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Alfa Romeo 1900: The Result of Mass Production and Survival into the 21st Century

by Alexandra Hartman Editor-in-Chief
written by Alexandra Hartman Editor-in-Chief

2023-06-30 22:05:00

The 4-cylinder 1900 was the result of mass production. If it hadn’t, like so many brands in history, it would have been difficult to survive into the 21st century. Before World War II, Alfa Romeo offered a limited number of exotic models with six- and eight-cylinder engines. However, in the face of the severe post-war economy, the 4-cylinder 1900 announced in November 1950 was the result of searching for mass production in order to survive. Alfa Romeo 1900 Super (1950-1959/European specifications) The company received $2.1 million in financial support at the time under the Marshall Plan, a recovery relief measure applied to European countries, and invested in new factories and equipment. It came true. We were able to proceed with the development of a family saloon that is accessible to the general public. The monthly production of the 1900 was initially planned to be 500 units. Coil springs are used for both the front and rear suspensions, and the rear is a rigid axle. The company’s first mass-produced 4-cylinder engine had a maximum output of 81ps and a maximum speed of 144km/h. In addition, the left-hand drive layout is also the company’s first. Before the war, only right-hand drive models were offered. The chassis was also sold as a single unit, which was greatly appreciated by the Carots area, which handles special bodies. In fact, companies such as Touring and Pininfarina offer their own 1900s. Even if the 17,390 saloons didn’t make a particularly vivid impression in line-off appearance, the 1,900 saloons did garner a solid following. About 7,600 units were produced in the first three years. In the 1930s and 1940s, it was far more than all the models offered by Alfa Romeo combined. Production of the 1900 ended in 1959, but 17,390 saloons alone went off the line. The objectives envisioned by the company were fully achieved. Alfa Romeo 1900 Super (1950-1959/European specification) Following the normal 1900 of 1884cc, the 1975cc 1900 Ti was added in 1951. In addition to the initials of Turismo Internazionale, a twin-choke Weber carburetor is given, and the maximum output rises to 94ps. Top speed reached over 160km/h. In 1954, a Ti Super with a twin solex carburetor and a high compression ratio also appeared. The valve diameter has been enlarged, and the maximum output has reached 101ps. From this year, all 1900s have also undergone improvements to the rear axle position. On the other hand, more and more voices expected Alfa Romeo to have a 6-cylinder engine. The market demanded smaller and lighter models, but there was also a certain demand for high-end models. About 10 years following the end of the war, Italy gradually shifted to a booming economy. The so-called middle class was beginning to have money to spend. In 1955, Alfa Romeo introduced the Giulietta with a 1.3L engine. In addition, it was making steady profits with a model that was aimed at the masses. The desire to build a large Alfa Romeo must have been growing within the company.Images of twin-cam engines suitable for sports cars

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#4cylinder #sold #6cylinder #didnt #sell #Alfa #Romeo #Super #Berlina #Part

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Economy

45 supercars that didn’t come true Part 1 A phantom concept that literally ended up as a “dream” – AUTOCAR JAPAN

by Alexandra Hartman Editor-in-Chief
written by Alexandra Hartman Editor-in-Chief

Phantom supercars that never appeared in the world

Looking back at the history of automobiles, there are many cars that were never released. Some never materialized due to lack of funding, while others fell into despair due to styling and engineering failures.

This time, I tried to collect supercars that were shown to the world as “concept cars” and “future commercial vehicles” but were not realized for various reasons. Let’s introduce all 45 cars in chronological order, divided into two parts.

Here are 45 supercars that, for various reasons, never reached mass production.

If one thing had changed, the Jaguar XJ13, not the Lamborghini Miura, might have become the world’s first mid-engined supercar. In the early 1960s, plans were made for a new type of racing car (probably also commercially available), but one car was finally completed in 1966, and at that point it was already in 1969 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It may have been difficult to beat the Ford GT40, which had been winning every year until then.

The project was shelved, and the 5.0L V12-powered XJ13 might only make it through a few high-speed runs before crashing heavily during filming in 1971. The car has since been rebuilt and now resides at the British Motor Museum in Gaydon, England, a reminder of what the future might have been.

Jaguar XJ13 (1966)
Jaguar XJ13 (1966)

It seems strange to think of a four-cylinder Vauxhall car as a supercar, but the XVR is something special. It’s a two-seater coupe with a clamshell bonnet, rear-hinged tail and two upward-opening doors.

What should be noted is the opening and closing mechanism of the door, and the glass has a special structure that doubles as a side window and a windshield. See for yourself how this intricate door opens. Engineers tried to make it a more orthodox gullwing style, but the design department rejected it.

Vauxhall XVR (1966)
Vauxhall XVR (1966)

The car pictured is the only one of the three built to actually run, normally powered by a Vauxhall Slant 4 engine, although it was fitted with a smaller engine when it debuted at the 1966 Geneva Motor Show. Unfortunately, it was damaged during the exhibition in Canada and was dismantled. Two fiberglass-bodied vehicles remained, but one was dismantled at the manufacturer’s discretion. The other survives and is in the Vauxhall Heritage Collection.

Alfa Romeo Carabo (1968)

Image I don’t want it to end as a dream…[See photos of the latest concept cars such as BMW, Nissan, and Alpine]All 115 photos

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Economy

Mazda “rotary engine” revival, why now? At the mercy of regulations and management streamlining, the rotary fire that Mazda protected – AUTOCAR JAPAN

by Alexandra Hartman Editor-in-Chief
written by Alexandra Hartman Editor-in-Chief

rotary engine revival

mazdaMazda Europe, a European subsidiary of Mazda, will present the “MX-30“We will reveal the range extender to the world for the first time.

A range extender is a type of EV (electric vehicle) that is equipped with an engine or other prime mover dedicated to a generator in order to extend the cruising range.

Mazda Europe will unveil the MX-30 Range Extender for the first time at the Brussels Motor Show.

In the case of Mazda, the engine to be installed is a rotary engine.

About 190,000 Mazda rotary engine vehicles were sold from 2003 to 2012.RX-8” at the end, there is a blank for regarding 11 years so far.

Why did Mazda revive the rotary engine at this timing?

Looking back, the history of Mazda’s rotary engine has been full of twists and turns…

Mazda’s rotary engine began in the 1960s with a technical partnership with NSU and Wankel of Germany. “Cosmo Sports” appeared in 1967, six years following the technical partnership.

From the 1970s to the 1990s, Mazda continued to develop its own rotary engine.

However, while the entire automobile industry is in the throes of exhaust gas regulations, Mazda is the only company in the world that mass-produces rotary engines for mass-produced vehicles.

Next termRX-7” does not come true …

Under such circumstances, it was past the mid-1990s that Mazda faced a crisis of Rotary survival.

With the end of production of the “RX-7”, the concept model exhibited at the 1995 Tokyo Motor Show was the “RX-01”, which was an image of the next RX-7.

Mazda RX-8
Mazda RX-8