Registro Internazionale Alfa Romeo 6C2500

20° Anniversary of our Register 6c2500 1994-2004

20° Anniversary of our Register 6c2500 1994-2004
13-14 september 2014

Red sky at night, shepherd's delight; and if "red" means Alfa, delight is (almost) guaranteed. Even if this should not prove to be the case, cheerful company, old friends found, and warm welcome prevail over everything. However, that Friday in September (on 12^th), after a summer that will be remembered for its clouds, rather than for its shafts of sunlight, the road to the gentle hills in the Asti area was brightened by typical late summer sunshine. The meeting place was a peaceful, beautiful resort in Quattordio, on the "outskirts" of Asti, a quiet, convenient place turned into a "shared home" for the rally marking the 20^th anniversary of our 6C2500 Register.

"Le 6c a Quattordio"

An afternoon visit to Piedmont's beautiful town, the birthplace of Vittorio Alfieri, who, with the words "volli, sempre volli, fortissimamente volli" ("I wanted, and I wanted always, and I wanted very strongly"), became famous for his stubbornness, which may have influenced quite many designers of the Portello district.

The remote restaurant on the hills provided both an excellent dinner and a convenient bus for a safe return, without risking that the fumes of petrol would mix with the fumes of alcohol…

On Saturday morning all the 6c2500 cars (as well as a few infiltrating younger or elder sisters, which were welcome anyway) lined up. The thin layer of dew that delicately covered them immediately urged the many "perfectionists" to use chamois leather to make their magnificent cars shine again. On the contrary, I just used some kitchen paper to clear the windscreen.

Those timidly appearing at the car park could admire almost twenty of these great Alfa cars, a panorama historically made even more interesting by the many different types that were there, ranging from the "classic" Touring Berlinetta series and the Pinin Farina convertibles to the "Freccia d'oro" (Golden Arrow) saloons, the cars of the first series, a few single models and some more worldwide award-winning cars.

Once the engines had been started, the route - carefully drawn up by Emanuele Morteo and Stefano Salvetti - took the long procession of glamorous Alfa Romeo cars through a beautiful, nearly autumnal landscape, kissed by a clear sun which was reflected on the endless rows of vines. Curves, ups and downs, hills, country roads far from traffic, near just a few tractors whose drivers were pleased to make way, greeting and admiring the many beautiful cars.

The "guided" drive of sixty to seventy kilometres was even more fun for the modern "8C Competizione", which served as a "forerunner" for those who were driving the 2500 and exercising their muscles at each curve. We stopped in Canelli for a due visit to the Gancia cellars, the undisputed home of the first Italian "champagne", loaded with history and life in the shade of hundreds of hectares of vineyards and farmers' skilled hands.

The cheerful group then got back into their cars and made their way to Alba. We parked our cars in the main square, where we enjoyed a "light" (though outstanding) lunch, which allowed us to catch our breath, without dozing off. After a brief visit to the beautiful town, the well-known capital of the truffle, we went back to the hotel waiting for the Register Assembly, where the people in office were confirmed, except for the treasurer, Mr. Carlo Di Grandi, who, being overloaded with work, was replaced by the "Freccia d'Oro" man, Fabrizio Borghi, who will have to manage the small (though hopefully growing!) resources of our little yet select Register.

After the dinner on Saturday evening, where the Chairman, Mr. Stefano Centanni, revived the pleasure of meeting every year, the big work on the 6C23002500 - written by Fabio Morlacchi and Stefano Salvetti over nearly three years - could be previewed; the new publication fills the gap left by the previous volume by Angelo Tito Anselmi, which has long been out of print; based on the authors' work and partly new documentation, it has translated into no less than three books, hundreds of pictures, sketches and advertisements, which make it a new benchmark for this field. The volume aroused a great deal of interest and was praised by all those present, who could enjoy the world preview of the accurate, comprehensive work. Hence everybody went to bed happy and eager to leisurely read the over 800 pages: a good sleep inducer?

On Sunday morning we left early, pulling long faces, heading north-west, towards Milan, where we arrived at 10:30am, and were able to cross the threshold of the "wonders" of the Lopresto Collection. Dozens of cars - famous worldwide, mostly Alfa ones -, which the Milanese collector has taken to the top, allowing them to be admired and win prizes in the world's biggest competitions. It is likely to also take part in the first competition that is being launched on the Moon by 2020, and we are confident that it will prove successful there as elsewhere. We then left for the nearby Alfa Blue Team, where, among many Alfa cars, an amazing meal was waiting for the members. It had all started there, exactly twenty years ago. Under the efficient supervision of Mr. Tito Anselmi, who passed away a few years ago, our Register had been launched at the tables of the Alfa Blue Team; therefore, the rally celebrating its 20th anniversary could but end there. A club, which - as emphasized by Stefano Centanni - is twenty years "young", rather than twenty years "old".

"Foto di gruppo in Alfa Blue Team"