All rhd Alfa1s South African??-Barry
Posted: Fri Apr 21, 2006 12:02 pm
Mmmm..interesting...
In the late 1960's , a number of European automobile manufacturers established facilities in South Africa to assemble right hand drive vehicles for the Commonwealth markets. Fiat and other italian manufacturers established factories along with these other manufacturers in Uitenhage, outside of Port Elisabeth in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa.
With the imposition of sanctions by western powers in the 1970's and 1980's, South Africa became self sufficient, and in car production came to rely more and more on the products of the Uitenhage factories. In consequence, production levels increased, and many manufacturers including Alfa Romeo transferred all their right-hand drive production to Uitenhage.
Through the Apartheid years, Alfa Romeo became the only significant 'exotic sports-car' manufacturer able to provide South African's with an affordable alternative to the German super saloons also being manufactured in Uitenhage.
Since then, all right-hand-drive production of Alfa Romeo (and most other european manufacturers) remains in Uitenhage - so that all RHD European cars almost without exception are actually South African in origin.
A South African Alfa Romeo is immediately identifiable by its serial number - beginning with a ZAR - a reference to Zuid Afrika (South Africa). Italian Alfa Romeo serials begin with IAR, american models with UAR, and British assembled Alfas with ZAR, as their components are manufactured in South Africa.
In the late 1960's , a number of European automobile manufacturers established facilities in South Africa to assemble right hand drive vehicles for the Commonwealth markets. Fiat and other italian manufacturers established factories along with these other manufacturers in Uitenhage, outside of Port Elisabeth in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa.
With the imposition of sanctions by western powers in the 1970's and 1980's, South Africa became self sufficient, and in car production came to rely more and more on the products of the Uitenhage factories. In consequence, production levels increased, and many manufacturers including Alfa Romeo transferred all their right-hand drive production to Uitenhage.
Through the Apartheid years, Alfa Romeo became the only significant 'exotic sports-car' manufacturer able to provide South African's with an affordable alternative to the German super saloons also being manufactured in Uitenhage.
Since then, all right-hand-drive production of Alfa Romeo (and most other european manufacturers) remains in Uitenhage - so that all RHD European cars almost without exception are actually South African in origin.
A South African Alfa Romeo is immediately identifiable by its serial number - beginning with a ZAR - a reference to Zuid Afrika (South Africa). Italian Alfa Romeo serials begin with IAR, american models with UAR, and British assembled Alfas with ZAR, as their components are manufactured in South Africa.
