SOLD

• Engine: 1884cc twin-cam four cylinder

• Transmission: 4 Speed Manual

• Year: 1954

• Registration: 924 XUA

• Mileage:

• Exterior Colour: Military green

• Interior colour and material: Brown vinyl / cloth

VIEWING BY APPOINTMENT ONLY PLEASE.

- This Matta joined our collection in October 2006 and was sadly sold in August 2007.
- Imported from the Emilia Romagna area of Northern Italy into England in 2005 by an English Lancia collector.
- Manufactured on June 18th 1954 making it one of the last to be built.
- Owned by the Ministero dell'Interno, Pubblica Sicurezza from Rome (Rome Internal Police) from new in 1954 until 1969 and always remained in Italy until 2005.
- The speedometer indicates just 6,600 kilometres (4,000 miles) have been covered since new but this cannot be verified as being correct although the vehicle's condition and it's original type of use indicate it could be...
- Only approximately 2,000 Mattas were ever made with few survivors.
- There is only one other standard Matta in the UK which was also sold new to the Rome Police and one Matta with an Alfa Romeo Montreal V8 engine fitted!
- The obligatory Jerry can, pick-axe and shovel are all present!
- 65 Bhp version of the renowned Alfa Romeo 1900 twin-cam engine with dry-sumped lubrication.
- Alfa Romeo's own 4 wheel drive gearbox.
- The photographs shown here with the Matta in the mud where at Weston Park for National Alfa Day on June 24th 2007 where the two Matta's spent the whole day towing Alfa Romeo's out of the mud! The red Matta shown is painted the same colour as our green one was originally painted as they were both sold new to the Rome Police.

- Alfa Romeo was not immune to placing detuned versions of its wonderful twin-cam engines in vehicles in which you would not expect to find them. With the rumour circulating in 1951 of Fiat designing a Jeep and Land Rover style vehicle for the Italian Army, Alfa Romeo designed and produced the 1900M AR51 in just over a year. AR stood for Autovettura da Ricognizione which translates to Reconnaissance Car and the engine was the 1,884cc petrol unit usually found in the 1900 Berlina and Sprint. Sadly they cost too much and after the Italian Army acquired their first batch in 1952 they switched to using the cheaper FIAT Campagnolo. Only 2,011 AR51’s were manufactured in 1952 and 1953 and there was an AR52 launched in 1954 of which just 154 were built, but it is unsure whether this was simply an updated version of the AR51 or a civilian version (as the Army had cancelled their contract). These were hugely capable machines and their go-anywhere abilities soon gained them the nickname “Matta”, roughly translating as “crazy” in recognition of their extraordinary capabilities.