Alfa Romeo Automobiles SpA is an Italian manufacturer of cars. Founded as A.L.F.A. on June 24, 1910 in Milan, the company involved in motorsport since 1911, and has a reputation for building expensive sports cars. The company was owned by the Italian state holding company Istituto per la Ricostruzione Industriale between 1932 and 1986, when he connected the Fiat Group, and since February 2007, part of Fiat Group Automobiles SpA

The company that became Alfa Romeo was founded as Società Anonima Italiana Darracq (SAID) in 1906 by the French automobile firm of Alexandre Darracq, with some Italian investors. The end of 1909, the Italian Darracq cars were selling slowly and a new company was initially established in collaboration with Alfa name still Darracq. The first non-Darracq car produced by the company was the 24 HP 1910, designed by Giuseppe Merosi. A.L.F.A. entered the car, 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 equipment to the war efforts of Italy and the Allies. In 1920 the company name was changed to Alfa Romeo with the Torpedo 20-30 HP becoming the first car to be badged as such.

In 1928 Nicola Romeo left, with Alfa going broke after defense contracts ended, and at the end of 1932, Alfa Romeo was rescued by the government of Benito Mussolini, who then had effective control. The Alfa factory struggling to return to profitability after the Second World War, and turned to mass-produce small cars instead of building hand-luxury models. The company, in 1954, developed the classic Alfa Romeo Twin Cam engine, which remain in production until 1995. During 1960 and 1970, has a range of Alfa Romeo sports cars, although the Italian parent company, public company, Finmeccanica, difficult to make a profit selling the brand of the Fiat group in 1986 to make.

Alfa Romeo has successfully participated in various categories of motorsport, including Grand Prix racing, Formula One, sports car racing, racing cars and rallies. Have competed both as a builder and engine supplier, via the inputs and the inputs of the private works. The first car race was in 1913, three years after the founding of the company, and Alfa Romeo the inaugural world championship grand prix cars won in 1925. The company was given a good name in motorsport, a sporty image of the brand’s did. Enzo Ferrari founded the Scuderia Ferrari in 1929 as a racing team of Alfa Romeo, before becoming independent in 1939.