The Alfa Romeo RL was produced between 1922 and 1927. It was Alfa’s first sport model after the First World War, designed in 1921 by Giuseppe Merosi, with a straight-six overhead-valve engine, and came in three versions: Normale, Turismo and Sport. A total of 2,640 RLs were made.
Alfa Romeo RL at a glance
| Production | 1922–1927 |
|---|---|
| Units built | 2,640 |
| Designer | Giuseppe Merosi, 1921 |
| Engine | straight-six with overhead valves |
| Versions | Normale, Turismo and Sport; race version RLTF; RLSS (Super Sport) |
| RLTF | half the weight of production RLs, seven main bearings instead of four, double carburettors |
| RLSS survivors | one of only 9 RLSS still in existence is in the Simeone Foundation museum in Philadelphia |
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 RL
The RL was the first sports model of Alfa after the First World War. The RLTF (Targa Florio) was its race version: it weighed half as much as the standard production cars even though its engine had seven main bearings instead of four and double carburettors. It was used by the 1923 Alfa race team, with drivers including Ugo Sivocci, Antonio Ascari, Giulio Masetti and Enzo Ferrari. Sivocci’s car carried a green cloverleaf on a white background.
A 1925 RLSS with rare original bodywork by the Thornton Engineering Company of Bradford, UK, is on permanent display in the Targa Florio exhibit at the Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum in Philadelphia; it is one of only nine RLSS still in existence.
Design and features
- Engine: a straight-six with overhead valves.
- Racing: the RLTF won attention in the Targa Florio and gave the team its cloverleaf emblem.
- Role: the RL was later considered too large and heavy, which led to the smaller 6C 1500.
Alfa Romeo RL versions
- RL Normale, Turismo and Sport: the three production versions.
- RLSS (Super Sport): the faster version, 1925–1926.
- RLTF (Targa Florio): the race version.
More prewar Alfa Romeos are in our Alfa Romeo collection, for example the Alfa Romeo RM, the Alfa Romeo P2 and the Alfa Romeo 6C. Our older “RLSS” page is covered here.
Alfa Romeo RL questions and answers
Who designed the Alfa Romeo RL?
Giuseppe Merosi, in 1921.
When was the RL built?
From 1922 to 1927.
How many were made?
2,640.
What was the RLTF?
The Targa Florio race version, half the weight of a standard RL.
What is an RLSS?
The Super Sport version of the RL; only nine are known to survive.
Sources
- Alfa Romeo RL, English Wikipedia: models, production
