Public Debuts For Alfa Romeo At Goodwood Festival Of Speed

GOODWOOD, UK - July 11, 2006: Italian sports car manufacturer, Alfa Romeo, displayed and ran an impressive array of Alfa Romeo cars from its world renowned museum collection at Arese, Milan, during last weekend's Goodwood Festival of Speed in Sussex.

And alongside these seven historic vehicles, two new Alfa Romeos made their UK public debuts at Goodwood. The new Alfa Spider starred on the Alfa Romeo stand, following its international public debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March, where it was named Cabrio of the Year 2006 by a panel of international motoring writers. This all-new Spider has an important place in Alfa Romeo’s enviable heritage, which began with the Giulietta Spider in the 1950s, and includes the Duetto which this year celebrates its 40th anniversary. The all-new Alfa Spider will become available in the UK at the beginning of 2007.

Also making its UK debut at Goodwood was the Alfa Romeo 8C Spider concept, designed by Alfa Romeo Centro Stile. It was first shown at last year’s Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California, where Alfa Romeo was the featured marque, and more recently the car won this year’s Villa d’Este Concours d’Elegance Design Award for concept cars. The 8C Spider can be seen in action on the Goodwood Hillclimb course at the weekend.

Amongst the museum cars in action and on display were the 500bhp Alfa 33 TT12 which won Alfa Romeo the World Manufacturers’ title in 1975, winning seven out of eight races. Alfa Romeo star drivers, Arturo Merzario and Nino Vaccarella, were reunited with this car at the weekend. And completing this year’s Festival of Speed theme – Racing for Glory – a Century of Grands Prix – was the 425bhp 1951 Alfetta 159 single seater in which Juan Manuel Fangio won the 1951 World Championship; and the P2 Gran Premio which won the First World Championship in 1925, leading to the introduction of the laurel wreath around Alfa Romeo’s world famous emblem. Alfa Romeo was once again a sponsor of the annual Goodwood Festival of Speed.