Details of Cars

Alfa Romeo Matta (1900 M, AR 51 and AR 52): the four-wheel-drive utility vehicle of 1951–1954

ALFA ROMEO

Alfa Romeo Matta AR 51 four-wheel-drive utility vehicle in a museum
Alfa Romeo Matta AR 51 at the Automuseum Melle. Photo by Thomas Vogt from Paderborn, Deutschland, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

The Alfa Romeo 1900 M, better known by its nickname Matta (“mad”), is a four-wheel-drive utility vehicle produced by Alfa Romeo from 1951 to 1954. Developed at the request of the Italian Ministry of Defence, it was made in military (AR 51) and civilian (AR 52) versions.

Alfa Romeo Matta at a glance

Alfa Romeo Matta (1900 M) key specifications
Production 1951–1954 (built 1952–1954)
Versions AR 51 military (“Autovettura da Ricognizione”, reconnaissance car) and AR 52 civilian
Units 2,007 military AR 51 for the Italian Army and 154 civilian AR 52
Drive four-wheel drive
Engine 1,884 cc twin-cam, 8-valve inline-four, dry sump, aluminium head with hemispherical combustion chambers, cast-iron block
Power 65 PS (48 kW) at 4,400 rpm
End of military use 1954: the Italian Army switched to the mechanically simpler Fiat Campagnola

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 Matta

The AR 51 (Autovettura da Ricognizione) resulted from a request for a light reconnaissance vehicle for use on paved, unpaved and mountain roads. A civilian version, the AR 52, was later developed from it, with several variants adapted for agriculture, firefighting and road maintenance.

1951 Alfa Romeo 1900 M AR 51 in the Alfa Romeo Museum in Arese
1951 Alfa Romeo 1900 M (AR 51) at the Alfa Romeo Museum. Photo by Zairon, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons.

The Matta was built from 1952 to 1954, with 2,007 military AR 51s for the Italian Army and 154 civilian AR 52s. In 1954 the Italian Army abandoned the AR 51 and switched to the Fiat Campagnola, which was mechanically simpler.

Design and features

  • Engine: a 1,884 cc twin-cam four-cylinder with dry-sump lubrication and hemispherical combustion chambers, derived from Alfa Romeo’s 1900 line.
  • Role: a light four-wheel-drive reconnaissance vehicle for rough and mountain roads.

Alfa Romeo Matta versions

  • AR 51: the military reconnaissance car.
  • AR 52: the civilian version, with agricultural, fire-fighting and road-maintenance variants.

More Alfa Romeo cars of the era are in our Alfa Romeo collection, for example the Alfa Romeo 1900 and the Disco Volante.

Alfa Romeo Matta questions and answers

What does Matta mean?

“Mad” in Italian, the nickname of the Alfa Romeo 1900 M.

What are the AR 51 and AR 52?

The military and civilian versions of the Matta.

How many were built?

2,007 military AR 51 and 154 civilian AR 52.

What engine does it have?

A 1,884 cc twin-cam four-cylinder with 65 PS.

What replaced it in the army?

The Fiat Campagnola in 1954.

Sources

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