Alfa Romeo 158 Race Car

Constructor	Alfa Romeo
Class	Race Car
Designer(s)	Gioacchino Colombo
Chassis	Single-seater, tubular frame
Suspension (front)	Trailing arm, transverse leaf springs, hydraulic dampers
Suspension (rear)	Swing axle, transverse leaf spring, hydraulic dampers De-Dion-axle was one of the last modifications 1951.
Engine	Alfa Romeo 1479 cc (90.3 cu in), straight-8, Roots-type supercharger**, front mounted.
Transmission	Alfa 4-speed manual
Power	190 bhp (142 kW) @ 6500 rpm 350 bhp (261 kW) @ 8500 rpm (F1)
Fuel	Shell (98.5 % methanol, 1 % Castor oil, 0.5 % water)
Tyres	Pirelli

The Alfa Romeo 158 Also known as Alfetta due to its small size, is one of the most successful racing cars ever produced. 

History

The first version of this successful racing car, the 158, was made during 1937/1938. The main responsibility for engineering was given to Gioacchino Colombo.

The car entered the history of modern sports car racing as the longest-lived single-seater in its various versions, and also, as the one that has achieved the greatest number of successes in the Grand Prix. 

First built in the spring of 1937, in the Scuderia Ferrari workshops. The abbreviation 158 was to indicate, according to a custom of the time, the engine capacity, of 1500 cc, and the number of cylinders, 8; the engine was supercharged, with a single stage Roots supercharger the two-stage supercharging by Roots-type blowers driven off the front end of the engine but mounted at the rear of the block on the left-hand side. From the very first bench tests it demonstrates remarkable qualities of power and reliability, developing 180 HP at 6,500 rpm, power which, at its first appearance on the track, reaches 195 HP, at 7,000 p.m. The Gearbox was integral with back axle (four-speeds, synchromesh on top and third) with swing axles at rear in conjunction with transverse leaf.

The car complied with the regulations in force since 1938 for the "small cars" category with a maximum engine capacity of 1.5 litres and compressor, against the 3.0 litres with compressor charge or 4.5 litres without of Grand Prix cars from that time.

The Alfa Romeo 158 officially debuted at the Coppa Ciano in Livorno on 7 August 1938, it was the winner, with Emilio Villoresi 1st, and Clemente Biondetti 2nd. 

The next evolution (model B), bears the date of 1939, and, with a power increased to 225 HP, at 7,500 rpm, wins the Coppa Ciano of Livorno, on 30 July 1939, and the XV Coppa Acerbo of Pescara , of 13 August 1939, with Clemente Biondetti. Unfortunately, the pre-war climate will prevent this car from racing across borders.

In 1940, due to the outbreak of the Second World War, car races were drastically reduced, and even more the following year, 1941, taking place almost exclusively in South America, with a reduced presence of European vehicles and drivers.

When the war was over, in 1946, racing returned and the Alfetta, further lightened and strengthened compared to the pre-war model (model 158/46; 254 HP; 7,500 rpm; weighing 630 kg), won, with Nino Farina, the 1st Grand Prix des Nations in Geneva on 21 July, also placing Carlo Felice Trossi in 2nd place and Jean-Pierre Wimille in 3rd place. He also wins, with Achille Varzi, the III Valentino Grand Prix, which takes place in Turin on 1 September (2nd Jean-Pierre Wimille, also on an Alfetta), and, with Carlo Felice Trossi, he wins the III Circuit of Milan, of 30 September, with Achille Varzi 2nd, eConsalvo Sanesi 3rd, also on Alfetta.

In 1947 , thanks to the adoption of a 2-stage Roots supercharger, the power was further increased to 275 HP, always at 7,500 rpm (model 158/46B), and, in that year, he was awarded: the VII Grand Prix ​​de Suisse, of 8 June, in Bremgarten , with Jean-Pierre Wimille (2nd Achille Varzi, and 3rd Carlo Felice Trossi, always on Alfetta); the VII Grand Prix de Belgique, on 29 June, on the Spa-Francorchamps circuit , again with Jean-Pierre Wimille (2nd Achille Varzi, and 3rd Carlo Felice Trossi, also on an Alfetta); the 1st Bari Grand Prix , on 13 July, with Achille Varzi (Consalvo Sanesi placed 2nd with a second car); the XVII Italian Grand Prix, on 7 September, at Parco Sempione in Milan. The victory goes to Carlo Felice Trossi, while 3 other Alfette are placed in 2nd place, with Achille Varzi, in 3rd, with Consalvo Sanesi, and in 4th with Alessandro Gaboardi .

In 1948, well into the season, power increased further, up to 315 HP, again at 7,500 rpm (model 158/47). Basically, the same as the first cars and developed during 1947 but not raced. The same engine with higher supercharge and bigger primary stage blower. modifications to the suspension to produce even greater flexibility. One practice car of this type was used at Berne but crashed, killing Varzi on the spot. The only discernible external difference is the use of a single large-diameter exhaust pipe in place of the two small pipes of the normal Type 158. 

 In this year, he won: the VIII Grand Prix de Suisse, on 4 July, in Bremgarten, with Carlo Felice Trossi winning ahead of Jean-Pierre Wimille, also in an Alfetta (in the tests of the same GP, Achille Varzi crashed with his Alfetta losing his life); the XXXV Grand Prix de l'Automobile Club de France, on 18 July, in Reims-Gueux, with Jean-Pierre Wimille first, ahead of Consalvo Sanesi and Alberto Ascari , all with the same car; the XVIII Italian Grand Prix, which takes place in the Parco del Valentino on 5 September, and which once again sees Jean-Pierre Wimille as the winner; the 1st Grand Prix of the Monza circuit, Monza , on 17 October, and which sees yet another victory for Jean-Pierre Wimille, ahead of Carlo Felice Trossi, Consalvo Sanesi, and Piero Taruffi , all 4 in an Alfa Romeo 158.

1949 opens in the worst possible way, for Alfetta and for world motoring: in fact, on January 28, during practice for the Juan Domingo Peron Grand Prix, on the Palermo Park circuit in Buenos Aires, he dies in an accident, at the wheel of a Gordini was Jean-Pierre Wimille, a promising driver who had reaped many successes in the years prior to driving the Alfetta, and on whom the Milanese company was aiming for that year as well. And, shortly after, Carlo Felice Trossi will also die, from an incurable disease. In a few months, the Alfa racing team, dominating the last 3 years of racing, practically disappeared. It was therefore decided not to participate in any Grand Prix.

The debut of the Alfetta in the 1st Formula 1 World Championship took place in 1950, with a completely new team, which saw lined up two Italian drivers, Nino Farina, and the no longer young Luigi Fagioli, born in 1898, and an Argentine driver, almost forty years old, but of whom great good is said, a certain Juan Manuel Fangio. With a power of 350 bhp at 8,600 rpm, and with a weight of only 700 kg, which brings the weight/power ratio to the remarkable (for those times) value of 2 kg/bhp, the Alfa Romeo 158 has no practically rivals, winning 6 of the 7 Grands Prix of this first world season (6 Grands Prix are considered, because at the Indianapolis 500, even if introduced in the world circuit, neither European drivers nor cars took part). The 7th Grand Prix of the season, the XXI Italian Grand Prix, the last round of the 1950 world championship, which takes place on 3 September at the Monza circuit, is won by the Alfa Romeo 159, the natural evolution of the 158, on its debut, driving, Nino Farina, who also won the 1st Formula 1 world champion title.

The car's last Grand Prix win came in 1953 at The Grand Prix, Italy.