Red is not Alfa Romeo’s only historic color, and the manufacturer is working to remind us of this through its latest special series. We take a look back at the other shades that are part of the brand’s DNA.
For some time now, Alfa Romeo has been working to revive some of the colors that have marked its history. Several Giulia GTA racing liveries from the 1970s were thus offered, in adapted versions, for the new eponymous model. And in the regular range too, historic shades are gradually making a comeback.
Alfa Romeo, red above all
The classic color of Alfa Romeo, like Ferrari, is red. The reason is simple: during the first half of the 20thè century, every racing car had to display the official color of the country of its team, and that of Italy was red. Likewise, French Bugattis were blue and British Jaguars were green for example. Thanks to the brand’s success in competition, red has become the reference color for road Alfa Romeos. The famous Alfa Red still endures today, even if it has evolved from its origins and now rubs shoulders with other shades of red. Recently, Alfa Romeo notably took over the Rouge Etna from the 1949 6C 2500 SS Villa d’Este for a limited series of Giulia and Stelvio.
Green, doubly symbolic at Alfa Romeo
Green also holds a special place in Alfa Romeo’s history. It is the color in which is represented the famous Biscione that adorns its logo. This legendary snake is a symbol of the city of Milan where the builder originated from. Note however that the creature traditionally appears in blue on the coat of arms of the Lombard city.
Green is also the color of the Quadrifoglio Verde, the famous four-leaf clover affixed to the sportiest Alfa Romeos. This icon was used for the first time by the firm in 1923. Supposed to bring good luck, the plant had been designed, with a white square as a background, on the four Alfa cars on the Targa Florio. One of them was driven by a certain Enzo Ferrari. The four cars reached the finish line and the one led by Antonio Ascari (Alberto’s father) took the lead. Later the same year Ugo Sivocci, who was part of the same driving team, was killed during a practice session at Monza in a car that did not display the clover. Sports Alfa Romeos have been wearing this symbol since that day, but a triangle has replaced the square as a background, the missing side representing the absence of Sivocci. These two green emblems inspired a striking shade of the 1970 Alfa Romeo Montreal. This color initially called Verde Tremico has recently made its comeback, updated, under the name Vert Montreal.
Blue Alfa Romeos that Italians know well
The very recent Alfa Romeo Giulia and Stelvio GT Junior have also revived, in addition to their suffix, a color from the past. Their Ocher Lipari color pays homage to an iconic Giulia 1300 GT Junior paint from the 1960s and 1970s.
Alfa Romeo’s next historic color brought back to life could be a blue. Several nuances have marked the spirits on vehicles of the Italian brand, such as the pearly paint of the 1996 Nuvola concept car or the very pale one that was offered for several models between the end of the 1990s and the beginning of the 2000s. At the same time, the 147 and 156 GTAs could also be characterized by a dark blue tending to purple.
Long before that, in 1910, the 24 HP that marked the manufacturer’s debut was offered in blue. And if there is indeed another color than red that Italians associate with Alfa Romeo, it is the dark blue of the Carabinieri, transalpine gendarmes who have been supplying cars to Alfa for decades. What to give ideas to the designers of the brand?
TO HAVE. Alfa Romeo. The Carabinieri cars on video!
