Background

This museum is a tribute to all the beauty Alfa Romeo has to offer. It is best summed up as innovation, competition and beauty on four wheels. Inside, you step into a world full of Italian emotion and iconic models from which contemporary models have emerged. To give you a sneak peek, we list nine models for you.

1. Alfa Romeo 8C 2300 Corto “Mille Miglia”

An Alfa that lives up to its name. With “Mille Miglia,” the 8C 2300 Corto explicitly refers to the legendary race in Italy, which was a thousand miles long. This car won several times, with Tazio Nuvolari behind the wheel, among others. Alfa Romeo took a rather practical approach in their designations in the early years. You guessed it, this car has an eight-cylinder engine with a capacity of 2.3 liters. The name “Corto” stands for the shorter chassis, which made the car more agile on Italy’s winding roads.

2. Alfa Romeo Giulietta

In the 1950s, Alfa gave its new compact model a strikingly feminine name: Giulietta. This was not without reason. It was a nod to the romance of Romeo and Juliet, and at the same time a charming way to appeal to a new target group. The Giulietta became wildly popular, not only for its looks, but also for its pleasant handling and affordability. Italian elegance for the ordinary citizen.

3. Alfa Romeo Montreal

The Alfa Romeo Montreal debuted at Expo 67 in … yes, Montreal. The brand made a striking choice. Instead of putting a V6 under the hood, it opted for a V8. Sounds easier said than done, so Alfa had to modify the hood slightly. This created a striking nose with a long continuous hood and closed headlights behind slats. Did you know that only 3,925 units were made of this car?

4. Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione

A modern reincarnation of a legend. Built between 2007 and 2010, the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione is known for its timeless and especially elegant design. Under the hood lies a 4.7-liter V8, but it is mainly its sensual design that makes it a modern classic. Only 500 examples were built. This example in the museum speaks extra to the imagination, given that this is a prototype. That means fewer partial seams and thus a tighter whole. Just look closely at the hood.

5. Alfa Romeo 1900 C52 Disco Volante

Perhaps the most futuristic Alfa ever built: the 1900 C52 “Disco Volante. The name means “flying saucer” in Italian. A dish of pasta sounds irreverent, because this car looks otherworldly. A streamlined aluminum body designed by Carrozzeria Touring. Alfa Romeo built only a handful of them, which makes this exotic one of the most special pieces in the collection.

6. Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 B Lungo

This is refinement on wheels and proof that an Alfa Romeo does not have to be red. The 8C 2900 B Lungo is considered by many to be the most beautiful Alfa Romeo ever built. We understand why. With its flowing lines, you can continue to enjoy the design stretched out over a long wheelbase.

7. Alfa Romeo Bimotore Grand Prix

The similarities between a Tesla and this car? A racing car with a twist: the Bimotore had not one, but two engines. One in the front and one in the back. A “dual engine” that together produced 540 horsepower. A staggering figure in 1935. Alfa built it in collaboration with Enzo Ferrari, hence the reason for the Ferrari logo, years before Ferrari became independent.

8. Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale

Perhaps the most beautiful sports car of all time. The 33 Stradale combined the DNA of a race car with the elegance of a coachbuilder. The low seating position, the upward opening doors, the lines … everything fits. Only a limited number of four prototypes and eighteen real copies were built. All the more reason that copies are scarce ánd worth a lot.

9. Alfa Romeo 155 V6 TI DTM

No, this is not your neighbor’s 155 back in the day with a spoiler on it. Alfa took the 155 by storm to compete in the DTM. The 155 V6 TI dominated the DTM championship in 1993 with Nicola Larini behind the wheel. The V6 engine was derived from a Formula 1 block and the chassis was hardly any more akin to the street version.

And there are … only nine

Choosing nine cars is actually a hopeless task. Because, in the Alfa Romeo Museum, every car has a story. Those who visit Arese discover that Alfa Romeo is much more than a car brand. It is a culture, an emotion, a heritage.

For the full experience and the rest of the collection, you will really have to travel to Italy. Our tip? The Monza circuit is not far east, and the Fiat factory is not far west. In short, as a car enthusiast, you can easily spend several days in the Milan area once you have seen the cathedral in Piazza del Duomo, the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II and Castello Sforzesco in the city.