Alfa Romeo

Italy, 1910 to date

(1) A.L.F.A. (Anonima Lombardo Fabbrica Automobili), Milan, 1910 – 1914

(2) SA Italiana Ing. Nicola Romeo & C, Milan, 1914 – 1930

(3) SA Alfa Romeo, Milan, 1930 – 1942

(4) Alfa Romeo SpA, Milan, 1942 to date

(5) Alfa Romeo SpA, Pomigliano d’Arco, Naples, 1971 to date

A.L.F.A. (Anonima Lombardo Fabbrica Automobili) was founded in 1909 by Cav. Ugo Stella, formerly managing director of the Società Italiana Automobili Darracq, to manufacture a completely new range of Italian cars at Portello on the outskirts of Milan where, since 1906, small French Darracq cars had been assembled.

By 1910 the last Darracq had left the factory, and production commenced of a sturdy range of Alfa cars designed from scratch by Cav. Giuseppe Merosi, a native of Piacenza, who had been Chief Technician with Bianchi in Milan.

The first Alfas were a 24hp 4.1-litre car, later known as the 20/30hp, and a 12hp, 2.4-litre, which became the 15/20hp. Both were well made, with side-valve 4-cylinder monobloc engines and shaft drive. In 1913 the sports 6.1-litre 40/60hp appeared with push-rod overhead valves operated by two camshafts in the crankcase. A one-off 4½-litre Grand Prix car was built in 1914 with a 4-cylinder twin ohc engine, but it never ran in international races.

In 1915 the factory was taken over by the industrialist Nicola Romeo, and after World War 1 the pre-war models were marketed as Alfa Romeos. The 20/30 ES Sport of 1921-22 was successful in Italian races, as was a special racing 40/60 driven by Campari, which scored the firm’s first victory at Mugello in 1920. A 6-cylinder luxury side-valve car called the G1 was not a success, but Merosi’s best remembered designs followed it; the 3-litre 6-cylinder push-rod ohv touring, sports and racing RL series cars which first appeared in 1921 and went into production in 1922. A racing version won the 1923 Targa Florio. The similar 4-cylinder 2-litre type RM was marketed in 1923-26, but the pointed radiator sports 22/90hp RLSS and the touring 21/70hp RLT, which had a flat radiator, were sold until 1927.

In 1924 Alfa Romeo won the very first Grande Epreuve they ever entered, an unparalleled achievement, when Campari was victorious in the 1924 French Grand Prix at Lyons in the new straight-eight supercharged P2 car, designed by Vittorio Jano, who came from Fiat. In 1925 Alfa Romeo were declared World Champions. 

Jano took over from Merosi in 1926 and his first touring and sports car designs soon became world famous, these having single and twin overhead camshaft 6-cylinder engines, first in 1.500cc and then in 1.750cc form. When supercharged, these cars won all the great sports car races in the period 1928-1930, with the exception of Le Mans.

The latter omission was rectified from 1931 to 1934 when victory at Le Mans each year went to Jano’s next sports car design, which had a 2.3-litre straight-eight supercharged engine with a central drive to the overhead camshafts. This engine also powered the successful Grand Prix Alfa Romeo of 1931, known as the Alfa Romeo‘Monza’ model and raced for the factory by Scuderia Ferrari. In 1932 this engine, in 2.65-litre form, powered the Alfa Romeo Type B P3 Monoposte G.P. car, which proved virtually unbeatable and bore affinities with the Alfa Romeo Type A racing car of 1931 powered by two 1.750cc engines side by side. In 1933 Alfa Romeo came under State ownership and the Alfa Romeo Monopostos were withdrawn from racing until right at the end of the season. Ferrari continued F.O. racing with Alfa Romeo Monzas enlarged to 2.6 litres.

The Alfa Romeo Monopostos in 2.9-litre form were not powerful enough against the Mercedes and Auto Unions, although Chiron won the 1934 French G.P. for Alfa Romeo, whilst Nuvolari quite unexpectedly won the 1935 German G.P. in an Alfa Romeo 3.8-litre Monoposto fitted with Dubonnet independent front suspension. From 1936 to 1939 Alfa Romeo fielded independently sprung straight-eight, V-12, and V-16 cars in G.P. racing, but against the German cars only isolated victories in smaller races were attained, usually through the skill of Nuvolari. In 1935 Ferrari built two big bi-motore racing cars, with one Alfa Romeo P3 engine under the bonnet and another in the tail.

Some 2.9 P3 engines were put into all-independently sprung chassis in 1937-1939 to make expensive but exceedingly fast prestige sports cars. In sportscar racing Alfa Romeos won every Mille Miglia from 1928 to 1938 inclusive, except in 1931. 

In 1934 Jano’s unsupercharged 6-cylinder twin ohc 2.3-litre car replaced the 1750 and 8C 2300, and, developed by Bruno Treviso, it later became the 2500 of 1939 and the early post-war years. It was recplaced in 1950 by the 4-cylinder 1900. This marked an important change in Alfa Romeo policy. Previously the touring Alfas had been expensive and semi-bespoke machines, whereas the 1900 and its successors were unitary construction saloons whose production has risen to about 30.000 units per annum at the present time. In 1954 was introduced the famous 1300ccc Giuletta, designed by Orazio Satta. From it were derived the successful 1600 Giulia and the 6-cylinder 2600, introduces in 1962. For 1968 the 1600s were replaced by the 1750 series, actually 1.779cc, available as a saloon(Berlina), coupé (1750 GT Veloce) or open sports (1750 Spider Veloce).

The remarkable Colombo-designed supercharged 1½-litre 8-cylinder Monoposto known as the Alfa Romeo ‘158’ was introduces in 1938 for voiturette racing. After the war it was eligible for the Grand Prix formula, and by remaining unbeaten in Grandes Epreuves in 1946-1948 and 1950 until mid-1951, it set up a record unequalled by any other G.P. design. In 1946 Alfa Romeo took the first three places in the G.P. des Nations at Geneva, and repeated this finishing order in 1947 in the Italian G.P., the G.P. d’Europe at Spa and the Swiss G.P.. The most successful drivers during these years were Jean-Pierre Wimille, Achille Varzi and Count Felice Trossi, but the deaths of all three took place before the 1949 season and Alfa Romeo withdrew from racing as they had done in 1933. The Alfa Romeo 158s returned to the tracks in 1950 with Giuseppe Farina and Juan Manuel Fangio as their star drivers, and after victories in every race the cars ran in, Farina was declared World Champion. In 1951 Fangio was World Champion on the 400bhp Alfa Romeo Type 159, though the cars had to concede their first defeat, by and unblown 4½-litre Ferrari. 

At the end of the season Alfa Romeo withdrew from G.P. racing, and although the works Disco Volante sports racing 2½- and 3-litre cars of 1952-1953 were generally unlucky in racing, the Alfa Romeo Giulias have had G.T. successes in recent years.

Competition activities were resumed in 1967 with the Alfa Romeo T33, a rear-engined 2-litre 4ohc V8 with hemispherical combustion chambers, fuel injection, alternator ignition, and a 6-speed all-synchromesh gearbox. Until 1969 a tubular trellis frame was used, replaced for 1970 by an orthodox platform, and the disc brakes were mounted inboard. This Alfa Romeo T33 was catalogued at 9.750.000 lire but was primarily used by the Autodelta racing team; later cars had 2½-litre and 3-litre engines. In 1971 Alfa Romeos won the BOAC 1.000 Kilometers, the Targa Florio and the Watkins Glen 6 hours, but in 1972 they were powerless against the all-conquering Ferraris. In the touring-car range, the six disappeared in 1969, and in 1970 the fuel-injected dry-sump 2.6-litre V8 engine was applied to a conventional front-engined coupé, the Alfa Romeo Montreal.

Other new 1972 models were the Alfa Romeo 2000, an updated 1750, and the 1.750cc Alfa Romeo Alfetta saloon with 122bhp engine, a 5-speed De Dion transaxle, double wishbone independent front suspension, and inboard disc brakes. It was the angular rear-end treatment of Alfa Romeo’s new economy saloon. The Alfasud, made in the Naples factory opened during 1971. This car had a 1.186cc flat-4 engine with cogged-belt drive for its twin overhead camshafts, hypoid bevel drive to the front wheel, all-disc brakes, and four forward speeds.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; PMAH

The information is written with the greatest of care. However, if you have any suggested amendments please contact us at office@prewarcar.com

Standard

GB, 1903 – 1963

Standard Motor Co Ltd, Coventry, Warwickshire

R.W. Maudslay’s company started modestly with a single-cylinder Standard car with an under-floor engine of markedly oversquare (5x3in) dimensions, which was the work of Alex Craig who also designed for Maudslay (made by the same family as the Standard cars founder), Lea-Francis, and Singer. A 12/15hp bonneted twin Standard car was also available, while 4-cylinder engines were offered as proprietary units. In 1906 Standard cars offered Britain’s first inexpensive sixes with side valves, 3-speed gearboxes, and shaft drive; a fairly large 24/30hp Standard car being followed by a really big 50hp Standard car at £850, and a 3.3-litre Standard 20 at £450, these Standard cars being energetically marketed in London by Charles Friswell. 6-cylinder Standard cars dominated Standard design for several years, the Standard 20 doing well in its subsequent 4-litre form; a fleet of 70 Standard cars was shipped to India for the Delhi Durbar in 1911. The shouldered radiator of the Standard car first carried the Union Jack badge in 1908. In 1909 a 2.7-litre 4-cylinder 14 with cylinders cast in pairs was being offered for £350, other fours following until the sixes Standard cars were finally dropped at the end of 1912. A big car in miniature, the 9.5hp Standard Rhyl, was announced in 1913 with a 3-speed gearbox, worm drive, and all brakes on the rear wheels, this Standard car was priced at £185. Electric lighting was available on the Standard car in 1915, and at the outbreak of World War 1 there were also two bigger Standard cars, both sv monobloc fours with capacities of 2.4- and 3.3-litres.

In 1919 an enlarged 1.3-litre version of the Standard Rhyl, the Standard SLS, was the staple product of Standard cars, but this had grown up by 1921 into the 11.6hp Standard SLO with exposed overhead valves – these early Vintage Standard cars also had no sides to their radiator shells. There was a short-lived ohv 8hp in 1922, but the most successful mid-Vintage Standard car was the 13.9hp SLO4, this Standard car still was with overhead valves and worm drive, which had rigid side-curtains and the Standard car could be bought for £375 in 1924. From 1923 these Standard cars carried the emblem of the 9th Roman Legion as their radiator mascot. 10.000 Standard cars were sold in 1924, Front-wheel brakes were standard on the 13.9hp Standard cars in 1926. Some less successful 2.2-litre ohv 6-cylinder Standard cars were marketed in 1927, in which year saloon Standard cars could be bought with sliding roofs, while financial difficulties of the Standard car company were circumvented by the hurried introduction of the very reliable 1.155cc worm-drive Standard Nine car with an sv engine and fabric bodywork for 1928. Within a year a roomier, longer-wheelbase version of this Standard car was listed, as well as supercharged and unsupercharged sports two-seater Standard cars, and the first of the Avon Standard Specials, a low-built two-seater styled by the Jensen brothers, had made its appearance. The Avon, both in its original form and in its later manifestations (the work of C.F. Beauvais) continued in a variety of semi-catalogue forms on many Standard car chassis from the Standard Nine to the 20hp Standard car up to 1937. 1929 was the year of chromium plating on Standard cars, of the first of a line of sv sixes with coil ignition and 7-bearing crankshafts that was to persist up to 1940, and of the appointment of Captain J.P. Black, from Hillman, as Managing Director. Under his control Standard cars rode out the Depression with steadily increasing sales, but at the cost of magneto ignition, worm-driven back axles and the traditional radiator, all of which had disappeared on the Standard car by 1931, when Standard car company were offering the Standard Big Nine, a really roomy small saloon for less than £200, and low-priced 16 and 20hp six Standard cars. This range of Standard cars was rounded out in 1932 by a 1-litre Standard Little Nine at £155, and in this year William Lyons, whose 1930 Swallow-bodies Standard cars had anticipated the new 1931 radiator, launched his first S.S. cars. These used specially-built Standard car chassis and his own style of bodywork, and were to evolve into the Jaguar. Standard-built engines were used in all Lyon’s cars up to 1940 and survived on 4-cylinder Jaguars until 1948. Cruciform-braced frames and silent-third gearboxes were features of the 1933 Standard cars, while that year’s complex Standard car range included a couple of short-lived sixes of under 1.500cc, the option of preselector gearboxes on some Standard cars, and a long-wheelbase 20hp Standard car landaulette. Synchromesh, free wheels and integral boots came in 1934, when a new best-seller Standard car was the well-equipped 1.3-litre Standard Ten, and there were six Standard car models for 1935, including a sporting 10/12hp Standard car consisting of a Standard Ten chassis and body, and a 1.6-litre twin-carburettor 12hp engine. Much of the same Standard cars were offered in 1936, but this year also brought the fastback Flying Standard cars with luggage accommodation and spare wheels streamlined into the tail, though retaining the Bendix brakes of earlier versions of Standard cars. Initially offered only in 12, 16, and 20hp sizes, the style of this Standard car was universal by 1937, when buyers had the choice of four 4-cylinder Standard car and two 6-cylinder types, form the Standard Nine at £149 to the Standard Twenty at £299, as well as a rapid compact V8 Standard car with a 2.7-litre 80bhp sv engine in a Standard Twelve chassis. This Standard car failed to catch on, though its fencer’s mask grille was found on all Standard cars from 1938 to 1947, and the engine was used by Raymond Mays. Other makers buying components from Standard were Railton, whose Ten was based on a Standard car chassis, and Morgan, for whom a special ohv 10hp engine was made by the Standard car company from 1939 – 1950.

A 1939 Standard car best seller was the 1-litre Standard Eight at £129, the first British small saloon with independent front suspension: similar layouts were found on Super versions of the Ten and Twelve, but this year’s Flying Standard cars no longer had fastbacks. Of the extensive pre-World War 2 range of Standard cars, only the Eight, Twelve, and Fourteen were continued after the war, the Fourteen using a 1.8-litre engine in the Twelve chassis, although Standard car products now included Triumph, acquired in 1945.

Late in 1947 came the Standard car company’s first true post-war design, the unitary-construction Standard Vanguard with a 2.1-litre ohv wet-liner 4-cylinder engine, full width six-seater bodywork, hydraulic brakes, and a 3-speed gearbox with column change. This Standard car sold for £544, though for some time the Standard car was practically unobtainable on the home market, and was the only Standard car model catalogued between 1949 and 1953. Standard cars were made under licence in Belgium by Imperia, and the Standard car engine also went into the bigger Triumphs, the Ferguson tractor, the earlier Plus-Four Morgan, and, in 2-litre form, into Triumph’s successful TR series. Overdrive became an option in 1950 on Standard cars; the body was restyled in 1953, 1956, and 1959; a diesel version with separate chassis was marketed in 1954 and 1955; and a luxury Sportsman verion with a 90bhp engine, a traditional grille, and overdrive as standard appeared in 1957, though this Standard car was too expensive at £1.231, and did not last long. Towards the end automatic Standard Vanguards were available, but the tough old four Standard car was dropped in 1961.

There were other Standard cars. An 803cc ohv Standard Eight with coil-spring independent front suspension and very basic appointments was announced late in 1953 at £481, followed shortly after by a more luxurious Standard car with 948cc 10hp at £581. These Standard cars were quite best-sellers despite such later options as 2-pedal control, triple overdrive (on the Standard Eight) and the addition of a luxury Pennant version of the Standard Ten in 1957. Fairthrope used this engine, which later served as the basis for the Triumph Herald, but production of the small Standard cars tailed off in 1959. There were other variations on the Vanguard theme: the Standard Ensign with a 1.6-litre 62bhp engine was cooly received, though the Standard car was revived in 1962 with a 75bhp 2.138cc unit and 4-speed gearbox. After the Leyland take-over in 1961, the Standard car company’s efforts concentrated increasingly on the Triumph range, but Standard cars final fling in 1962 was once again Vanguard-based, though the Standard car company broke new ground with a 2-litre short-stroke ohv 6-cylinder engine later used in the Triumph 2000. The last Standard cars were delivered in the summer of 1963. The name died because the term, ‘standard’, when applied to cars, had been debased; it had come to mean the opposite of ‘de luxe’ – and this despite the comfortable appointments of the Luxury Six.

US, 1903 – 1907

Standard/ Standard Tourist

Standard Motor Construction, Jersey City, N.J.

Th Standard car succeeded the US Long Distance. The only model Standard car was a five-seater in wood at $3.250, or in aluminium for $3.500. The engine of this Standard car was a 4-stroke, 4-cylinder one of 25hp.

Italy, 1906 – 1912

Fabbrica Automobili Standard, Turin

Also known as the FAS, the Standard car was a conventional machine with a 14/20hp 4-cylinder engine and 4-speed gearbox. The Standard car company had no known connection with any firm bearing the name Standard.

US, 1909 – 1910

(1) St. Louis Motor Car Co, St. Louis, Mo., 1909

(2) St. Louis Car Co, St. Louis, Mo., 1910

From 1906 to 1909 this Standard car company first made three models of the Mors under the name American Mors, but in 1909 they introduced a car of their own design. This Standard car had an ohv 50hp 6-cylinder engine of 7.8-litre capacity. Five body styles were listed, including a limousine at $4.000. The rear springs were of the platform type.

US, 1910

Standard Gas Electric Power Co, Philadelphia, Pa.

This Standard car had a 4-cylinder, 3.7-litre engine with a 3-speed sliding-gear transmission and shaft drive. The only feature of interest of this Standard car was electric starting. The single model Standard car for 1910 was a four-seater torpedo which weighed 2.000lb.

D, 1911 – 1912

Standard Automobilfabrik GmbH, Berlin-Charlottenburg

This German Standard car was characterized by the use of Henriod rotary-valve engines, but the system proved unsuccessful and production of Standard cars was not on a large scale. Two 4-cylinder Standard car models of 10/28PS and 13/35PS were listed.

US, 1912 – 1915

Standard Electric Car Co, Jackson, Mich.

This electric Standard car used Westinghouse motors and was claimed to have a range of 110 miles on a charge. The Standard car was operated from a tiller on the left-hand side. The controller on the Standard car gave six forward speeds, the maximum speed being 20mph. The Standard Model M, a four-seater closed model, cost $1.885.

US, 1912 – 1923

(1) Standard Steel Car Co, Butler, Pa., 1912 – 1923

(2) Standard Auto Vehicle Co, Butler, Pa., 1923

For most of its life the Standard car was built by a firm whose main product was steel and composite railway carriages and wagons. Up to 1916 the Standard car was a conventional 38hp 6-cylinder car built in touring an closed models, at prices up to $3.600. In 1916 an 8-cylinder Standard car model was introduced which was to become the staple product of the Standard car company. Smaller than the six, this Standard car was rated at 29hp (50bhp) and cost only $1.950 for the most expensive model. For 1917 it was increased to 34hp (80bhp) and by 1921 prices of the Standard cars were up to $5.000. In 1923 a new company acquired the design from the Standard Steel Car Co. They assembled a few of the V8 Standard cars, but did not introduce any new models, and were out of business the same year.

US, 1914

Standard Engineering Co, Chicago, Ill.

This Standard car was a cyclecar powered by an air-cooled 2-cylinder Spacke engine. Transmission was by friction discs, and final drive by single chain.

US, 1920 – 1921 

Standard Engineering Co, St. Louis, Mo.

The Standard Steam Car was equipped with a Scott-Newcomb 2-cylinder, horizontal paraffin-burning steam engine and the Standard car was advertised as being able to raise a head of steam in less than 60 seconds. The Standard car carried a Rolls-Royce-type condenser and closely resembled the then well-known Roamer. A touring model was the only body style available. The Standard car was sometimes known as the Scott-Newcomb.

D, 1933 – 1935

Standard Fahrzeugfabrik GmbH, Ludwigsburg

This Standard car firm, owned by Wilhelm Gutbrod, obtained the licence for the production of a small car designed by Josef Ganz. The car appeared under the name of Standard Superior. The Standard car had a 2-cylinder, 2-stroke engine of 396cc developing 12bhp or of 494cc and 16bhp. Special features of this Standard car design were an aerodynamic body, rear engine, centre tubular chassis and independent suspension. Production was given up in 1935, but vans and estate Standard cars were built until 1939. Another car built to Ganz designs was the Swiss Rapid.

Source: Georgano, encyclopedia of motorcar; MCS, GMN, GNG, HON, KM

The information is written with the greatest of care. However, if you have any suggested amendments please contact us at office@prewarcar.com