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It's the first
time it has ever happened and it could have only happened in Sydney: Alfa Romeo
has brought together the very first Alfa Romeo, the G1, and the very latest, the
Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, which has jetted into Australia this week for the
Australian International Motor Show.
The Alfa Romeo G1 and the 8C have never 'met' before because the Sydney-based G1
is the only one in the world, even Alfa Romeo does not have one, so it was not
until the 8C Competizione arrived in Sydney for the Motor Show, which starts on
Thursday 7 October.
"These two remarkable cars share a unique bloodline, so it's more than
appropriate that they are both bright red," says Kevin Wall, General Manager of
Alfa Romeo in Australia.
"Both are two seat performance cars, both have big capacity engines offering
breath taking performance and both demonstrate Alfa Romeo's commitment to
offering motoring excitement for more than 80 years."
The Alfa Romeo G1 owes its survival to the fact that it spent many years holding
up a farm shed in far west Queensland and then being used as water pump.
Hidden away from the world for more than 25 years before being rescued, it
survived, where other cars of its era were lost. Now fully restored, it is fully
capable of breaking the 110km/h speed limit, despite being more than 80 years
old.
The Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione is a production ready prototype for a new Alfa
Romeo model expected to be launched in 2006.
Only 1,000 of the 300 km/h super sports cars are likely to be built, but already
six Australians have put their hand up for a chance to own the latest classic
sports car from Alfa Romeo.
The Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione will be the centre piece of the Alfa Romeo stand
at the Australian International Motor Show, which opens tomorrow, and runs until
17 October at the Darling Harbour Exhibition Centre.
The Alfa
Romeo G1
The 6.3 litre straight six Alfa Romeo G1 clearly demonstrates Alfa Romeo's
sports performance lineage, which runs right through to today's six cylinder
Alfa Romeo sports cars and sports sedans. And, of course, it is bright red and
lined with hand stitched leather upholstery.
But magnificent as it looks today, it has had a very mixed history since it
arrived in Australia than 80 years ago.
Chassis 6018 was imported new into Australia in 1921 and was sold, for £850, to
a Queensland businessman who, soon afterwards, was declared bankrupt.
Since he had seen his crash coming, he hid the car to keep it out of the hands
of his creditors. Then, three years on, he had the misfortune to die and the G1
remained hidden for 25 years, apparently holding up one corner of a shed in the
Queensland outback.
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