156 at 25: The Greatest Modern Alfa
Launched a quarter of a century ago, the Alfa Romeo 156 saved the brand from oblivion thanks to its gorgeous design and lusty engines. Alfa’s “golden days” aren’t as far back in time as many believe, after all…
156: a magic number in Alfa Romeo’s history and, coincidentally, also the number of kilometers that once separated the former Fiat Group’s Mirafiori headquarters in Turin from Alfa Romeo’s design studio in Arese, near Milan.
But, in terms of mindsets, these two places might as well have been on different planets, especially during Walter De Silva’s tenure at Alfa’s Centro Stile, which lasted from 1986 until 1998.
In recent interviews, the great designer has often proudly remarked that he was the last manager ever hired by Alfa Romeo as an independent manufacturer, which speaks volumes about his commitment to Alfa’s cause.
We can say that De Silva used the physical distance between Arese and Turin’s overbearing company politics to the greatest possible advantage, creating an environment where formalities and bureaucracy were reduced to a minimum, allowing the small team’s individual talents to flourish.
