q3)[10]
Alfa Romeo 149 (Expected-2009)
Alfa Romeo 169 (Expected-2010)
C Crossover (Expected-2010)

[edit] Historic models

6C Gran Sport (1931)

8C 2300 (1931)

2600 Touring Spider (1961)

GT Junior (1965)

GTV6 (1980)

Spider (1992)

156 (1997)
Alfa Romeo Cars
1910
1910-1920 24 HP1910-1911 12 HP1911-1920 15 HP1913-1922 40-60 HP
1920
1921-1922 20-30 HP1920-1921 G11921-1921 G21922-1927 RL1923-1925 RM1927-1929 6C 15001929-1933 6C 1750
1930
1931-1934 8C 23001933-1933 6C 19001934-1937 6C 23001935-1939 8C 2900
1940
1938-1950 1581939-1950 6C 2500
1950
1950-1958 19001951-1953 158/1591951-1953 Matta1954-1962 Giulietta1958-1962 20001959-1964 Dauphine
1960
1962-1968 26001962-1976 Giulia Saloon1963-1967 Giulia TZ1963-1977 Giulia Sprint1965-1967 Gran Sport Quattroruote1965-1971 GTA1966-1993 Giulia Spider1967-1969 33 Stradale1967-1977 1750/2000 Berlina
1970
1970-1977 Montreal1972-1983 Alfasud1972-1984 Alfetta saloon1974-1987 Alfetta GT/GTV1976-1989 Alfasud Sprint1977-1985 Nuova Giulietta1979-1986 Alfa 6
1980
1983-1994 331984-1987 Arna1984-1987 901985-1992 751987-1998 1641989-1993 SZ/RZ
1990
1992-1998 1551994-2000 1451994-2000 1461995-2006 GTV/Spider1997-2005 1561998-2007 166

[edit] Concepts
Main article: Alfa Romeo concept cars
Design has always played a large role in the history of Alfa Romeo. There have been many Alfa Romeo concept cars, often made by famous design houses and designers. The BAT series of concepts from the 1950s was a joint collaboration project with the Italian design house Bertone. Other famous Italian coachbuilders and design houses like Pininfarina, Bertone, Zagato and ItalDesign-Giugiaro have also played a great role in Alfa Romeo's history, and even today some of models are designed and constructed by these great names.

[edit] Other production

[edit] Aircraft engines
An Alfa engine was first used on an aircraft in 1910 on the Santoni-Franchini biplane. [11] In 1932 Alfa Romeo built it's first real aircraft engine the D2 (240 bhp), which was fitted to Caproni 101 D2. In the 1930s when Alfa Romeo engines were used for aircraft on a larger scale; the Savoia Marchetti SM.74, Savoia-Marchetti SM.75, Savoia-Marchetti SM.79, Savoia Marchetti SM.81 and Cant Z506B Airone all used Alfa Romeo manufactured engines.[12]In 1931, a competition was arranged where Tazio Nuvolari drove his Alfa Romeo 8C 3000 Monza against a Caproni Ca.100 airplane[13]; the car won. Alfa Romeo built various aircraft engines during World War II; the best known was the RA.1000 RC 41-I Monsone, a licensed version of the Daimler-Benz DB 601. This engine made it possible to build efficient fighter aircraft like the Macchi C.202 Folgore for the Italian army. After World War II Alfa Romeo produced engines for Fiat, Aerfer and Ambrosini. In the 1960s Alfa Romeo mainly focused upgrading and maintaining Curtiss-Wright, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce and General Electric aircraft engines. Alfa Romeo built also Italy's first turbine engine, installed to the Beechcraft King Air. Alfa Romeo's Avio division was sold to Aeritalia in 1988,[14] from 1996 it was part of Fiat Avio.[15]

[edit] Trucks, light commercial vehicles

Romeo2

Romeo2 LCV
In 1930 Alfa Romeo presented a light truck in addition to heavy LCVs based to Büssing constructions.[16]In the Second World War Alfa Romeo also built trucks for the Italian army ("35 tons anywhere") and later also for the German Wehrmacht. After the war, commercial motor vehicle production was resumed. In co-operation with FIAT and Saviem starting from the 60s different light truck models were developed. The production of heavy LCVs was terminated in 1967. In Brazil the heavy trucks were built still few years under the name FNM (Fábrica Nacional de Motores). Last Alfa Romeo vans were Alfa Romeo AR6 and AR8, which were rebadged versions of Iveco Daily and Fiat Ducato. The company also produced trolleybuses, which were used by many cities in Italy. Later, Alfa Romeo concentrated only on passenger car manufacturing.

[edit] LCVs
Romeo (1954-1958)
Romeo 2 (until 1966)
Romeo 3 (1966)
A11/F11
A12/F12 (until 1983)
AR8 (based on first generation Iveco Daily)
AR6 (based on first generation Fiat Ducato)

[edit] Trucks
Alfa Romeo 430 (1942-1950)[17]
Alfa Romeo 500
Alfa Romeo 800 (1940-1943)[17]
Alfa Romeo 900
Alfa Romeo 950
Alfa Romeo Mille (Alfa Romeo 1000)
Alfa Romeo A19n (Saviem license)

[edit] Buses
Alfa Romeo 900
Alfa Romeo 950
Alfa Romeo Mille (Alfa Romeo 1000)

[edit] Trolleybuses
Alfa Romeo 110AF (1938)
Alfa Romeo 140AF (1949)
Alfa Romeo 900
Alfa Romeo Mille (Alfa Romeo 1000)

[edit] See also
Category:Alfa Romeo engines
List of Formula One constructors
List of aircraft engines

[edit] Footnotes
^ a b P. Italiano: 'Story of the Alfa Romeo factory and plants : part 1 the early Portello'. AISA. Retrieved on 2008-04-14.
^ Fusi, Luigi, Le Alfa di Romeo e Merosi, Edizione Dimensione S, Milan, 1985
^ a b c Alfa Romeo History/The Company. alfaromeo.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-02.
^ News 12.07.2005. italiaspeed.com.. Retrieved on 2007-05-02.
^ Press release April 1, 2005. fiatgroup.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-02.
^ Press release 23/01/2007. fiatautopress.com. Retrieved on 2007-05-02.
^ Racing news 20.12.2006. italiaspeed.com. Retrieved on 2007-04-25.
^ "Saving Fiat", The Economist, December 3, 2005, p. 64, vol. 377.
^ Latest News 07/13/06. autoweek.com. Retrieved on 2007-04-25.
^ Fiat Group presentation November 15-16, 2007, page 23. www.fiatgroup.com/comuni. Retrieved on 2007-11-17.
^ Borgeson, Griffith. The Alfa Romeo Tradition. ISBN 0-85429-875-4.
^ Alfa Romeo AEREI Collezione Modelli di Marco Rigoni Settembre 2005. aerei-italiani.net. Retrieved on 2007-04-25.
^ La storia di due "duelli" inconsueti avvenuti a 50 anni di distanza l'uno dall'altro. digilander.libero.it. Retrieved on 2007-04-25. (Italian)
^ Retrospective: Automobiles and aeroplanes: Alfa Romeo. channel4.com. Retrieved on 2007-08-20.
^ FiatAvio acquires Alfa Romeo Avio. madeinfiat.com. Retrieved on 2007-08-20.
^ ALFA ROMEO TROLLEYBUSSES. newedgeconcept.com. Retrieved on 2007-04-25.
^ a b Le modélisme militaire italien à toutes les échelles. italie1935-45. Retrieved on 2008-01-09. (French)

[edit] External links
Original Alfa Milano logo
Alfa Romeo International
Alfa Romeo Italy
Alfa Romeo United Kingdom
Alfa Romeo Australia
Alfa Romeo South-Africa
Alfa Romeo Ireland
Alfa Romeo Singapore
Alfa Romeo Vodcast (Official Video Site)
Alfa Romeo Press
v • d • eAlfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A., a subsidiary of the Fiat S.p.A. since 1986, car timeline, 1910–1949 — Next »
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RL
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6C 1500/1750/1900/2300/2500
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12C
v • d • e« Previous — Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A., a subsidiary of the Fiat S.p.A. since 1986, car timeline, 1946–1979 — Next »
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1900
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Alfa 6
Cabriolet
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Giulietta
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Giulia
Alfetta GT/GTV and GTV6
1900
2000
2600
Roadster
Spider
Gran Sport Quattroruote
Sportscar
...6C 2500
Montreal
33 Stradale
Racing car
TZ/GTA
...158/159 Alfetta
Tipo 33
177
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Matta
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v • d • eALFA ROMEO
1910-1920: 24 HP · 40-60HP
1920-1945: 20-30HP · 6C · 8C · G1/G2 · RL · RM
1945-1980: 1750/2000 · 1900 · 2000 · 2600 · 33 Stradale · Alfa 6 · Alfasud · Alfetta · Giulia · Giulietta · Gran Sport Quattroruote · GTA · GTV · Nuova Giulietta · Montreal · Spider · Sprint
1980-2000: 145/146 · 155 · 156 · 164 · 166 · 33 · 75 · 90 · Arna · GTV · Spider · SZ/RZ
Current models: Mi.To · 147 · 159 · 8C Competizione · Brera · GT · Spider
Concept Cars: 33.2 · BAT series · Disco Volante · Kamal · Nuvola · Scighera · Visconti
Clubs: Alfa Romeo Owners Club (USA) · Alfa Romeo Owners Club (UK) · Alfa Romeo Owners Club (Italy)Alexandre Darracq/Ugo Stella · Nicola Romeo · Corporate website · A brand of the Fiat Group
v • d • eFiat Group automotive brands
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Most Expensive Cars
Sports Cars:SSC Ultimate AeroAston Martin DB9Bugatti Veyron 16.4Chrysler ME Four-TwelveKoenigsegg CCXDodge Viper SRT10 CoupeFerrari 612 ScagliettiHamann F430Ford GTLamborghini Concept SLamborghini GallardoFerrari 599 GTB FioranoPorsche Carrera GTPagani Zonda C12 SLamborghini MurcielagoFerrari F430Pagani Zonda FMaserati MC12Saleen S7 Twin TurboLeblanc MirabeauFord Mustang GTConcept CarsExpensive CarsFast Cars
>> Sports Cars > Most Expensive Cars 2006
2006´s top ten most expensive cars in the world. Well actually Forbes´ list is limited to top 10 most expensive cars you can buy in United States, thus these are U.S. prices.10. Maybach 57 S - $367,000 Maybach 57 S features a V12 Bi-Turbo engine that can produce 612 HP and reach 170 mph/275 km/h top speed.57 S is Maybach's new model which was designed to be a sportier and more powerful version of its other cars, the 57 and 62.Maybachs are made in Germany.9. Maybach 62 - $385,250 Maybach 62 features a 12 Cylinder, SOHC, 5.5 liter engine that can produce 543 horse power.62 is an ultra-luxury sedan (made by Mercedes-Benz), which shockingly proves, that even such expensive cars to build, can turn into profit for car-makers.Due to the fact that we list U.S. prices, Maybach 62 took 9th place. However the European version of Maybach 62 is more expensive than SLR McLaren (7th place) in Europe, while the retail price of U.S. version of the SLR is higher than any Maybach. It may have been more interesting not to include two such similar models from the same manufacturer, but we have decided to stick with the official Forbes list of the most expensive cars.8. Porsche Carrera GT - $440,000 Engine: V-10, DOHC 5.7 liter. Its ten-cylinder engine produces 600hp - the type of power that can rarely be seen outside the racing world.Although some well known auto portals claim that Porsche has stopped selling its Carrera GT supercar. But currently (2006 Dec), Porsche confirms that its $440,000 famous convertible is still available for sale in the U.S. market, thus the car qualifies to be in this list.Made in Germany.7. Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren - $452,750 Engine: 5.5 liter Supercharged V-8.Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren has been on world's fastest and most expensive cars lists for quite a while now. This car is a fascinating result of a collaboration between two well known car brands: Mercedes and British race car legend McLaren. The delightful SLR McLaren is probably the most sophisticated and comfortable of all street-legal race cars to date. In 2007 most expensive car list this supercar is most likely going to be replaced by its successor Mercedes-Benz SLR 722 Edition.6. Koenigsegg CCR - $545,570 Koenigsegg's CCR engine: an 806 HP Aluminum 90 Degree, Supercharged V-8 (with Dry Sump Lubrication).Regretfully CCR is not a street-legal supercar, however Koenigsegg is already working on the solution to this problem. At the recent Geneva Motor Show, they unveiled the Koenigsegg CCX, a derivative of its CC family which is street-legal supercar for the U.S. roads.Made in Sweden.5. Saleen S7 Twin-Turbo - $555,000 The Saleen S7 uses a 7 liter 750 HP V-8 engine. It is capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds.Saleen's S7 Twin Turbo has fallen to the 5th place from last years first spot in most expensive car list. Mainly because all four nameplates ahead of it are new. However, the S7 still remains to be one of the more recognizable supercars on the list.Made in U.S.4. Leblanc Mirabeau - $645,080 Leblanc Mirabeau features a mid-engine that can output over 700 HP and is capable of reaching 230 mph / 370 km/h top speed.Leblanc is rapidly ramping up the production of its new Mirabeau supercar, which, with its power and potential, should belong to a race track. Hopes are to make this powerful supercar street-legal for the U.S. roads by the end of 2006 or early 2007.Made in Switzerland.3. SSC Ultimate Aero - $654,500 SSC Ultimate Aero uses a 1,046 HP V-8 engine.This is not just the most expensive, but it is also the fastest American car. Automaker SSC has estimated that this supercar is capable of reaching 260 to 273 mph on the racing track. And apparently its not the end of Ultimate Aero capabilities. SSC has already announced the Ultimate Aero TT model, which features an even more powerful engine.Made in U.S.2. Pagani Zonda Roadster F C12S 7.3, Clubsport version - $667,320 This Pagani Zonda features an engine that puts out 650 HP, which makes it more powerful than its predecessor Pagani Zonda F and much more powerful than the older Pagani Zonda C12 S.Pagani is a boutique Italian race car maker that specializes in building radical-looking sports cars. This expensive new model has helped the Zonda remain in 2nd place on the most expensive car list, where it ended up in year 2005.Made in Italy.1. Bugatti Veyron 16.4 - $1,192,060 Bugatti Veyron 16.4 uses a 16-cylinder, 1001 HP engine.With its incredibly powerful engine, acceleration times and price, Veyron isn't just most expensive, but also most fascinating car in terms of performance and luxury. With its notorious production delays finally over, Bugatti's superstar Veyron is now already for sale in Europe and the company is working hard to bring it to the U.S. market.Made in France.
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