The 100th edition of the legendary "Targa Florio", the oldest car race in the world, will be held in Sicily 5-8 May. It was originally commissioned, funded and organised by the Palermo magnate Vincenzo Florio for the purpose of establishing a "practical and precise criterion for assessing the travelling car". The race has been competed in various forms ever since 1906. Organised by AC Palermo in collaboration with the Automobile Club of Italy, it is four events rolled up in one: Targa Florio Rally, Targa Florio Historic Rally, Targa Florio Classic and Targa Florio Historic Speed.
Alfa Romeo has written some of the most beautiful chapters of its sports history at the Targa Florio by taking 10 absolute victories, 3 second places, 7 third places and 10 fastest laps. This extraordinary prize record has been enriched with two records: that of consecutive victories (6 wins from 1930 to 1935) and that of doubles, with five in all. Added to these are the many class wins, with the Giulia GTA, Giulietta SZ, Giulia TZ and TZ2.
The Alfa Romeo brand is taking part in the Targa Florio Classic, the historic regularity competition that will pass by characteristic places in Sicily tied to the famous race, with two gorgeous models coming from the Alfa Romeo Historic Museum in Arese called "La macchina del tempo". The 1960 Giulietta SZ (4 cylinders in line, 1290 cc, 100 HP) is a model belonging to the second series and is distinguished by its so-called "cut-off tail" (or Kamm tail) that, along with its aerodynamic efficiency, easily takes it up to the speed of 200 km/h. The 1963 Giulia Sprint Speciale (4 cylinders in line, 1570 cc, 112 HP) is the technological evolution of the Giulietta SS, a coupé featuring sinuous and personal lines that was designed by Scaglione. The Giulia Sprint Speciale also has an aerodynamic line taken from the aircraft of the day and developed with direct observation of the flows using wool threads applied on the bodywork of a car launched at full speed on the Turin-Milan motorway.
The four historic cars contending in the Targa Florio Historic Speed race also come from the Alfa Romeo official collection. This is the dynamic catwalk down which the drivers and cars that made the Sicilian "cursa" great paraded, from the stands of Floriopoli to Cerda. The Alfa Romeo 6C 1500 Super Sport of 1928 (6 cylinders in line, compressor, 1487 cc, 76 HP) is the first model of the long-lived six-cylinder dynasty of the "Jano" era to win Alfa's first of 11 successes at the Mille Miglia with Giuseppe Campari and to place, with the same driver, absolute second and first of class at the 1928 Targa Florio. The Alfa Romeo 33/2 "Daytona" of 1968 (V8, 1995 cc, 270 HP) is a two-litre sports racing prototype that stole the scene at the endurance races and time trials of the day, and that clinched the class victory at the 1968 Targa Florio. The 1975 Alfa Romeo 33 TT 12 (12-cylinder boxer engine, 2995 cc, 500 HP) won the World Championship for Makes in 1975 and also won the Targa Florio during that magical season with Merzario (the best interpreter of the 33 TT 12) and Vaccarella (a "Targa" icon). The three cars will be driven respectively by Jochen Mass, Andrea De Adamich and Arturo Merzario, three "great glories" of international sports motor racing, who have attained many of their most important successes with Alfa Romeo cars. Completing the line-up at the Targa Florio Historic Speed competition is the Alfa Romeo 750 Competizione of 1955 (4 cylinders in line, 1488 cc, 145 HP), a racing spider made in only one complete unit. Its engine came from the Giulietta and its lines were designed by Boano.
A final great sports car coming from the Alfa Romeo Historic Museum will stand in the spotlight at the gala dinner of the event, scheduled for the evening of 5 May at Villa Chiaramonte Bordonaro. It is the RL TF of 1923, the legendary car with which Ugo Sivocci won the first of 10 Alfa Romeo victories at the Targa Florio. It was a thrilling race: at the wheel of a RL model, which was renamed "RL TF" precisely in honour of this victory, Sivocci covered the 432 km of the Madonìe Circuit (4 laps, 108 km each) at the average speed of 59.04 km/h, which was an amazing speed for the time, above all considering the dangers and hardships of the route. As a sign of good omen, the sides of this car had been decorated with a green four-leaf clover before the race, and this was the beginning of the history of a legendary symbol for Alfa Romeo. A history that over 90 years later still continues today with the new Giulia Quadrifoglio, which depicts the new Alfa Romeo paradigm and that will be exhibited next to the RL TF.
Several prestigious locations in Palermo will also host dedicated areas exhibiting the latest Alfa Romeo models during the days of the Targa Florio. They range from the captivating Giulia Quadrifoglio to the new Giulietta and Mito, the two recently updated models that display a marked family feeling with the Giulia, as seen in the new front that flaunts a brand-new grill and the legendary trefoil, perhaps the most famous and recognisable signature in the automotive world. Even the lettering of the names “Giulietta” and “Mito” also winks to that of the Giulia, with both cars sporting the refreshed logo of the Alfa Romeo brand.
