By Angus Frazer
This story originally appeared in the July/August 2017 issue of Elite Traveler.
From the timeless to the technologically fantastic, in this series of top cars we have selected the very best in automobile innovation. Highlighting the classic cars that created a legend, alongside the latest offerings on the road that will turn heads, our rundown of top cars is sure to inspire those in the market for a new ride.
Alfa Romeo
ITALY, 1910
The Milan-based Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili—or ALFA—introduced its first car in 1910, the 24 HP. Five years later, Nicola Romeo became the new director of the company and Alfa Romeo was born. Between the wars, racing driver Tazio Nuvolari took numerous victories for the Italian marque, and in 1950 Giuseppe Farina won the inaugural driver’s Grand Prix Championship, a feat repeated by Juan Manuel Fangio the following year. Alfa Romeo had its moment of cinematic glory when Dustin Hoffman took the wheel of an Alfa Romeo Spider in the 1967 film The Graduate, which did worldwide sales no harm at all. alfaromeo.com
1900 Super Sprint
CLASSIC
Related
Just 854 Alfa Romeo 1900 Super Sprints were produced between 1953 and 1958, and this relatively limited production run only adds to the allure of the exceptionally pretty two-door coupe. Based on the four-door Alfa Romeo 1900 family sedan, the Super Sprint featured a body created by the Italian bus-building company Carrozzeria Touring, while the cabriolet version featured bodywork by Pininfarina. The Sprint Coupe was powered by an enlarged 2.0-liter engine, which endowed it with the ability to reach a top speed of 118mph.
Stelvio
MODERN
Alfa Romeo claims that its forthcoming Stelvio model will create a new emotional twist on the traditional SUV. It may have a point, for the vehicle, which is named after a 9,045ft mountain pass in Italy, looks more racing car than family runaround. The Stelvio will cost around $40,000 in 2.0-liter guise, with the range-topping twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter V6 Quadrifoglio model priced around $80,000. The fact that the SUV shares a platform with the new Giulia sedan bodes well for any owner eager to tackle the Stelvio Pass and its 48 hairpin bends—the Giulia is one of the best handling Alfas ever.
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