Founded in 1910 as ALFA and then purchased by Nicola Romeo, Alfa Romeo has become one of Italy's best loved car manufacturers. Pre-World War Two the company enjoyed racing successes and produced some exquisite models such as the 6C and 8C.

Following W.W.II the company changed direction from producing exclusive, hand-built cars and concentrated on mass-production models with a sporting flavour. The company began to suffer in the UK during the 70's and 80's thanks to problems with rust and general build quality. The late 90's has seen the company establish itself as a real competitor for the BMW market with models such as the 156 and 166.