In the same year, Ugo Stella and Giuseppe Merosi, the company’s first chief engineer, made a deal to make two cars, which they called 24 HP and 12 HP, after the horsepower of each.

At a tram stop in Milan, Italy, the idea for the Alfa Romeo crest was born. Romano Cattaneo, a close friend of Giuseppe Merosi, was waiting for a number 14 in Piazza Castello. When he looked at the Filarete Tower of the Castello Sforzesco, the Biscione Visconteo, the snake or dragon symbol of the Visconti family, which had ruled Milan in the Middle Ages, caught his eye. Romano told Merosi that the image would be a good crest for the new A.L.F.A.

It was a good idea that was clearly linked to Milan, but it was still missing something. Merosi and Cattaneo tried different designs, but the most convincing one had the Biscione dragon on one side and a red cross on a white background, which is the symbol of the City of Milan. To honour Italy’s royal family, a dark blue crown with a 65 mm diameter surrounded the two heraldic crests. On the crown, the words “ALFA” and “MILANO” were written in gold, with two Savoy knots in between.

Ugo Stella was shown this crest of arms logo. Stella was excited right away and asked that a final version be made and ready in time for the cars to be made.

In 1907, the international car company Darracq set up a small factory in the Portello neighbourhood of Milan so that it could put together the models it had made in France. In 1909, a group of investors from Lombard took over the Italian Darracq Automobile Company.

On June 24, 1910, the same investors who started S.A.I.D. also started a new company called A.L.F.A. (Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili), which was also based in the Portello workshops.

When Giuseppe Merosi, a designer from Piacenza, was hired as technical director and head of the design office at Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili, he already had a very good track record with Fiat, Lentz, and Bianchi. He came up with the idea for the ALFA 24 HP.

The 24HP got its name from the number of taxable horsepower it had. It was the first A.L.F.A. car to come out of the Portello factory. It was designed by Italian engineers, with Giuseppe Merosi being the most famous. The project moved quickly forward in 1910, when the 24HP showed off its improved mechanics with an engine that had more than 40 horsepower and a top speed of 100 km/h. Up until 1913, there were four series: A, B, C, and D. As the series went on, the power and top speed went up to 45 CV and 110 km/h, respectively.

Its most popular model was the Torpedo, which had an open body and could fit four to seven people. The Limousine model, which had a closed body, could also fit four to seven people. It also made two-seat Spiders and two “Tipo Corsa” racing cars, both of which had two seats. The top leaders of the Italian Army used the Torpedo trim during the First World War, which helped it become popular. More than 200 chassis were made in all.

ALFA ROMEO was started by a designer, an entrepreneur, and a driver. They are the three most important people in the history of the Milanese company.