ALFA ROMEO OWNERS CLUB MALTA – A Brief History

 

 

All Alfa Romeos offer something extra.  Something that sets the cars of this marque apart from all others: we call it the Cuore Sportivo or Sporting Heart.  We need to go back in time, to the early days of motoring history, to understand the true meaning of this term.

 

Alfa’s 96 year history, its rich heritage and sporting successes, started with its dominance in motor racing in the late 1920s and 1930s, continuing with its post-war Grand Prix successes, through to the domination of the ETCC/WTCC with the Alfa 156.

 

In the mid Nineties Alfa Romeo made a strong return on the automotive marketplace with the introduction of a range of new models, starting with the Spider and GTV in 1995 and continuing with the beautiful 156 compact saloon, the executive166 and the 147 hatchback.  Nearly all these models have now been replaced, with the new 159, Brera and Spider only recently launched.  The eagerly awaited Alfa Romeo Junior (Project 955), now officially named Mi.To, is due to be launched in the third quarter of 2008, with the 149 hatchback and 169 saloon in 2009/2010.

 

The emergence of such desirable cars could not but rekindle old and new enthusiasm for the marque, and Malta was no exception. In September 2002 a small group of Alfa enthusiasts felt the need for a club to cater for their particular interests, and started to organize informal meetings and drives which steadily increased in attendance.

 

Spurred on by increasing enthusiasm, the first committee was formed and met for the first time in February 2003. The Club was officially launched in June 2003 to coincide with the official launch of the Alfa 147 diesel in Malta, enjoying the support of local Alfa agents UCIM. Since then the Club has maintained a frequency of one event per month, always striving to offer something different in an effort to keep interest high amongst its members.

 

Activities organized by the Club during its first five years have been many and varied.  These included drives, social events, skilled driving tests, treasure hunts, concours d’elegance, exhibitions of cars, visits to places of interest, film shows, new car launches and – the cherry on the cake – the Club’s first overseas visit.  This took place in October 2005 when a group of members visited the Alfisti’s Mecca, the Museo Storico Alfa Romeo at Arese near Milan.  The trip also took in the Galleria Ferrari and the Lamborghini Museum and factory. 

 

Another milestone was achieved in 2008 when club members were granted an official visit to Alfa Romeo’s sprawling Pomigliano d’Arco plant during May, seeing practically the whole manufacturing process from assembly of the body panels, treatment and spraying of the body shell, to fitting out.  The visit to Italy also took in the overnight stop at Rome of the Mille Miglia cars.

 

Membership is open to all persons over 18 years of age.  Annual subscription fee is Euros 23,30.

 

 

John Visanich

General Secretary

Alfa Romeo Owners Club Malta