Alfa Romeo and the Carabinieri celebrate 75 years of Italian history on wheels
08/05/2026
Some partnerships go far beyond supplying cars.
At the Alfa Romeo Museum in Arese, the Italian brand has presented a new book titled Carabinieri and Alfa Romeo – for Italy, celebrating 75 years of collaboration between the Biscione and the Carabinieri Corps. It is not just a book about official vehicles. It is a story about post-war Italy, public service, national identity and the role certain cars played in the daily life of a country.
A shared history since 1951
The partnership began in 1951 with the Alfa Romeo 1900 M “Matta”, the first Alfa Romeo to wear the Carabinieri livery. From there, the relationship grew into something far more recognizable. The Alfa Romeo Giulia, used between 1963 and 1968, helped define the image of the Carabinieri’s mobile radio unit, better known as the “Gazzella”. For generations of Italians, the sight of an Alfa Romeo in Carabinieri colours became more than a patrol car. It became a symbol of presence, speed and response.
That line continued through some of Alfa Romeo’s most important models: the Alfetta, Alfa 90, Alfa 75, 155, 156, 159, Giulietta, Giulia, Tonale and today even the Giulia Quadrifoglio, used for special services. It is difficult to imagine a more Italian fleet history.
More than performance
Yes, performance matters. The Carabinieri needed cars that could respond quickly, cover long distances and handle demanding conditions. But this partnership is also about image, emotion and trust.
An Alfa Romeo in uniform carries a very specific meaning. It combines the technical energy of the brand with the institutional role of the Carabinieri. It is both machine and symbol. A car that can chase, protect, arrive and reassure.
It does not simply list cars. It uses those cars to tell the story of Italy itself, from post-war reconstruction and the economic miracle to the Years of Lead, the fight against organized crime and today’s more complex global security context.
A new logo for 75 years
To mark the anniversary, Alfa Romeo and the Carabinieri have also unveiled a commemorative 75th anniversary logo. At its centre is the number 75, integrating the Biscione and the Flame, the two emblems that define these institutions visually and historically. The result is intended to express design, discipline, courage and Italian spirit in one mark.
That might sound symbolic, but with Alfa Romeo and the Carabinieri, symbolism is exactly the point. This is a partnership built on recognizability. The badge matters. The colour matters. The shape of the car matters. The feeling people get when they see it approaching matters.
AutoNext Take
A 75-year relationship with the Carabinieri is not just a fleet partnership. It is a piece of Italian identity. These cars were not only driven; they were seen, recognized and remembered. They became part of daily life, part of cinema, part of history and part of how people understood the presence of the State.
That gives Alfa Romeo something many brands would love to have: emotional authority. Now the brand needs to keep building cars worthy of that badge, that history and that emotion. Because when Alfa Romeo gets it right, it does not just build cars. It becomes part of the culture.
