Autodromo Nazionale di Monza is referred to as the Temple of Speed because it’s the fastest track on the F1 calendar. The circuit’s 100th anniversary has been celebrated by Alfa Romeo with Valtteri Bottas in the C42 on the streets of Milan, the second-most populous city in Italy.
The featured clip begins with Bottas running its fingers on a kerb, then getting behind the wheel of a vintage racer. It’s hard to tell if we’re dealing with the 158 or the 159, but nevertheless, that clearly is an Alfetta. To whom it may concern, Alfa Romeo won the inaugural season of Formula 1 with the 158 Alfetta, which is rocking a straight-8 mill with a Roots-type blower.
The video cuts to the C42, a different animal from its forerunner. Following a few shots at Monza, the video cuts to the C42 parked on a street adjacent to Duomo di Milano. Celebrating the Nativity of St. Mary, the cathedral was built over the course of six centuries. Not as large as St. Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican City State, this cathedral is the largest in the Italian Republic.
Escorted by the police, Valtteri drives the C42 to his heart’s desire in both the older parts of the city as well as the newer parts with high-rise buildings. Piazza San Babila, Porta Nuova, Central Station, the CityLife district, and Portello district are featured as well, with the latter being of utmost importance to Alfa Romeo. Portello is the stomping ground of Alfa Romeo, the place where the Italian automaker’s first plant used to stand.
Currently headquartered in Turin, the company used to be known as A.L.F.A. during its first years of existence. La Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili was born on June 24th, 1910. Fiat acquired the automaker in 1986 due to Alfa Romeo’s financial struggles, which aren’t over yet given that its current lineup is a little dated compared to competing sedans and SUVs.
Take, for instance, the Tonale compact crossover that Valtteri mentions at the 1:25 mark. Twinned with the badge-engineered Dodge Hornet, this fellow is based on the FCA Small Wide 4x4 LWB platform that traces its roots back to the SCCS developed by Fiat and General Motors in the 2000s.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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