Passion

The Quadrifoglio 1966-67

14/01/2021

"The need for an easy and pleasant means of contact, of continuous information, which would allow us to feel close to each other and to directly update all the alphysites, has become very important to us". Giuseppe Luraghi

What will you need in the new year? A big dose of luck! We Alfisti have an extra gear in this regard, having on our side the great thaumaturgic power of the Green clover.

Il Quadrifoglio is also the name of the publication produced by Alfa Romeo starting from the '60s to which the Fratelli Cozzi Museum wanted to dedicate a column that will keep you company in the coming weeks. It will be a way to relive the journey through the ages, discovering small and big curiosities about engines, design, economics, fashion, customs and love for Alfa Romeo.

The first issue came out in October 1966, under the direction of Leonardo Sinisgalli and it is opened by the editorial signed by Giuseppe Luraghi, in which he explains to the readers that "We felt the need to have an easy and pleasant means of contact, of continuous information, which would allow us to feel close and to update directly all the alphysites".

The idea of creating this column came about by listening to the stories of visitors and conducting interviews to TeloRecounteach shared alfista memory, talked about Alfa Romeos as if they were members of the family album and we asked ourselves how this relationship between Alfa and its public was born. We found the answer by leafing through Il Quadrifoglio. Luraghi himself underlines in his first article the will to bring "quarterly to the knowledge of our friends: facts, news, data, useful information concerning production, the orientation of the engine technique, sales and service in Italy and in the foreign countries where Alfa Romeo is present. […] What concerns the life of the parent company of the cars they have chosen with confidence, concerns them too".

A strong statement that explains the desire to establish a strong relationship with their buyers and followers (to put it as it is today) and aimed at conscious and shared growth. aimed at conscious and shared growth. An obvious marketing strategy but, let us say, also the fulfillment of that formative function that the country needed in the 60s. After all, to quote a famous programme aired between 1960 and 1968 and hosted by Professor Manzi, "It's never too late" to learn" and we add "It's never too late... to become an Alfisti".

"What concerns the life of the parent company of the cars they have chosen with confidence, concerns them as well." Giuseppe Luraghi

FROM THE HATCH TO ARESE

Leafing through the first issue together we are immediately catapulted between the Dolce Vita of the Spider 1600 "embarked on the Raffaello to be presented in America" and the clangour of the assembly line gears. Oh yes, the time was ripe to bring on the Italian roads a "a truly new product in terms of stylistic conception and remarkable mechanical characteristics, a car for the family that wins races", characteristics of the Alfa 1900 that would lead Alfa Romeo out of the post-war period from 1950 onwards. But Italy was hungry for growth, beauty, industriousness and style, and wanted to fall in love with the 'Sweetheart of Italy', the Giulietta, which fascinated in its Sprint version and conquered with the more mature saloon.

These are the years in which the Portello factories do not allow the expansion necessary to sustain the pace of production. The city was growing around the gates of Via Gattamelata, these were the years of the building boom and, in the outer belt of Milan, housing had to be built to accommodate the many people leaving the countryside to flock to the big cities. "After lengthy research, a huge plot of land was purchased in Arese (1,300,000 square metres), destined to house the new plant and allowing, in subsequent stages, the possibility of producing up to 150,000 cars a year. The Arese factory embodied the best architectural visions of the time, which rationalized the spaces dedicated to production, without forgetting the liveability and brightness of the environments and foreseeing the possible expansion of production in the following years.

Orazio Satta signs the article dedicated to the tradition and innovation of the engine with double camshaft, he enriches it with a careful description and with technical drawings such as the cross-section of the engine distribution of the Giulia.

Curiosity:

As early as 1966, we talk about collecting as a phenomenon, born some forty years earlier, that began to spread on a worldwide scale between the late 1950s and 1960s. After all, "Some Like It Old". 

THE RUBRICS

And after so much information, space to the great passion! In every edition of IL Quadrifoglio, detailed reports of the races in which ALFA WON, as Franco Lini says: "They had come from all over America down to Florida forthe 12 hours of Sebring, preceded by the 4 hours reserved for touring cars. They had come to witness the American triumph, which for them was a foregone conclusion [...] Instead they were there, open-mouthed, incredulous: a red car, a small Italian car was beating sensationally not only the Ford Cortina, not only the B.M.W.'s of higher displacement, but the Fords, Dodges, Plymouths, of triple displacement. And not one, but two Alfas were leading the race with De Adamich following Rindt." Result? Four Giulia's in the first five places! [...] The Americans were stunned, we weren't.

And along with the great races, there is no shortage of tales of Alfisti rallies that crossed the whole country from Novi Ligure to Mazzara del Vallo, passing through Reggio nell'Emilia and Marsala (to name but a few). 

PRESS REVIEW:

You may remember when, a few paragraphs ago, we talked about a dual function of Alfa Romeo communication: the marketing functionthat pushed for customer loyalty and the growth of the Alfa Romeo public, the training function

And so, in full consistency with the company's objectives, the press review also occupies an important space in the publication. At the centre of media attention in the first issue we find the GTV and the SPIDER 1600 offered to the judgement of the press: "From 23 to 25 March Alfa Romeo presented its latest sports cars to the Italian and foreign press. The meeting took place in Gardone where 18 Giulia Sprinti GT Veloce and 18 Spider 1600 were available to journalists. Thetests took place over a distance of around 700 km, which included stretches along Lake Garda, hilly internal roads and part of the Serenissima motorway, from Desenzano to Peschiera". Of course, even though we love the technological evolution that has allowed us to connect all over the world via web, an envious sigh comes over us while we seem to smell a slight spring scent of that 1966 that made us dream so much. 

THE STARS OF THE FIRST ISSUE:

  • - Spider 1600
  • - Julia
  • - GTV 
  • - GT 1300 Junior