ghosts in the machines

In a nondescript building in Northern Italy, more than 100 Alfa Romeo cars sit quietly—but speak volumes

arthur st. antoine

“ THOSE ARE THE PEDALS DANCED UPON BY THE MAESTRO AS HE DRIFTED THROUGH CURVES AT THE NÜRBURGRING, REIMS, MONZA. ” FOR TWO SCORE years Alfa Romeo’s primary production facility, the Arese complex on the outskirts of Milan, Italy, now lies all but abandoned, weeds reclaiming the 500-acre site, assembly lines relocated to Naples and elsewhere. In a remote corner of the grounds, though, two buildings remain in use. One bustles with Alfa offices. The other, dark and unremarkable from the outside, safeguards the entire sheetmetal saga of Alfa Romeo. The Historical Museum, or Museo Storico, spans six floors and houses well over 100 automobiles—one example, it’s said, of every road and racing model produced since the founding of Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica di Automobili—“A.L.F.A.”—in 1910. The museum is open to the public,…

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MotorTrend (Digital) - 1 Issue, February 2008

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