A.L.F.A 24 HP

ALFA 24 HP
1910 ALFA 24 HP Torpedo Castagna in Museo Storico Alfa Romeo
Overview
Manufacturer	ALFA
Production	1910–1914
Assembly	Portello, Milan, Italy
Body and chassis
Body style	Torpedo Limousine Baquet (tipo corsa)
Layout	Front-engine, rear-wheel drive
Powertrain
Engine	4.1 L I4
Transmission	4-speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase	3,200 mm (126.0 in)
Length	4,250 mm (167.3 in)
Width	1,550 mm (61.0 in)
Height	1,700 mm (66.9 in)
Curb weight	1,000 kg (2,205 lb) (torpedo)
Chronology
Predecessor	Darracq 14/16 HP
Successor	20-30 HP

The ALFA 24 HP is 4.1-litre four-cylinder passenger car, the first model produced by Italian car manufacturer ALFA (Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili), which in 1919 would become Alfa Romeo. It was introduced in 1910, the year ALFA was founded, and produced until 1914 in ALFA's Portello factory near Milan. The model's name comes from its tax horsepower rating, then frequently used as vehicle designation.

The 24 HP was commercially successful and continued to be developed fora decade. In 1914 some updates transformed the 24 HP into the ALFA 20-30 HP, produced in 1914 and 1915—with some hundred cars assembled after the war in 1920. In turn the 20-30 HP evolved into the 1921–22 Alfa Romeo 20-30 ES Sport, the first car to be badged Alfa Romeo from its introduction.

In total the 24 HP and 20-30 HP were produced in 680 examples.

ALFA was born from Società Italiana Automobili Darracq—Milano (SIAD), an unlucky attempt by French manufacturer Darracq and some Italian investors of creating an Italian branch to locally build and sell Darracq cars under license. In Autumn 1909 SIAD managing director Cavalier Ugo Stella tasked technical director Giuseppe Merosi with developing from a blank sheet a new model, designed from the outset for the Italian market—unlike the unsuccessful small Darracqs. Merosi worked on what would become the 24 HP before ALFA was even established: in January the foreign management of the Portello factory was replaced by Italians, and only in June 1910 SIAD changed its denomination to ALFA. Before the Fall of 1910 the first prototype of the 24 HP was completed and tested. Alongside the 24 HP in 1911 Alfa introduced the 12 HP, somewhat simpler in its construction and equipped with a smaller 2,413 cc engine, later evolved into the 15 HP and then into the 15-20 HP.

On 14 May 1911 the 24 HP made its racing debut at the 6th Targa Florio. A pair of special 24 HP tipo corsa (racing type) were built for the occasion, with 2-seat baquet bodywork, an additional 30-litre fuel tank behind the seats, two spare tyres, and an engine tuned to 45 bhp (34 kW) at 2,400 rpm. Weighing 870 kg (1,918 lb) (as opposed to 1,000 kg (2,205 lb) for a torpedo-bodied standard 24 HP), the car had a top speed of 110 km/h (68 mph). Both drivers (Nino Franchini and Ugo Ronzoni) had to retire on the third and last lap of the course—the first because of an accident, the second because of physical exhaustion.