Cookie Consent by Free Privacy Policy website “La Macchina del tempo” lights up in red for Alfa's 106th anniversary
june 24, 2016 - Alfa Romeo

“La Macchina del tempo” lights up in red for Alfa's 106th anniversary

To celebrate the 106th anniversary since the brand was established, the historic 24-metre tall sycamore tree planted in front of the historical Museum lights up in the brand's most representative colour. Visitors can admire its trunk and foliage throughout their visit, observing how both the brand and its designs have developed over time, along with its major victories.

 

Alfa Romeo celebrates its 106th anniversary today. To celebrate, the massive sycamore tree that stands proudly in the square in front of the "La macchina del tempo" Historical Museum in Arese has lit up in red. 24 metres tall, the tree was planted in the early 1970s when the complex was built. When the building was renovated, special attention was given to the sycamore tree: indeed, visitors can admire its base through the floor-to-ceiling windows in the foyer, and its foliage from the upper floor, in Piazzetta Alfa Romeo.

 

The Historical Museum underwent intensive restoration work which was concluded on 24th June 2015 - during the world preview of the new Giulia - when "La Macchina del tempo", a modern museum that illustrates the story of the brand, opened its doors to the public. During its first year of activity, the Museum has seen over 100 thousand visitors originating from all over the globe, who have enjoyed the "Alfa Romeo experience" thanks to the spectacular cars on display, the documentation from the historic Archive, the 4D cinema, the test drive track dedicated to historic cars and the Arese Motor Village showroom, in the perfect bond between past, present and future.

 

The architectural project redesigned its functionality, adapting the facility to new activities and to the flow of visitors. The key element in the design is the red structure which crosses the entire complex: from the projecting roof over the visitor entrance, through the entrance and right up to the start of the display route with the new architectural feature of the escalator. This last architectural addition, which can clearly be seen from the motorway owing to its bright "Alfa red" hue, is the symbol of the Museum's rebirth: a modern feature, set within a 1970s architectural context, which provides the necessary link between past and present.

 

Inside, the museum's layout emphasises the identifying features that belong to Alfa Romeo DNA; depicted through a charming luminous installation that stretches across the building vertically: lights, words and signs of style that come to life in a display with a descending helical motion, symbolising stylistic continuity and technological consistency in time.

 

The display exhibits 69 models, chosen as those which most marked not only the development of the brand, but the very history of the car itself. These include the first A.L.F.A. model (the 24 HP), legendary winners of the Mille Miglia races such as the 6C 1750 Gran Sport driven by Tazio Nuvolari, the heavyweight 8C Touring, the Gran Premio 159 "Alfetta 159" (Formula 1 World Champion with Juan Manuel Fangio) the Giulietta, icon of the 1950s, and the glorious 33 TT 12. The very essence of the brand has been condensed into three principles: "Timeline", which represents industrial continuity; "Beauty", which teams style with design; "Speed", summing up technology and light weight. Each principle matches a floor of the Museum. Visitors can therefore admire as they proceed through the exhibition both the development of the brand and of design as well as the major victories achieved by Alfa Romeo.

 

The journey through the legend ends with a playful and spectacular finale: the "bolle emozionali" (emotional bubbles) dedicated to the experience of the Alfa Romeo world, with 360° virtual reality film footage, and a full-immersion room where visitors sit in interactive armchairs and watch 4D films dedicated to the legendary successes of Alfa Romeo.