A TASTE OF LA DOLCE VITA

Classic Alfa Romeo Show Day Johannesburg

Being so far removed from the elemental architectural marvels and historical vantage points nestled throughout the boot of Italy can often leave an Italophile with a sense of being disconnected to La Dolce Vita. Fortunately, the easy-to-love Italian way of life has manifested itself into many countries throughout the world with signature cuisine, driving machines that are created rather than made and the legacy of ancient architecture... all of which make the endearing country seem less further away than it actually is.

The Classic Alfa Romeo Show Day at the Italian themed Montecasino entertainment centre in Johannesburg embodied all of these typical Italian traits with the event revolving around a display of classic and future-classic Alfa Romeos. Allowing onlookers the opportunity to glimpse into the past of the storied brand.

If you didn’t already know, South Africa is a melting pot of foreign and local cultures which is why the late Archbishop Desmond Tutu dubbed the African country to be the Rainbow Nation. For this reason, creations brought in from immigrants all over the world hold a sentimental place in the diversity that the country beholds. Italians who originally imported Alfa Romeo into the sundry lands morphed the automaker into a favourite for local buyers during the 70s and 80s and can be considered the foundational architects of their revered South African history.

It is now the South African Alfisti who forge forward the local legacy of the prestigious and historic automaker that was first established in the industrial Italian hub of Milan. A collection of multi-coloured cars that fill the spaces of concourse days and gatherings span the decades of their dominance while the lesser eras of cars sedulously fill the gaps, each as beautiful as the next.

It is a task that doesn’t remunerate financially but allows any road-side pedestrians or curious onlookers to understand the history and heritage that has instituted our own passion for the brand and that in itself affords a priceless satisfaction. What remains in each is the iconic scudetto interpreted differently over several generations but still inherently identifiable as the multi-faceted badge adorned on the centre beholds a story as romantic as the relationships many owners share with their own Alfa Romeos.

To be an Alfista in South Africa is more than simply owning a car that performs daily commutes unwaveringly. While Alfa Romeo reiterates that their brand is not focused around volume, as it is reflected on the few specimens that venture onto the local roads, the same can’t be said when it comes to events like the Classic Alfa Romeo Show Day. It is as though each and every model that transcends mundane daily commutes into ceremonious jaunts somehow found its way to the event and fills the brickwork of the parking lot surrounded by dozens of other cars that share the same story.

Other local brands that enjoy immense annual sales success struggle to muster a collection of vehicles as impressive at owner-organized gatherings. To me, it seems as though those who drive an Alfa Romeo don’t simply seek a commuter vehicle but want to buy into the beautiful way of life that is perpetuated by owning one.

A display of both new and old lined the smaller piazza within the Montecasino grounds. True demonstration of the brands healthy racing ability and impressive lineage were attested to with a modified 4C sharing the area with a recreated 1933 Alfa Romeo 8C Monza. Other concourse condition classics lined the sun beaten brickwork piazza warranting closer inspection by patrons of restaurants that surrounded the Piazza.

In that specific moment, with the Italian style theme as a backdrop and the colourful spectrum of Alfa Romeo creations lining the piazza, the ambient noise of cutlery clattering and discussions about the display could easily teleport one to the place of which the day was inspired; Italy.