2020 has been a crazy year, making history in a lot of ways and affecting a lot of people. It may be a rough time, and it’s hard to find things to celebrate with the holidays coming up, but everyone has something to be thankful for. The economy was hit hard, and the auto industry was brought to a halt as manufacturing plants around the world shut down and people went into quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic. Amidst all of this, it’s easy to forget about celebrating something like an anniversary, such as the 110th Anniversary of Alfa Romeo, a Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) automaker.

110 years is a long time, with Alfa Romeo having roots that date back to 1910, starting in Milan, Italy. Many may not know this, but the name “Alfa Romeo” is quite the combination of history and lineage. The name “Alfa” was an acronym for Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili, or “Lombardy Automobile Factory” in English. “Romeo” doesn’t come from the Shakespearean play, but from Nicola Romeo, who bought a controlling stake in Alfa in 1915 before taking over the company - a common practice for automakers and automobile groups. Take a close look at the Alfa Romeo logo and you’ll find the emblem of the city of Milan matched with the coat of arms of the Visconti family, an icon of Milan, and earned a place with the automaker’s emblem.

Today, Alfa Romeo is known for high class and luxury cars, and this style goes all the way back to the beginning. When the Italian automaker first started, it was all about high-end performance and luxury. It sounds crazy for anything “high-end” to come out around 1910, when the roaring 20’s was still thought to be as good as it was going to get here in America. But after World War II, Alfa Romeo came out with the Giulia. Taking a look at that vehicle (above), and you can see this is where the look of sports cars started. In fact, one could say Alfa Romeo was at the top of its game with the Giulia produced in a limited-edition GTA form, powered by a 532-horsepower 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 engine.

If the name isn’t very familiar, that may be because a different Alfa Romeo vehicle took the spotlight in the U.S., the Spider. Like many vehicles, once they get a little product placement, and people flock to dealership lots. A little spotlight in “The Graduate”, and the Spider was set, lasting until 1993 with all that popularity. Next to the Giulia, both vehicles could be said to be the flagship vehicles of the brand, even with the occasional high-end here and there to push the limits of high-class vehicles.

Today, Alfa Romeo is still known for the Giulia, but the Stelvio has taken over the mantle of the Spider – the 4C Spider sports car is still carrying the flag, however. With so many great vehicles planned for 2021, we have a lot to look forward to. If you’re looking for a vehicle with a lot of history behind it, then look for an Alfa Romeo luxury car on NowCar today.

h6p>Photo Source/Copyright: Alfa Romeo