The Alfa Romeo 158/159, known as the Alfetta (“little Alfa”), is a Grand Prix racing car with a 1.5-litre supercharged straight-eight engine. It is one of the most successful racing cars ever built: the 158 and its derivative the 159 won 47 of the 54 Grands Prix they entered, and they dominated the first two seasons of the Formula One World Championship.
Alfa Romeo 158 at a glance
| Designer | Gioacchino Colombo |
|---|---|
| Developed | 1937 for the voiturette formula; raced from 1938 |
| Engine | 1.5 L supercharged straight-eight, 1,479.56 cc (58.0 × 70.0 mm), Roots blower |
| Power | about 200 bhp at 7,000 rpm (1938); 254 bhp (1946); over 300 bhp (158/47) |
| Record | 47 wins from 54 Grands Prix entered (158 and 159) |
| First victory | Coppa Ciano Junior, Livorno, August 1938 (Emilio Villoresi) |
| 1950 | won every race it entered in the first F1 season |
This page is based on English Wikipedia only, so the figures could not be cross-checked against a second source.
History of the Alfa Romeo 158
The first 158 was built in 1937–1938 under Gioacchino Colombo for the 1.5-litre voiturette class, which stood to the Grand Prix formula as Formula Two does to Formula One today. The car debuted at the Coppa Ciano Junior in August 1938, where Emilio Villoresi took its first victory. The Second World War then stopped development for six years.
After the war the engine was developed further, and in 1947 the car returned as the Tipo 158/47 with over 300 bhp. It made a tragic debut at the 1948 Swiss Grand Prix, where Achille Varzi lost control and was killed. In 1950 the 158 was eligible for the new World Championship of Drivers and won every race it competed in; Nino Farina, Juan Manuel Fangio and Luigi Fagioli drove it in the first two seasons.
Design and features
- Engine: a 1.5-litre supercharged straight-eight with a single-stage Roots blower.
- Name: 158 stands for 1.5 litres and eight cylinders; “Alfetta” means “little Alfa”.
- Longevity: a design from 1938 won the first F1 season of 1950, because the other constructors had less money to develop their cars.
Alfa Romeo 158 versions
- 158 (1938): the original voiturette.
- 158/47 (1947): postwar version with over 300 bhp.
- 159: the further development used in the following F1 seasons.
More Alfa Romeo racing cars are in our Alfa Romeo collection, for example the Tipo 308 and the Alfa Romeo Alfetta road car.
Alfa Romeo 158 questions and answers
What does Alfetta mean?
“Little Alfa” in Italian, the nickname of the 158/159.
What engine does the 158 have?
A 1.5-litre supercharged straight-eight.
How successful was it?
The 158 and 159 won 47 of the 54 Grands Prix they entered.
Who drove it in Formula One?
Nino Farina, Juan Manuel Fangio and Luigi Fagioli, among others.
Sources
- Alfa Romeo 158/159 Alfetta, English Wikipedia: design, history, results
