Carabinieri and Alfa Romeo - for Italy

• The book that traces 75 years of institutional and value collaboration between the Biscione brand and the Carabinieri Corps was launched today at the Alfa Romeo Museum in Arese.
• The tome is structured into five chapters that, through the Alfa Romeos supplied to the Carabinieri, tell the stories of milestones in the history of republican Italy: from post-war reconstruction and the economic miracle to the Years of Lead, the battle against organized crime, and the new global scenarios.
• The commemorative logo for the 75 ^th anniversary has also been unveiled, as a symbolic synthesis of a shared history, due to accompany the initiatives that form part of the celebrations.
  

Entitled Carabinieri and Alfa Romeo – for Italy, the new book spans 75 years of Italy, following the thread of the unique institutional and value collaboration between Alfa Romeo and the Carabinieri. The volume was launched today at the Alfa Romeo Museum in Arese, in the presence of Lt. Gen. of the Armed Corps Salvatore Luongo, Carabinieri Commanding General; Santo Ficili, Alfa Romeo CEO and Maserati COO; and Lorenzo Ardizio, Curator of the Arese Museum and co-author of the work.

At the book launch, the logo to commemorate the 75 ^th anniversary was also unveiled, as a symbolic synthesis of a history that continues to excite and renew itself without sacrificing its roots. At its heart, the number 75: a solid, significant form that naturally welcomes and integrates the Biscione and the Flame, the identifying emblems of two institutions that have jointly contributed to writing decisive chapters in the country’s history. The result is an iconic, decisive and contemporary sign, with the ability to put across design excellence, a profound sense of the institutional, and shared values such as dedication, courage, and the Italian spirit.

The event took place in the “Beauty” area of the Museum, next to two cars that summarize the entire parable of the historic collaboration: the 1900 M “Matta”, the first Alfa Romeo in the Carabinieri livery; and the high-performance Giulia Quadrifoglio, now used by the special services. The partnership between Alfa Romeo and the Carabinieri began after World War II, with the 1900 M “Matta” in 1951. Later came the Giulia, in service from 1963 to 1968, which brought about the mobile radio unit’s “Gazzella,” a symbol of emergency response. Since then, the link has continued over the years, with the Alfetta, 90, 75, 155, 156 and 159, Giulietta, Giulia, Tonale, and all the way to the Giulia Quadrifoglio. Many of these cars are on display at the Museum, in the “Alfa Romeo in Uniform” section devised in conjunction with the Carabinieri. This area was inaugurated on June 24, 2020, to celebrate the Biscione brand’s 110 ^th anniversary.

Santo Ficili, Alfa Romeo CEO and Maserati COO, stated: “Alfa Romeo forms part of Italy’s collective unconscious, as do the Carabinieri. Two different symbols, but both united by a history made up of passion, discipline, dedication, and speed in the name of the common good. From the early years after World War II to the present day, our cars accompany the women and men of the Carabinieri Corps in their daily missions, becoming true icons of Italian automotive and institutional culture. This tome pays homage to a long-lived alliance made up of trust and mutual respect: a tribute to everyone who – in the quiet streets or during the tensest of times – drove an Alfa Romeo with pride and responsibility.”

Lt. Gen. Salvatore Luongo, Carabinieri Commanding General noted: “The relationship between the Carabinieri and Alfa Romeo, as also made clear by this book, has grown well beyond a commercial dimension, to the point of becoming an authentic shared journey based on mutual trust and service to the country. Since 1951, Alfa Romeos with the Carabinieri on board have trodden every Italian road, becoming a tangible, immediately recognizable sign of the State’s presence. Although both are fundamental, not only is it a question of performance or safety but also one of identity: for citizens, seeing a ‘gazelle’ approach means knowing they are not alone. The recognizability of these vehicles makes a significant contribution to building the perception of security, strengthening the relationship of trust that forms the basis of the Carabinieri’s actions. As such, the value of the cars is twofold: operationally, because they guarantee effectiveness and timeliness in interventions; symbolically, because they visually embody the State’s proximity to the community.”

When Italian history is set out on board an Alfa Romeo in livery
Carabinieri and Alfa Romeo – for Italy is published by Giunti and Giorgio Nada Editore with texts by Danilo Moriero and Lorenzo Ardizio and original photographs by Alessandro Barteletti and Paolo Carlini. The work is divided into five chapters that follow not only the chronology of the models but also the broader chronology of the country’s history: each stage in republican Italy – the post-war reconstruction, the economic miracle, the Years of Lead, the battle against organized crime, the new global scenarios – is accurately reflected in the vehicles of the Carabinieri and therefore in the Alfa Romeos we supplied to them. To complement this narrative, contributions from the institutional figures who experienced this history or preserve it: a preface by the Minister of Defense Guido Crosetto, another by Carabinieri Commanding General Salvatore Luongo, a message from Santo Ficili, and an introduction by Lorenzo Ardizio. Archival research and testimonies give rise to a collective tale that speaks both to automotive history enthusiasts and to those who wish to explore in further depth the Carabinieri’s role in Italy’s civic life. In detail, Chapter 1, “Atmosphere of reconstruction and post-war period” opens with the 1900 M “Matta” of 1951, the off-road vehicle that marked the official beginning of the partnership: a robust, essential vehicle, designed to meet the concrete needs of a Corps engaged in the reconstruction of Italy’s civic fabric. The second, “Days of confidence in a necessary miracle,” takes the story back to the years of the economic boom with the 1968 Giulia Super, a fast, refined sedan that combined service performance with the elegance that makes up the brand’s historical hallmark. Chapter 3 (“Dramatic scenarios of internal conflict”) deals with the Years of Lead; the car standing for this period is the 1979 Alfetta 2.0 “Protetta,” an armored sedan used in escort services. With the fourth – “Taking up the challenge of the antistate” – we come into the 1970s and ’80s through the 1987 Alfa 90 and 1992 Alfa 75, to look into a time when the State’s visible presence in local areas was a message of strength and confidence. Finally, Chapter 5, “A global horizon to play for the future” covers the most recent decades with a sequence of models that documents the uninterrupted evolution of this partnership: from the 1999 Alfa 156 and 2006 Alfa 159, via the 2016 Giulietta and 2021 Giulia, to the 2023 Tonale and 2025 Stelvio. The tome ends with a interview with the Commander of the Rome mobile radio unit, who puts across all the professionalism and pride of the men and women of the Carabinieri who drive these cars every day.