A day with Alfa Romeo owners and 116 years of Italian car obsession
Which nation makes the greatest cars on earth? Some would argue that Germany is the obvious answer. After all, Porsche, BMW and Mercedes-Benz would form part of that conversation.
Others would say the Japanese have created some of the most iconic and driver-focused cars in the world. Nissan GTR, anyone? Then there are those, like me, who believe the country that makes the best and most beautiful machines is also in Europe, just a little south of Germany.
If you’re a petrolhead and someone mentions Italy, your mind probably goes straight to some of the most desirable, exclusive and exciting cars on the planet. In Motor Valley alone, Ferrari, Lamborghini and Pagani are all within a stone’s throw of each other.
Recently, we were invited to join a gathering of a marque that, without which, none of those three would exist. Any guesses? Yes. I’m talking about Alfa Romeo.
Think about it for a moment. Without Alfa Romeo, Enzo Ferrari wouldn’t have had a racing team to run, and so wouldn’t have gone on to form his own. Without Ferrari, Ferruccio Lamborghini wouldn’t have had a car to buy and complain about its clutch. Without that famous spat, Lamborghini wouldn’t have started building cars out of spite, and Horacio Pagani would never have ended up working at the company. And without Pagani’s carbon-fibre experiments at Lambo, there would be no Zonda. See why Alfa is so important?
This 116-year-old Italian manufacturer is drenched in automotive heritage. Alfa stands for Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili, and when Nicola Romeo took over the company in 1910, he eventually added his surname to form the company we know today: Alfa Romeo. From the Targa Florio to the Mille Miglia and Le Mans, Alfa’s DNA is embedded in the tarmac and gravel of the world’s most iconic racing roads. Not to mention that it won the inaugural Formula 1 World Championship. And the second. To make sure the bragging rights were thoroughly secured.
They didn’t just build race cars, of course. Alfa also produced some beautiful road cars such as the 33 Stradale, Giulietta, 8C, Disco Volante, Spider, Montreal… The list is about as long as a State of the Nation speech. Let’s not forget Alfa’s close links with South Africa, either. For some years, the Italian marque assembled vehicles at its plant in Brits, outside of Pretoria. In fact, for a brief period in the 1970s and 1980s, SA reportedly had more Alfa Romeos on its roads than any country outside Italy.
With Alfa’s popularity in South Africa at an all-time high during this period, it’s hardly surprising that enthusiasts thought it a dandy idea to form a club. So, in 1973, the Alfa Romeo Club of South Africa (ARCSA) was founded. Fast-forward to 2026, and ARCSA is still going strong. Invited by Alfa Romeo SA to its annual Concorso d’Eleganza, we experienced the unbridled passion that Alfa owners, young and old, have for the brand.
It was a full showcase of Alfa’s history, from a 1960s Giulietta Sprint Veloce and Spider to an early-2000s 156 GTA Sportwagon, and to the über drool-worthy (and very rare) Giulia GTA. The one thing everyone there had in common? An untamed love for Alfa Romeo.
I, too, am an Alfista. Maybe that’s why I loved walking among some of Italy’s finest creations. My first car was a 2012 MiTo 1.4 MultiAir finished in Bianco Spino. It wasn’t perfect, and its TCT automatic gearbox was a bit rubbish, but something about it made me fall in love instantly. Smiles came standard with that little hatchback, and I’m sure every Alfa owner there would say the same about their car, regardless of spec level. Perhaps that’s what makes the brand so special: foibles and all.
So, does Italy make the greatest cars on earth? Spend a day among the people who keep these cars alive, flaws and all, and it’s hard to argue otherwise. Just don’t expect a fun day out with the Alfa Romeo Club to be a harmless one. Hey, Siri, find used Alfa Romeos near me…
Words: Barrie Ferreira
