ELVIRA TELLS
The Arna, the Italian-Japanese
16 November, 2017
"The main objective to implement a recovery plan was to make better use of the Pomigliano d'Arco plant's production capacity and, in order to meet the necessary investments, a partner was sought".
As part of the restructuring plan of the Alfa Romeo grouping, on 9 July 1980, Alfa Romeo S.p.A. was set up, into which, on 31 December of the same year, the Auto sector of Alfa Romeo S.p.A. and INCA Alfa-Romeo Alfasud merged. The main objective to implement a recovery plan was to make better use of the production capacity of the Pomigliano d'Arco plant and, to meet the necessary investments, a partner was sought. Thus was born the project that would result in the inclusion in the range of a new car called ARNA, thanks to the joint-venture with the Japanese Nissan, signed in 1980 and supported by Ciriaco De Mita and Antonio Gullotti. In 1982 the plant was completed and production started in 1983.
Three years passed between the laying of the foundation stone in October 1980 and the birth of the first Italian-Japanese car with the Alfa Romeo badge. The Arna, in the 1.2 SL 5-door version, made its appearance at the 50th edition of the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1983 as an absolute preview together with the Alfa 33 4×4, an important novelty: the Giulietta Turboautodelta, and the new series of the Alfetta, Giulietta and Alfa 6.
The official presentation of the Italian Arna 1983 to the trade press with a road test took place in Taormina from 30 September to 6 October. Throughout the entire period, every evening a film was shown to journalists in which director Dore Modesti told the story of the joint venture. It had been filmed over two years in Japan, Sweden, Norway, Morocco and of course in Italy in Pratola Serra, Pomigliano d'Arco, Arese, Balocco, Milan, Naples, Rome and also Gubbio and Cetara on the Amalfi coast. The film entitled 'An Encounter', made by Alfa Romeo's Social Strategies, won two prizes at the International Industrial Film & Video Festival held in London with the participation of 138 films from 20 countries. But there were also two other presentations: on 27 October in Naples at Villa Scipioni, where in the presence of dignitaries and exponents of the business and cultural world, Arna cars were on display with elegant models wearing silk dresses made by fashion designer Rosetta Gentile next to them. The event was called Arna and Silk. A similar presentation took place the following day in Rome at the Hotel Aldrovandi, with the screening of Dore Modesti's film.

Elvira Ruocco, historical memory of Alfa Romeo, thanks to her more than twenty years of experience at the Alfa Romeo Centro di Documentazione Storica, has become part of the Museum team and in the column "Elvira Racconta" she will share curiosities and anecdotes that you may not know or remember. We will retrace the legendary history of Alfa Romeo with her.