Alfa Romeo
Italian company Alfa Romeo is famous for its passenger and sport cars, although its commercial department produced different commercial vehicles for nearly 60 years. All started in 1929 when the crisis pushed the company to expand its model range. In the autumn of that year, Alfa Romeo signed the agreements with German companies Bussing and Deutz, and began license production of heavy trucks and diesel engines for it. In 1930 a commercial department of Alfa Romeo company was founded, and a year later from the factory's gates in the Portello near Milan went out the first 6-ton truck Alfa Romeo Biscione.
But such heavy and expensive trucks didn't found a great demand in Italy, and since 1935 Alfa Romeo's range was complemented by a lighter 4-ton truck. In 1940, Alfa Romeo decided to cancel production of bonneted trucks and concentrate on new cabover models "430" and "800". The design of these trucks was made in a style of Alfa Romeo's passenger cars that made new truck range recognizable, trendy and prestigious, almost like a racing cars of the company.
Production of heavy duty trucks was discontinued in 1964 due to difficult economic conditions and strong competition from the side of larger manufacturers. But the production of light trucks, vans and special vehicles based on them have been continued. So, in cooperation with the SAVIEM company since 1967, Alfa Romeo was producing light trucks, similar to French models SG2 and SG4. In 1968 the factory in Pomigliano d'Arco near Naples, has been redeveloped for the production of light trucks. Along with the newly formed holding IVECO, Alfa-Romeo took part in the construction of motor plant SOFIM, where, since 1978, engines for light trucks IVECO Daily were produced. The success of these vehicles has forced the Alfa Romeo company to organize the assembly of it on the plant in Pomigliano d'Arco.
In November 1986, Alfa Romeo joined the group FIAT and the production of identical vehnicles under different brands lost all meaning. That is why in 1989, production of trucks under Alfa Romeo brand has been discontinued.
