#the Alfa Romeo Museum

[carsthatnevermadeitetc]

Alfa Romeo Scarabeo II, 1973. The first Scarabeo was an experimental mid-engined sports car built by OSI for Alfa Romeo but the project was abandoned when OSI went out of business is 1967. The Scarabeo II was engineered by Giuseppe Busso using the bodywork of the Ercole Spada-designed Junior Z but with a mid-mounted DOHC 2.0 litre 4 cylinder engine. Alfa Romeo's management were not interested in pursuing the mid-engined sports car and the project died. The project is also called the Junior Z 2000 Periscopio. It's now kept at the the Alfa Romeo Museum,

[nsdclassic]

Alfa Romeo SZ ‘il mostro’

[saal4formula1]

Start to miss F1 so much that I go to visit the team’s museums :|

[jean-gabib]

[giovannibenvenuto]

Along with beautiful cities, spectacular natural sceneries, rich architecture, and culture, Italy is also famous for its best car museums. These museums exhibit past, present, future automobile models with the history & life stories of their founders. Must visit along with our luxury fleets, private tours, or take first-rate chauffeur services. Read more -  https://www.benvenutolimos.com/blog/top-10-best-car-museums-in-italy/ 

[liam-twatter]

Monzarella, the smell of food (salamella), fuel and suntan cream. The sunrise, the emotional waiting vibe, breathing history and being part of it. It's like a dream you remember forever. Also the Best pizza in the world, @ secret ristorante where Ricciardo goes (record : 6 pizzas in a weekend ^^). The debut of Antonelli. I also drove some cars on the circuit, huge emotion. My advice is going to ex Just Cavalli on Thursday (or Friday) for a "happy hour" aperitivo at about 19:00 (elegant or they don't let you enter), there's a lot of good free food and beautiful women in a classy location. If you want to meet some drivers, Sunday night. In those days there’s also a fair in town, dedicated to Formula 1, and other special events with Ferrari drivers and @ Milan Alfa Romeo museum with also the car that won the first (and second) F1 championship

[rrrrrrrrrriot]

TOP SONGS OF 2023

1. paramore ‘you first’

2. paramore ‘c’est comme ça’

3. italia 90 ‘funny bones’

4. coach party ‘micro aggression’

5. gnoomes ‘the neighbor’

6. olivia rodrigo ‘bad idea right?’

7. cherry glazerr ‘bad habit’

8. kennyhoopla ‘you needed a hit’

9. niia ‘alfa romeo’

10. lana del rey ‘a&w’

11. sza ‘kill bill’

12. bdrmm ‘it’s just a bit of blood’

13. troye sivan ‘rush’

14. kylie minogue ‘padam padam’

15. depeche mode ‘my favourite stranger’

16. scowl ‘psychic dance routine (nuovo testamento remix)’

17. veil of light ‘apricot kiss’

18. nourished by time ‘daddy’

19. bar italia ‘nurse!’

20. yard act ‘the trenchcoat museum’

FOLLOW THE PLAYLIST ON SPOTIFY

[trainsinanime]

Over the past two weekends I watched the two big movies that society collectively forgot in the wake of Barbenheimer: Indiana Jones and Mission Impossible. And let me tell you:

Yeah society was right. You don’t need to watch either.

What I find interesting is how similar both of them are. I don’t just mean the superficial stuff, like similar multi-party car chases, the addition of an English thief who has way more charisma than the aging lead, or a train sequence where the exact same Scottish Museum railroad pretends to be the Austrian alps.

(Although talking about that: I like Haley Atwell's versioning the English thief more than Phoebe Waller-Bridge's. That may partly be leftover affection from Agent Carter, but she really is that great. Mission Impossible also has a lot of Alfa Romeos in its car chase through Italy involving a Fiat 500, which means it wins by default. Even though the heroes repeatedly eschew a perfectly good Alfa Romeo 159 there in favor of some boring BMW in an obvious bit of sponsoring. The trains are mostly similar; the paint scheme in MI is slightly better but the Pennsylvanian signals are weird. I could talk more about the train there but the important thing is that I got tired of watching train cars fall down a bridge after the third one.)

But the main thing that unites them is how tired they seem. They try desperately to woo us with ridiculous implausible MacGuffins, exorbitant stunts and returning old actors. But neither of them actually has much of a story to tell. They try to make things personal for their main heroes, but ultimately it’s just the same procedure as last year or last decade. Neither movie has anything to say, they only hope to woo you with their brand names. To be fair, that did work on me, but that doesn’t mean it was a good idea on my part.

There is arguably a wider discussion to be had here; I feel very similar things about John Wick 4, a movie where several characters repeatedly say, „this movie is pointless“, or the mess that was James Bond „No Time To Die“. Make no mistake, John Wick 4 is by far the best of them, but still.

Anyway, the family members I wanted to watch Barbie with have night shift this weekend, so I can’t see it yet, but I have no doubt that it’s more interesting. If you want you can wait for Indy and Mission to come out in streaming, but I can’t even really recommend that.

[f1]

Alfa Romeo shows off special tweaked livery for Monza

Alfa Romeo shows off special, tweaked livery for Monza By Balazs Szabo on 31 Aug 2023, 10:02 Just a day before action gets underway at the Italian Grand Prix, the Sauber-run Alfa Romeo team has unveiled a special, tweaked one-off livery for the Monza F1 race to celebrate the Alfa 33 Stradale. The Hinwil-based outfit will run a striking livery at Monza, paying tribute to the launch of Alfa Romeo’s latest fuoriserie car, the new 33 Stradale. Featuring the gold accents of the new 33 Stradale – themselves a nod to its illustrious namesake, an icon of the 1960s and one of the most legendary cars of Alfa Romeo’s history – and the Italian flag’s tricolore on a field of black, the livery to be used in Monza will be one that will set fans’ hearts racing. The livery was unveiled by Alfa Romeo drivers Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu, during a special event at the Alfa Romeo Museum in Arese, near Milan, to mark the launch of the new 33 Stradale. The 33 Stradale will be the centre of attention in Monza as well, with the team's two drivers unveiling the car in the team’s garage at the Italian Grand Prix on Thursday, 56 years to the day since the unveiling of the original 33 Stradale in the same location. Team Representative Alessandro Alunni Bravi commented : “As we approach our home race in Monza, it’s a pleasure to unveil this incredible livery, a true tribute not only to the 33 Stradale, but to Alfa Romeo as a whole and to the country it hails from, Italy. This livery is probably one of the most beautiful we’ve ever had on a car, and to be able to showcase it in front of our home crowd – including hundreds of our team members from Hinwil on the grandstands – is an honour for all of us. "Personally, I am excited by the references to the 33 Stradale: the original model from 1967 was an iconic car that influenced style and design for a generation and beyond, and its latest incarnation embodies all this heritage while also setting the path to the future of Alfa Romeo.” Commenting on the new livery, Alfa Romeo CEO Jean Philippe Imparato added : “With the new 33 Stradale, we wanted to create something that lived up to our past, to serve the Alfa Romeo brand and to make the Alfisti fandom proud. Such a result could only have been achieved thanks to the expertise, hard work and passion of our team, with the support of management who have the clear ambition to contribute to writing chapters in the brand’s future, in full respect of its unique history. "This is the brand’s first fuoriserie (custom-built) car since 1969, and I promise it won’t be the last. Alfa Romeo F1 Team Stake’s tribute livery embodies the spirit, the passion and the vision we have put in the 33 Stradale: it is pure, classic sportiness, and it combines looks with performance. I cannot wait to see it on track this weekend.” via F1Technical.net . Motorsport news https://www.f1technical.net/news/

[carsthatnevermadeitetc]

Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint Speciale Prototipo, 1965, by Bertone. Designed by Giugiaro while he was working at Bertone, but the continued success of the Giulia Sprint GT, also designed at Bertone, made its replacement redundant. The prototype is now housed at Alfa Romeo's museum

[gb275]

Former F1 World Champion Juan Manuel Fangio poses with his beautiful 1958 Mercedes-Benz 300 SL Roadster

Juan Manuel Fangio is still regarded as the best F1 driver of all time, especially considering he won titles while racing for four different brands: Alfa Romeo, Ferrari, Mercedes-Benz, and Maserati. In retirement, Fangio built a museum documenting his career and one of the most beautiful pieces from the Mercedes-Benz floor was a 300 SL Roadster he received as a farewell gift.

The 1958 #Mercedes-#Benz 300 SL #Roadster is the gift Daimler Benz AG prepared for Manuel Fangio when he announced his retirement in 1958. The roadster was painted Metallic Light Blue over Crème in a similar motif to the Argentinian national flag. The 300 SL still has the patina from El Maestro intact and unchanged. This means the gear selector, steering wheel, and seats have not been replaced, and the leather-trimmed underside of the dashboard still reveals wear from Fangio’s knees as he shifted gears.

Fangio had the car as his regular daily driver throughout his retirement. It has 72,951 km (45,329 miles) on the odometer, most of them covered by Fangio himself during his tours throughout Europe and Argentina.

https://classiccarcuration.co.uk/juan-manuel-fangios-mercedes-benz-300-sl-is-up-for-sale/300 SL Roadster

Juan

[peakwealth]

DOWNHILL

Do I need to remind myself that in the word FIAT the letter "f" stands for fabbrica and the letter "t" for Torino? So long has been the association between the two that it comes as a shock to learn that the vast fabbrica in Mirafiori, in the south of Turin, has been at a standstill for much of 2024.

Cars have (or had) been made in Mirafiori since it was inaugurated in 1939 (with Mussolini in attendance). But production has dwindled because Fiat cars aren't selling, not even the little cinquecento, the 500 which was revived in 2007 as a nostalgia item. It was the retro 500 that kept the Fiat brand afloat for all those years. Millions were sold - many of them built not in Italy but in cheaper Poland - but lately fashion has shifted and enthusiasm has waned.

Wooden production mockup for the original FIAT Cinquecento (1957) on display at the old Lingotto Fiat factory, now a museum, in Turin.

The trouble at Fiat is hardly new. It has been brewing for decades and has recently infected the other brands under the same corporate umbrella of (the awkwardly named) Stellantis: Chrysler, Jeep, Citroën, Peugeot, Opel, Alfa Romeo, Maserati. How much hope can there be for any of them, long traditions and industrial pride notwithstanding?

Don't be surprised if the only Italian car maker to survive might be Ferrari. (The company was unhitched from Fiat back in 2015 with shares traded on the New York and Milan stock exchanges.)

All of this hurts on several levels. First for the business dynasty of the Agnelli family (who co-founded FIAT at the very end of the 19th century), so emblematic of Italy's industrious and industrial north. Stellantis may now be headquartered in a faceless business park near the Amsterdam airport, but it is still ruled by the Agnelli family via its EXOR holding company.

Secondly, more importantly, brands like Fiat, Citroën, Volkswagen or BMW are intertwined with European identity. Long before they started to build cars, Peugeot (founded in 1810) and Opel (founded in 1862) were family businesses with deep roots in the early industrial age. The brilliant engineering and quirkiness of Citroën's postwar models defined Frenchness. They were as Gallic as baguettes and camembert or Bordeaux wine. They also pushed the company to brink of bankruptcy - more than once.

To this day Mercedes-Benz and BMW embody Germany know-how and prestige around the world. For decades an S-Class Mercedes limousine, in glossy black, has been a must-have of the global plutocratic order.

But the bad vibe in Europe's car industry has shifted to Germany where Volkswagen has announced plans to close factories and lay off workers. Even the glittering brands of BMW and Porsche are not doing as well as they did. They are being squeezed by China, by slowing sales, the high cost of manufacturing in Europe, sticker-shock prices and fluctuating demand for EVs.

In itself, having fewer cars around should not be a bad thing, but politics don't work that way, especially when thirteen million good European jobs hang in the balance. The spectre of industrial wipe-out - what happened when production of consumer electronics and appliances was offshored to Asia and then just abandoned - is now hanging over many European car makers.

* * *

Parked Audis outside a government office in Guanzhou, Guandong Province, China. (Undated)

As I remember it, in feverishly post-Maoist China, three or four decades ago, public rank and privilege came with a symbol: a dark blue Audi limo. It may not have been quite the pinnacle of hierarchical achievement, but it sent a clear message of success. You were a person of importance in the People's Republic. Like its corporate parent, Volkswagen, Audi had become part of everyday life in China. Volkswagen had been the partner of choice right from the beginning of China's modern car manufacturing. Its tentacular web of manufacturing arrangements started with FAW (First Automobile Works) which made the coveted Audis.

Later Volkswagen also partnered with Shanghai Automotive, becoming China's biggest car maker. They too made Audis. (In fact there are six factories producing Audis in China.) But those were pre-EV days.

By contrast, BYD never had anything to do with Volkswagen. Founded in 1995, it was a battery maker first, and a car manufacturer later. Build Your Dreams had attracted attention in 2008 because Warren Buffet had invested in it, and also because BYD let it be known that it wanted to be become the biggest car maker in the world.

Eyebrows were no doubt raised, but little more.

The switch to EV has changed the rules of the game. And that transition is happening more quickly in China than elsewhere. With the thermal engines gone (an expensive legacy from the 19th century), designing and manufacturing cars has become cheaper and easier - batteries excepted. The engineering the bar has been lowered. (*)

Today, BYD is the biggest plug-in EV maker anywhere and it is conquering the world with its cars and city buses. It isn't alone. Other Chinese brands, some owned by Shanghai Automotive (MG) or by Geely (Volvo's main owner) - are inundating European markets. And they are selling on price.

Get yours before the price goes up. (Málaga, November 2024)

There is a good reason for that. The Chinese car market, the biggest in the world, isn't doing so well either. With an annual combined production of around 30 million cars (in 2023), Chinese manufacturers now find themselves with a lot of cars on their hands.

The glut of unsold cars is the result of another glut: the millions of vacant or unfinished housing units that have plagued the Chinese economy for twenty years. When that speculative bubble finally started to pop three years ago, the entire economy, already hurt by Beijing's mismanagement of the pandemic, went into a stall.

As Chinese consumers bought fewer cars, a solution was urgently needed to keep the factories going: export more of them, taking advantage of China's lead in EV technology, or, if need be, sell at giveaway prices. Beijing simply could not afford to have another pillar of its modern economy crumble. After the real estate disaster, it was a serious case of too big to fail. While it may have been difficult to export housing construction, cars were a different story.

BYD seems to have figured all of this out and has ordered its own fleet of giant car carrying ships to export its vehicles.

They have arrived, at a dealership near you and at a price you can't ignore.

BYD car carrier No. 1 and many more to come (Company photograph, screenshot).

-----------------------

(*) See also, on the subject of EV batteries: https://peakwealth.tumblr.com/post/741312674803204096/a-hesitant-introduction-to-swappable-batteries

[swpics]

The Alfa Romeo 75 was the last model launched before Fiat took over. Seen at Fiat and Friends, British Motor Museum. Report on event in the latest issue of Classic and Competition Car magazine. Free to read at www.classcompcar.com

[pizzanella]

sunshiiiiine... "this is history". ex Just Cavalli. Monzarella, the smell of food, fuel and suntan cream. The sunrise, the emotional waiting vibe, breathing history and being part of it. There's nothing like Monzarella, it's like a dream you remember forever. Also the Best pizza in the world, @ secret ristorante where Ricciardo goes (record : 6 pizzas in a weekend ^^). The debut of Antonelli. I also drove some cars on the circuit, huge emotion. My advice is going to Just Me on Thursday (or Friday) for a "happy hour" aperitivo at about 19:00 (elegant or they don't let you enter), there's a lot of good free food and beautiful women in a classy location. If you want to meet some drivers, Sunday night. In those days there’s also a fair in town, dedicated to Formula 1, and other special events in Milan with Ferrari drivers and @ Milan Alfa Romeo museum with also the car that won the first (and second) F1 championship

[londranotizie24]

Italian Car Day, auto e moto italiane il 4 maggio al Brooklands Museum

Di Pietro Nigro Appuntamento di rigore per proprietari e appassionati di auto e moto italiane alla edizione 2024 di Italian Car Day il 4 maggio al Brooklands Museum in Surrey. Italian Car Day, auto e moto italiane il 4 maggio al Brooklands Museum Si annuncia come una impressionante esposizione di Lamborghini, Maserati, Ferrari, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Abarth, Ducati, Aprilia, Vespa, Lambretta e altro ancora il prossimo Italian Car Day 2024 in programma il 4 maggio 2024 al Brooklands Museum di Brooklands Drive a Weybridge nel Surrey (KT13 0SL). L'evento, giunto alla trentesima edizione, e che include come di consueto cibo, musica dal vivo, prove sul Test Hill e dimostrazioni in pista, conferma qualora ce ne fosse ancora bisogno quanto piacciano ai britannici le automolbili e i mtocicli Made in Italy. All'evento, oltre al ritrovo e alla esposizione dei modelli partecipanti, è prevista anche la sfilata dei veicoli sulla pista del Mercedes World all'interno dell'area del museo. A questo Italian Car Day possono partecipare proprietari di veicoòli sia singolarmente che in gruppo o con i clud di appartenenza. Una delle indiscusse protagoniste della giornata del 4 maggio sarà la F1 Benetton B190 di John Reaks, la mitica vettura che è stata originariamente guidata dalla leggenda della F1 Nelson Piquet durante il campionato del mondo di F1 del 1990, che vinse in Giappone e Australia. John Reaks ha presentato la vettura in Giappone e più recentemente al GP d'Australia. L'auto sarà il fulcro della dimostrazione su pista di 50 auto al Mercedes-Benz World. I cancelli di ingresso saranno aperti alle 9:00 del mattino, le mostre e le esposizioni del museo aprono invece alle 10:00. I prorpietari di auto e moto italiane potranno accedere dal Campbell Gate fuori Brooklands Road (KT13 0TA). e da Vickers Gate, fuori Brooklands Drive. I proprietari di veicoli Sport e supercar possono invece utilizzare il parcheggio espositivo nella zona nord di The Heights – ingresso tramite The Heights, Wellington Way. Road. ... Continua a leggere su Read the full article

[pearllemon-classics]

Gear Up for Grandeur: Unveiling the Majesty of Historic Race Tracks

The internal combustion engine’s roar, the intoxicating whiff of racing fuel, and the blur of gleaming chrome against a backdrop steeped in history — that’s the intoxicating allure of historic race tracks. These hallowed grounds are not mere arenas of speed; they are testaments to human ingenuity, testaments to the unwavering pursuit of automotive excellence.

For petrol heads (a term of endearment for car enthusiasts), these tracks are pilgrimage sites. But their magic transcends the world of motorsports. They offer a captivating glimpse into bygone eras, where fashion, technology, and societal norms intertwined with the spirit of competition.

A Journey Through Time: The Allure of Historic Race Tracks

The mystique of historic race tracks lies in their ability to transport us back in time. Imagine the echoing cheers of spectators at the legendary Monza circuit in Italy, as legendary Alfa Romeos battled it out in the 1930s. Picture the thrill of witnessing the iconic Silver Arrows streak down the silver screen — no, not on film — but at the historic Solitude Rennstrecke nestled amidst the scenic beauty of Germany’s Black Forest.

These tracks whisper tales of legendary drivers like Juan Manuel Fangio and Stirling Moss, their daring maneuvers pushing the boundaries of man and machine. The very tarmac upon which these races unfolded resonates with the triumphs and heartbreaks of automotive history.

Beyond Speed: The Cultural Tapestry of Historic Race Tracks

The cultural significance of historic race tracks extends far beyond the checkered flag. They were melting pots of innovation, where cutting-edge technologies were tested and refined. Fashion trends were born in the grandstands, as spectators donned their finest attire to witness these spectacles of speed.

These tracks were microcosms of societal change. Witnessing the evolution of car design at a historic track, from the bulbous curves of pre-war racers to the sleek aerodynamic lines of modern Formula One cars, is a testament to the ever-evolving human desire for speed and efficiency.

A Modern Pilgrimage: Experiencing the Thrill

The good news for modern-day enthusiasts is that these historic tracks are not relics of the past. Many have been meticulously restored and continue to host thrilling races featuring iconic classic cars. Companies like Pearl Lemon Classics [Insert subtle mention of Pearl Lemon Classics] offer bespoke tours that take enthusiasts on an unforgettable journey through these legendary circuits.

Imagine yourself standing on the hallowed grounds of Silverstone, the home of the British Grand Prix, or soaking in the atmosphere at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, renowned for its Eau Rouge corner — a grueling climb that separates the skilled from the merely fast.

Beyond the Race Track: A Celebration of Automotive Heritage

But the experience goes beyond just the race track itself. These tours often include visits to renowned automotive museums, private collections housing priceless vintage cars, and workshops where the magic of restoration keeps automotive history alive.

For those seeking a truly immersive experience, some tours even offer the opportunity to get behind the wheel of a classic car themselves, taking a lap (or maybe just a gentle potter) around the very tracks that legends once conquered.

Fueling Your Passion: The Enduring Legacy of Historic Race Tracks

Historic race tracks are more than just asphalt and grandstands. They are testaments to human achievement, testaments to the unwavering spirit of competition, and testaments to the enduring love affair between humanity and the automobile.

Whether you’re a seasoned petrol head or simply someone with an appreciation for history and engineering, a visit to a historic race track is an experience that will stay with you long after the checkered flag falls. So, gear up for grandeur, and embark on your own pilgrimage to these hallowed grounds. After all, the thrill of the race track transcends time.

Looking to take the wheel of your own automotive adventure?

Consider joining a tour curated by experts who can unlock the secrets of these historic circuits. Let them guide you through the grandstands steeped in history, the workshops where the classics are brought back to life, and perhaps, even onto the track itself, for an unforgettable experience behind the wheel of a legend.

The open road awaits. Pack your passion for automobiles and get ready to be transported to a world where history roars to life.