FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday 1 July 2010
ALFA ROMEO CELEBRATES CENTENARY
AT GOODWOOD FESTIVAL OF SPEED
Italian sporting car manufacturer, Alfa Romeo, is delighted to be the featured marque at this year’s prestigious Goodwood Festival of Speed in West Sussex (2-4 July) as the company celebrates 100 years of proud motoring heritage.
As well as the Centenary celebrations, the 2010 Festival of Speed will mark the public debut of the hotly anticipated new Alfa Giulietta – a stylish 5-door hatchback that delivers sporty performance, design confidence and technology in the true spirit and tradition of the brand.
In addition to the festival, Alfa Romeo will be previewing the Giulietta to a select audience at the first modern day Goodwood Moving Motor Show today (Thursday 1 July).
As would be expected, a long list of prized historic Alfas will feature at this year’s Festival, including the 1925 World Championship winning Alfa P2 Grand Prix race car which joins its modern counterpart, the Alfa 8C Competizione on the Centenary central sculpture which proudly celebrates Alfa Romeo – with design inspiration taken from the marque’s iconic Cloverleaf badge.
more…
Alfa Romeo celebrates centenary at Goodwood Festival of Speed…2
In all, it is expected that over 50 important Alfa Romeos will be at this year’s Festival, including 16 priceless examples which will make the pilgrimage from the Museo Storico Alfa Romeo in Arese, Italy. Four of these, the 8C 2900 B Speciale tipo Le Mans 1938, Gran Premio Tipo B (P3) 1932, Gran Premio Tipo 159 ‘Alfetta’ 1951 and 155 DTM 1993 will be seen in action on the Goodwood Hillclimb course.
The Hillclimb is the Festival of Speed’s principal attraction. Taking place throughout the weekend, this challenging 1.16 mile course starts as a tree-lined run through the southern corner of the Goodwood Estate which then turns to sweep past the front of Goodwood House before climbing a steep and narrow Estate road bordered by flint walls and dense woodland groves towards Goodwood’s equine racecourse on top of the magnificent South Downs.
The course rises over 300ft from the start line to the finish, and is very technical and challenging, putting the skills of the world’s very best drivers to a stern test of concentration and speed.
The remaining 12 historic Alfa Romeo models will be ‘shared’ between the Cartier ‘Style et Luxe’ concours d’elegance and the Cathedral Paddock, while the P2 Grand Prix racer features on the Centenary central sculpture.
In the Supercar Paddock, Alfa’s latest supercar offering, the convertible 8C Spider, will be turning heads with its award-winning looks and distinctive V8 growl as it makes its way past the crowds, up the historic Goodwood Hill.
Appearing as part of the magnificent static display in the Cathedral Paddock will be historic delights such as the Alfa Gran Premio Tipo 512 1940, the car that never raced due to the advent of World War Two, and the 164 Pro-Car which features the world’s first ever 10 cylinder engine.
more…
Alfa Romeo celebrates centenary at Goodwood Festival of Speed…3
Alongside this exhibition of exceptional racing heritage, the 33 Stradale prototipo 1967 will grace the Cartier lawn, showing the crowds why Alfa Romeo design has been so highly revered through the decades.
Designed by Franco Scaglione, this 1967 prototype was the most expensive car of its time and considered to be one of the most beautiful cars ever made.
In Alfa Romeo’s customary stand-out red exhibition stand, the all-new Alfa Romeo Giulietta will make its UK public debut at Goodwood, taking pride of place alongside an Alfa 8C Spider which will also appear as a static model at this year’s Festival.
Combining sportiness and elegance, the C-segment Alfa Giulietta is the result of Alfa Romeo's new direction in style, but the name still holds an important place in Alfa Romeo's enviable legacy, dating back to the 1950s.
The sporty, five-door compact goes on sale in the UK on 24 July from £16,995 OTR, packed with technology including Alfa’s DNA system, Start&Stop and the sporty Q2 electronic differential.
Located on the front lawn of Goodwood House, and designed to embody the spirit of Alfa Romeo, the Centenary central sculpture showcases two of the marque’s most important cars; the iconic 1925 World Championship winning Alfa P2 Grand Prix racer which led to the introduction of the laurel wreath around the original Alfa Romeo emblem, and the ultra-modern, award-winning, Alfa 8C Competizione super car.
Revered artist and designer of the Alfa Romeo Centenary central sculpture, Gerry Judah says: “With such a vast and rich heritage, trying to encapsulate all that is great
more…
Alfa Romeo celebrates centenary at Goodwood Festival of Speed…4
about Alfa Romeo was no easy task. So many factors played a part in the creative
process, from the beauty of the cars themselves which are often art forms in their own right, to the passion the marque shows and holds in so many hearts – I felt it was important that the sculpture complemented and expressed these messages.
“The perfect way of communicating this was to use two of Alfa’s most iconic cars – past and present – the P2 and the 8C Competizione – both legendary in their own right with the connection of the first and most recent Alfa Romeo to feature an Alfa eight-cylinder engine.
“Translating their connection and representing the best of all that is Alfa Romeo, there was no better symbol to take inspiration from than Alfa’s famous Cloverleaf badge, which has donned past, present and hopefully future high performance Alfa Romeos. The easiest part of this project was choosing a representative colour – which of course had to be Alfa Red.”
Goodwood Festival of Speed founder, Lord March added: “Alfa Romeo has one of the most enviable pedigrees of any motor manufacturer, and a history that has become legend. With this year’s Festival celebrating ‘The Passion for Speed’ there couldn’t be a more appropriate marque to celebrate this with. As an Alfista myself, the brand epitomises the beauty of motoring, and I’m honoured that we can help celebrate Alfa Romeo’s Centenary at this year’s Festival. And I look forward to a bright future for the marque through the debut of the new Alfa Giulietta.”
-ENDS-
Notes to editors:
Alfa Romeo and Museo Storico Alfa Romeo vehicle line-up for Goodwood Festival of Speed 2010:
more…
Alfa Romeo celebrates centenary at Goodwood Festival of Speed…5
Centenary central sculpture -
P2 Gran Premio 1924
Winner of its maiden race in 1924, and the first World Championship in 1925, the two-seater Grand Prix racer was the first Alfa Romeo engineered by Vittorio Jano and the first equipped with an eight cylinder engine.
8C Competizione 2006
Marking Alfa Romeo’s return to the super sports car sector and a new direction in Alfa styling, this limited edition two-seater coupe designed by Alfa Romeo Centro Stile features a 90-degree V8 engine capable of producing 450bhp.
Goodwood Hillclimb (dynamic display) -
8C 2900 B Speciale tipo Le Mans 1938
The two-seater aerodynamic berlinetta was produced by Touring for the 1938 Le Mans 24 hour race. The eight cylinder coupe dominated the race until an hour before the end when it was forced to retire.
Gran Premio Tipo B (P3) 1932
Originally known as the Tipo B, the P3 represented a milestone in Alfa’s sporting history, winning in its debut Grand Prix at Monza in 1932, and remaining unbeaten in the 1933 season.
Gran Premio Tipo 159 ‘Alfetta’ 1951
Winner of the 1951 Formula 1 World Championship, driven by Juan Manuel Fangio.
155 DTM 1993
1993’s Deutsche Touren-wagen Meisterschaft (‘DTM’) winner driven by Nicola Larini. This model is the first four wheel drive racing car produced by Alfa Romeo and features the V6-60 degree production engine.
8C Spider 2008 (also on the Alfa Romeo exhibition stand)
Derived from the much sought after Alfa 8C Competizione, the Alfa 8C Spider is limited to a production run of 500 examples. Featuring sensational carbon-fibre bodywork and a 4.7 litre engine - delivering 450 bhp and a top speed of 181 mph.
Cathedral Paddock (static display) -
A.L.F.A 40/60 HP Corsa 1914
Fitted with a 6.0 litre, four cylinder in-line engine the 40/60 HP was available in two road versions: a four-seater torpedo for ordinary use, and a two-seater spider for competition (Tipo Corsa).
more…
Alfa Romeo celebrates centenary at Goodwood Festival of Speed…6
Gran Premio Tipo C 12C 1936
This single-seater racer was equipped with a 12 cylinder engine producing 370 hp. Designed in-house, the Tipo C was different from its predecessors, featuring rounded coachwork for more efficient aerodynamics.
Gran Premio Tipo 512 1940
Destined to race in the Grand Prix formula but due to WWII it never actually did so.
164 Pro-Car 1988
Fitted with the world’s first V10 engine, this prototype was designed to compete in a new racing category that never took place. The 164 Pro-Car featured Formula One technology beneath the silhouette of a supposed standard 164.
SE 048 SP 1989
Engineered in preparation for the Endurance World Championship in the late 1980s. this prototype was equipped with a V12 engine.
Cartier ‘Style et Luxe’ concours d’elegance (static display) -
Carabo 1968
First seen at the 1968 Paris Motor Show, this Bertone creation was designed by Marcello Gandini and signalled a new direction in supercar design. This concept car is characterised by hydropneumatic-powered gull-wing doors and multi-coloured one way glass windows.
2000 Sportiva 1954
A fine example of Italian design and bodied by Bertone, the 2000 Sportiva prototype was a gran turismo based on a 1900 engine with De Dion rear suspension - this technology would feature in the 1972 Alfetta.
33 Coupe 1969
Presented in 1969 at the Paris Auto Show, the style of this concept car is a good example of the classic Pininfarina design of the late 1960s.
33 Stradale prototipo 1967
Representing the return of the eight cylinder engine, Alfa Romeo’s desire to bring racing technology to the public, saw the 33 Stradale become the most expensive car of its time. Considered as one of the most beautiful cars ever made, the 1967 prototype was designed by Franco Scaglione.
Iguana 1969
First seen at the 1969 Turin Auto Show, this gran turismo prototype is characterised by an electrically-powered braking-stabiliser rear wing.
more…
Alfa Romeo celebrates centenary at Goodwood Festival of Speed…7
Navajo 1976
This Bertone designed prototype was first unveiled at the 1976 Geneva Motor Show. It is based on the 33 Stradale with a full glassfibre body and is equipped with a 2 litre fuel injected V8 engine.
Alfa Romeo exhibition stand (static display) –
Giulietta 2010
Making its UK public debut at this year’s Goodwood Festival of Speed, the Alfa Giulietta is the marque’s latest mid-size model, combining comfort, functionality and Alfa sportiness, the Giulietta features five engine variants including a 1750TBi Cloverleaf version.
MiTo Cloverleaf 2010
Launched in the UK in March of this year, the MiTo Cloverleaf is the high performance version of the sporty compact model. Featuring revolutionary MultiAir engine technology – the Cloverleaf features a 1.4 TB engine with a power output of 170 bhp.
Head office contacts:
Ross Milton, Press Officer on 01753 571717 or email or Anna Angelini, PR Manager, Alfa Romeo UK on 01753 571717 or email or Peter Newton, PR Director, Fiat Group Automobiles UK Ltd on 01753 511431 or email
This press release is also available on www.alfaromeo4media.co.uk and www.newspress.co.uk
61026/300610