page_title: Alfa Romeo
section_title: Fiat takeover
hierarchical_section_title: Alfa Romeo / History / Fiat takeover
caption_attribution_description: Alfa Romeo 156 GTA
context_page_description: Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian premium car manufacturer, was founded on 24 June 1910, as "Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili", and so the acronym for it is "A.L.F.A.", in Milano, Italy. "Anonima" means "anonymous", and it was a legal form of company at the time, as it was founded by anonymous investors. In the initial set-up phase, in order to have a building to produce cars, the company bought the factory building of Darraq french company in Milan, which was closing up and selling all assets because it was going to fail. The brand is known for sporty vehicles and has been involved in car racing since 1911.
  The first car produced by the company was the 1910 24 HP, designed by Giuseppe Merosi. A.L.F.A. ventured into motor racing, with drivers Franchini and Ronzoni competing in the 1911 Targa Florio with two 24-hp models. In August 1915, the company came under the direction of Neapolitan entrepreneur Nicola Romeo, who converted the factory to produce military hardware for the Italian and Allied war efforts. In 1920, the name of the company was changed to Alfa Romeo with the Torpedo 20–30 HP the first car to be so badged.
context_section_description: Fiat withdrew its plan for a joint venture with Alfa Romeo when Ford put in an offer to acquire part of Alfa Romeo and restructure the company, while increasing its stake over time. However, Fiat chose to put in a bid to acquire the entirety of Alfa Romeo and offer job guarantees to Italian workers, an offer that Ford was unwilling to match. It also did not hurt any of the parties involved that an acquisition by Fiat would keep Alfa Romeo in Italian hands. In 1986, the deal was concluded with Alfa Romeo merged with traditional rival Lancia into Fiat's Alfa Lancia Industriale S.p.A. Already in 1981, Alfa Romeo's then-President Ettore Massacesi had stated that Alfa would never use Fiat engines, the engines being, to a large extent, Alfa Romeo's identity, but would be happy to cooperate fully with everything else.
  Models produced from the 1990 onwards combined Alfa's traditional virtues of avant-garde styling and sporting panache with the economic benefits of product rationalisation, and include a "GTA" version of the 147 hatchback, the Giugiaro-designed Brera, and a high-performance exotic called the 8C Competizione (named after one of Alfa's most successful prewar sports and racing cars, the 8C of the 1930s).
  In 2005 Maserati was bought back from Ferrari and was now under Fiat's full control. The Fiat Group  then created a sports and luxury division from Maserati and Alfa Romeo. There is a planned strategic relationship between these two; engines, platforms and possibly dealers are shared.
  In the beginning of 2007, Fiat Auto S.p.A. was reorganized and four new automobile companies were created; Fiat Automobiles S.p.A., Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A., Lancia Automobiles S.p.A. and Fiat Light Commercial Vehicles S.p.A. These companies are fully owned by Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A (from 2007 FCA Italy S.p.A.).
  On 24 June 2010, Alfa Romeo celebrated 100 years from its foundation.
caption: Alfa Romeo 156 GTA
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