1952 Alfa Romeo 1900 M AR SUV

The Italian government commissioned Fiat and Alfa Romeo to submit vehicle designs for 'AR', which stands for 'Autovettura da Ricognizione' or reconnaissance car. Alfa Romeo's design was called the 'Matta', which is a variation of the Italian word for 'crazy' or 'Mad Alfa'. Power was supplied from a dry-sump version of the company's 1900 engine. The AR 51 received approval from the Italian army and was built from 1952 to 1954. Approximately 2,000 examples were constructed with 1,281 being delivered to the Italian Ministry of Defense. An additional 50 examples were built for civilian use. The AR51 was replaced in 1954 by the AR52.

The Italian government referenced the ubiquitous Willys Jeep when they issued the need for a reconnaissance vehicle, of which there were many in Italy following World War II. Giuseppe Busso, Alfa Romeo's head of design, acquired a Land Rover as he felt it was superior to the American Jeep. By April of 1951, a prototype had been built and was based on the Land Rover.

The prototype was presented to Colonel Garbani who quickly identified a number of problems. A new prototype appeared on October 5th. It came with a rigid rear axle, an independent front suspension system, four-wheel drum brakes, and a torpedo-shaped body that could be covered with a canvas top to allow for all-weather protection. This prototype met with Colonel Garbani's approval and the vehicle was put into production. The Ministry's order, ultimately, went to Fiat. Most of the AR51s built were delivered to Italy's Carabinieri, army, and police force before production ceased.

The name 'Matta' is credited to engineer Antonio Alessio, who was managing director of Alfa at the time.

This particular example is an early production example. It was delivered to the Italian Ministry of Defense and remained in service for about two decades before it was sold to the public in the 1970s. It received its first registration in July of 1978 and has had five civilian owners since that time. It was given a comprehensive restoration to correct military standards in 2015.

This 'Matta' has a jack, partial tool roll, pick axe, shovel, dual spare tires, and a 20-liter gas can. The engine is a 1884cc dual overhead cam four-cylinder unit fitted with a single Solex 33 PBIC carburetor. It has a four-speed manual gearbox with a low-ratio transfer box and four-wheel drum brakes.

By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2017