Although Alfa Romeo isn't present in Brazil today,
despite this being Fiat's biggest global market, the
sporty brand hailing from Milan had a long and very
fascinating history in this Latin American country
before it exited this market almost quarter of a century
ago; and this weekend Alfa Romeo enthusiasts will gather
in the city of Caxambu, Minas Gerais, for a weekend
meeting to celebrate their passion for these unique
Italian cars.
This
will in fact be the fourth National Alfa Romeo Day to be
held in Brazil (following events in 2004, 2006 and
2010); it is dubbed Encontro Alfa Romeo 2011, and
is being organised by Club ARCMG, in partnership
with the AlfaRomeoBr Group, and the Scuderia
Grande ABC Club.
Alfa Romeo has historically seen the majority of its
sales coming across the European markets; however it has
found affection and loyal followings across the global
thanks to its succession of stylish, sporty cars - in
the past even assembling cars in nations as far flung as
Argentina, South Africa, Thailand, Malaysia - and
Brazil. It commands favour from dedicated and passionate
enthusiasts in many dozens of countries, and Brazil is
simply no exception. But here the story is both unique
and interwoven into the local automotive fabric. Not
only did Alfa Romeo build its cars here in the past,
including unique models to this market, but it had a
long a fascinating tie-in with domestic car and
commercial vehicle maker FNM, which started carrying the
famous Alfa Romeo 'heart' on its vehicles in the early
1960s, before the Italian concern finally took control.
The richness of this history, which spawned cars such as
the FNM 2150 and Alfa Romeo 2300, is kept alive by
enthusiasts who still revere the sports marque from
Italy and they now periodically get together for
extravaganzas.
This year more than one hundred cars bearing the badge
that derives from the coat of arms of the City of Milan,
where the marque was founded 101 years ago, are expected
to gather in Caxambu for the fourth national gathering
and a unique richness not to be found at Alfisti
gatherings anywhere else in the world will be on show
thanks to the presence of at least ten FNM models.
The
story of the Brazilian National Alfa Romeo days starts
back in 2004 and 2006 where the organization of these
two events was managed by passionate Alfisti
Gustavo Carvalho de Barros. "The initial idea, to give
life to the event Alfa Day Brasil, was to provide
reassurance of the brand in our country, gathering the
vehicles and Alfisti in one place," recalls
Gustavo. Taking advantage of his contacts with the local
government and the natural beauty of his city, Avaré,
São Paulo, Gustavo decided to invest in the idea,
getting support from Fiat Automóveis, the city mayor and
local businessmen from the tourism sector. Held from 13
to 15 August 2004 in the beautiful setting of the
Recinto de Exposições Dr. Fernando Cruz Pimentel in
Avaré, the programme comprised of an exhibition of
vehicles, lectures, presentation of documentaries and
vehicles ride through the city.
The concept of the event was well received among the
members of the Alfa Romeo BR group, and the
gathering became the 1st Alfa Day Brasil a
success both in terms of vehicles taking part and in the
public presence. "So for the first time in Brazil, a
national event brought together Alfa Romeo cars and FNM
trucks, in an exclusive party," says Gustavo.
"With the success of the first edition, we went to the
2nd Alfa Day Brasil in 2006," he adds. That
second event was also held in Avaré, São Paulo, but this
time at the Villa Verde Hotel. The programme was similar
to the first year, but expanded: an exhibition of
vehicles, lectures, presentation of documentaries,
vehicle ride through the city and a dinner themed
fashion show, with the key models on show including the
Alfa 2300 B, 2300 ti4, FNM JK 2000, FNM D-9500 and
D-11000 (trucks), FNM Onça, Alfa Spider, 145, 155, 164,
166, 156, 156 Sportwagon, 147, Giulia GTV, Montreal and
Giulietta.
There was a four year
break before the third 'Alfa Day' was held in Araxá, a
tourism-focused city in the west of the state of Minas
Gerais, last year, as part of the XIX Encontro
Nacional de Automóveis Antigos (Brazil Classics Fiat
Show 2010) from June 02 - 06, one of the biggest dates
on the classic car calendar which is organised by the
Veteran Car Club do Brasil - MG that brings together
collectors and around 300 old cars with more than 40,000
visitors attending.
This third Brazilian
national Alfa Romeo event was sponsored by Fiat
Automóveis and organised in partnership of ARCMG Club
to celebrate not only 100 years of since Alfa Romeo was
formed in Milan back in 1910 but also 50 years of Alfa
Romeo being present in Brazil as the first model
manufactured in locally was the FNM 2000 Modêlo JK (a
local market version of the 1950s Alfa Romeo Berlina)
which was launched on April 21, 1960, the same day as
the inauguration of Brasília, the new capital of the
country, by the President Juscelino Kubitscheck [J.K.],
hence the model's name.
That event last summer
drew some truly stunning historic cars that brought to
life once again the FNM history, led out by an original
white FNM 2000 JK from 1960. Joining it on the beautiful
manicured lawns was a black 1965 FNM 2000, a red FNM
2150, a red FNM 2000 Onça (less than 10 units were ever
made of this Mustang-inspired design), the red FNM 2150
Fúria (a competition prototype which is now powered by
an Italian Alfa 2000 engine), a silver FNM 2150 Fúria GT
(street prototype). Adding to the quarter of a century
of history of Alfa Romeo's manufacturing operations in
Brazil was a green 1979 Alfa Romeo 2300 ti (from 1978,
the Brazilian built Alfa Romeo 2300 was actually made by
Fiat at its massive plant in Betim, MG). These famous
cars were joined by a string of historical Italian
imports: Alfa 2000 Berlina (1973), Alfa Montreal (1973),
Alfa GTV 1750, Alfa GTV 2000, Alfa Giulia GTC, Alfa 2600
Spider, Alfa Giulia Spider, Alfa Spider Duetto and Alfa
Spider Coda Tronca, as well as more modern cars.
This
weekend, 6/7 August, Brazilian Alfisti will
gather for the occasion of Encontro Alfa Romeo 2011,
the fourth national Alfa Romeo event to be in held in
the country, scheduled to take place in the city of
Caxambu, Minas Gerais, Brazil and promoted by the
Club ARCMG, in partnership with AlfaRomeoBr
and Scuderia Grande ABC. The programme will start
on Saturday with Alfa Romeo owners making "road trips"
from various cities across Brazil to Caxambu for a
morning reception and exhibition (9:00 am - 12:00 pm),
followed by lunch at the Hotel Glória (12:00 pm - 02:00
pm), an exhibition and tour in the Water Park of Caxambu
(02:00 p.m. - 05:00 pm), a lecture and film focusing on
Alfa Romeo (06:00 - 09:00 pm) and finally by dinner in
the Hotel Gloria (09:00 pm). Sunday (August 7) will see
the Alfisti taking breakfast at 8:00 am, followed
by a morning meeting before the event closes at midday.
For more information on Encontro Alfa Romeo 2011
visit:
http://www.arcmg.com.br
Alfa Romeo in Brazil: a history
