Mixed Feelings

1910-2010: 100 years of Alfa Romeo!

Of course this was something to look forward to, this is something you want to experience when you call yourself a red-blooded (though not hot-headed) Alfisti!

 

Tuesday the 22^nd me and my wife steered our ’79 Spider away from our house and kids to drive to Lörrach, close to the Swiss border, only the next day would we attack the Alps. Although we stuck to the highway most of the distance, we were very much aware that this is the only way to travel: Experiencing every single mile, the landscapes and the tingling of all our senses. Open top motoring really puts you in contact with the world and its inhabitants! The closer we got to Italy, the more thumbs and smiles came our way. Pulling up anywhere immediately evokes conversation and respect. Although the Italians choose to drive ‘German’ these days (like almost anybody else) they all have fond memories of their own FIAT’s and/or Alfa’s. With a sense of shame they are grateful that we keep their memory alive by coming down in such numbers. Around 16.00 we turned up at ‘Grand Hotel Dino’ on the Lago Maggiore in Baveno.

The actual birthday was the 24^th of june and was to be celebrated on the Arese site, around the factory museum to be more specific. The factory as well as the clubs from all around the world have been involved in organizing all sorts of activities.

This is where some cracks started to appear. Protesting workers of the Alfa Romeo Factory in Arese, who had recently been layed off, blocked the gates in protest. Of course these people have the right to stand up for their livelihood (and ‘our party’ gave them an ideal podium), so in general most Alfisti were sympathetic. Turns out that only very shortly FIAT AUTO had closed down the last offices on the Arese site, including Alfa’s Centro Stile! For this occasion the Factory Museum opened its doors for two days. It also turned out that FIAT AUTO had only very marginally invested in the celebration (they haven’t kept their promise to the clubs!). All this sparked the feeling that we had come down to put a flower on a grave………….

 

 

 

 

From day one it was clear that the biggest delegation would come down from the Netherlands: Over 300 cars and 600 club members subscribed to the pilgrimage. But let’s not forget those enthusiasts who travelled all the way from the USA, Australia and Japan! The sheer enthusiasm of these people made up for everything. There were also a lot of private initiatives that easily put the official celebrations in the shadow: The 100x100 exhibition in Novegro, the ‘Alfa Blue Team’ exhibition, the classic Cannobio to Domodossola hill climb (especially organized for the Dutch club members by an elderly race-driver from Stresa: Fulvio Ballabio) etc.

And there was the lake….situated in between the snow-capped Swiss Alps and the grand city of Milano; mountains, water, Italian culture: This is not far away from my ideal holiday resort, as a matter of fact it may be just that!

 

Saturday all Alfisti joined on the premises of the ‘Fiera the Rho’ (the well known fairground north-west of Milan). Over 4000 Alfa Romeo’s turned up (which resulted in the most beautiful traffic jam ever), cars built throughout the 100 years of the brand’s existence. Legendary must be the only word to describe this gathering and again it were the invitees who had to built their own party. FIAT AUTO didn’t put up their best performance. At the lunch-table we were reflecting: What a bright history, but how about the future???? Future under FIAT AUTO looks grim. There wasn’t a lot of confidence and quite a few times we could overhear people saying: ”Please, let VAG buy Alfa”.

 

 

 

 

So where does this leave me? I was truly glad to ‘just’ be there on this important moment for ‘my’ brand. I enjoyed the cars, the Alfisti, the Italians. I enjoyed spending time with my wife around this magnificent lake in this luxury hotel, I loved the drive up and down………..my Cuore Sportivo is still beating like mad!

 

The Alfa Club of the Netherlands is celebrating their own 100^th birthday party at the (yearly) ‘Spettacolo Sportivo’ at ‘Circuit Park Zandvoort’ on august 28^th-29^th.I would like to invite you to come over and have a sniff of the glorious history of Alfa Romeo and the enthusiasm of its drivers!

 

www.alfaclub.nl

www.spettacolosportivo.eu

 

Comments

[Geert]

Dear Rik, what a wonderful write-up.
It's clear to see where Seat, and probably more accurately: Audi's design capo, stole the idea of Auto Emocion! Let's turn that back into Auto Emozione from now on, for good.

Great report, straight from the heart, and right into mine. Clearly, this trip is a memory you'll carry with you for years to come -if not the rest of your life- and of course you have done the right thing by being there and making the celebration into what it deserved to be. Now that Marchionne has shown his true face, let's all hope and pray that after the father of the Alfasud this even bigger Italian institute will find a safe haven for its unmatched culture and future. I cross my fingers with you.

Lastly, I have the 28th pencilled into the agenda. I'll surely won't bring an Alfa, but most definately a 'cuore sportivo'!

[Mattijs]

@Rik: We are to tired to read this long wonderful piece of text. After a impressive weekend in Goodwood, and yes, full of Alfa culture (judged by the master of the dark side, Georgy to his friends), Steve and I are stuck in motherf%*king Gatwick. That is the result when one books at Sleazy Jet. We will be back soon, with over 2000 pics in full flavour.
Steve & Matt

[Imre]

Great pics, great story! Thanks Rik.

[Bas]

Another "yummie yummie" story by an Alfasiast!!

BTW: good idea to have VAG swap Seat for AR!!

:-)

[huib]

Rik, thanks for writing this excellent story and thanks for your company on this most enjoyable trip. To be continued with some pix and words from my side soon.
”Please, let VAG buy Alfa”. Seen rationally (financial) of couse it could help, but I'm not sure if I'm mentally prepared for this yet....

[Geert]

@Huib: it worked for Lamborghini.
In the general opinion, the R8 is still seen as an Audi with a Lambo engine rather than the other way 'round - even if that makes more sense.

[huib]

Yes Rik & Geert, in the end of the day it will probably be inevitable....
Minor detail related to your Audi-Lambo comparison: yes it worked for this low volume brand, but it hasn't worked yet for the more comparable supposed to be higher volume Seat brand yet, even after the help of ex-Alfa Da Silva.

[Mattijs]

@Rik:Thanks for the elongated story on some great days out. True and honest, written from the heart. Although the weather must have been fine, I have noticed some dark clouds between the lines. And yes, big respect goes to the Alfisti who made the trip down to Italy, you included. Nowadays brand values are pinned down in Powerpoint presentations by marketing geeks, but the true cuore sportivo beats in the fan community. This post and your trip down to Arese proves the latter. Concerning the rumors lately spread on the web I think VAG getting a big stake of Alfa could bring the long awaited push back to passion for the product. Nevertheless I think this could be a perfect issue to be discussed during another late night in Eindhoven.

[huib]

Some more (unfortunately dutch only)food for Alfa thoughts:

http://www.telegraaf.nl/autovisie/av_goeroes/tonroks/7528968/__EEN__DUITSE__ARM_OM_ALFA_ROMEO_HEEN__.html?p=4,1

[Geert]

translation from the Telegraaf article:

'Alfa Romeo is a brand for people who love expressive design, Latin character and nice technology, combined with above-average driving characteristics'

...apart from the Latin character (?), I wonder where the difference with the BMW Fangemeinde is. On second thoughts, maybe that's why VW injected a certain Latin 'character' into Audi?