Italian car brands are widely known not only for their power under the hood, but also for the way they look and feel while driving. Italian car brands put their heart and soul into designing and building some of the most amazing cars in the world. When you pass one on the highway or stop next to one at a stoplight, you’ll almost instantly recognize it as Italian design. The Italian car logos that each brand uses are equally stylish.
Italian cars are mostly known for their design and looks. With sleek curves and sharp corners, most of them are created for speed and precision. Some of these manufacturers originally created cars that were too powerful for use on the road, but since they have also created cars that are great for road use as well. It’s hard not to tone down the power, but they never sacrifice style between racing and street cars. Let’s explore five of the top Italian car manufacturers out there and how they came to be.
Fiat:
Fiat was founded in 1899 by a small group of investors, one of which went by the name Giovanni Agnelli. The company’s name began as an acronym which stands for Italian Automobile Factory of Turin. It was changed to the upper and lowercase writing that we see today that same year. The first car they built, called the Fiat 3 1/2 CV, only had 24 copies built during its lifespan.
They create road vehicles, but on top of that, they also specialize in the commercialization of car components as well. For a brief time, they were suppliers of metallurgical products as well. The manufacturer received the European Car of the Year award 12 times. On top of that, it’s also widely recognized in the world for the quality in the products they provide.
Alfa Romeo:
The cars built by this manufacturer have a certain allure to them. The company began in 1906 as the Scoieta Anonima Italiana Darracq or SAID. It wasn’t until 1915 that the company came under the control of an entrepreneur by the name of Nicola Romeo. He changed the company’s focus to start manufacturing parts and munitions for the war effort, since this was the time that World War I broke out. Car production wasn’t even considered again until 1919 and the following year saw the company’s name changed to Alfa Romeo.
Today, Alfa Romeo manufactures racing cars as well, some of which have been used to win various Grand Prix. The current line of cars spans across stylish sport vehicles, SUVs, and family cars. There are plan in the future to reveal a sedan and station wagon model known as the Alfa Romeo Giulia. Not only do they have a very stylish design, they also provide all the comfort that a person needs while driving them.
There was a time when they didn’t ship to the US for different reasons, but in recent years the exporting was renewed so Americans can also enjoy these luxurious cars. Alfa Romeo comes with one of the most unique body designs and has received quite a lot of awards over the years.
Lamborghini:
This company was founded back in 1963 by an Italian manufacturing magnate by the name of Ferruccio Lamborghini. He sought to create a grand touring car that would compete with established brands like Ferrari. The first models were a success, loved for their refinement, power, and comfort. To this day the brand specializes in the creation of luxury sports cars that most of the time come in very limited editions. Few people know this, but they also created a lot of SUVs during their history.
They were acquired by Audi back in 1998, but they still create some of the most amazing cars in the world. With a unique body design and lots of comfort, these cars are a breeze to drive. Their cars come with very exotic designs and received numerous awards all over the world.
Ferrari:
This automobile company was created in 1929 by a man named Enzo Ferrari. In the beginning, the company merely sponsored drivers and manufactured race cars. In 1947 they began creating luxury cars that were legal for street use. Since then they have specialized in creating the best luxury sports cars in the world. The first cars created by them were not street legal, as they had tremendous amounts of power as well as high speeds that really surpassed the power of other vehicles at the time. After the two world wars, they began creating street legal cars.
They created a lot of super cars and concept cars that really put the drivers to the test, as they have an amazing design and insane speeds. Their first vehicle was the 125 S sports/racing model. The next model in 1949 called the Ferrari 166 inter was the first car to enter the grand touring market from the brand.
To this day, it still brings in a large amount of the company’s sales. Ferrari also made quite a name in driving competitions, especially in Formula 1, where it has one of the top players for more than 2 decades.
Maserati:
Maserati is, just like Ferrari, one of the top car manufacturers in the world when it comes to the luxury sports car segment. The company was founded in 1914 and over the years it has been owned by Orsi, Citroen, and Fiat. Recently it has become a part of the sports car group that includes Alfa Romeo. Their cars are known for their amazing visual expression in addition to added comfort.
As you can see, most Italian car brands are targeting the luxury sports car segment. In a lot of cases, they also entered the market by creating powerful racing cars before they moved into the street-legal creation sphere. In this country are some of the most amazing vehicles that you can find in the world. These top Italian cars are a reflection of the equally luxurious and stylish culture that Italy provides to its citizens.
You can clearly see that just by looking at them. With lots of visual detail, unique design, powerful engines, and comfort while driving, it’s easy to see why these cars are some of the most expensive and loved automobiles on the planet. It’s hard not to recognize one of these cars when you see, that much is certain.