This is probably only known to true connoisseurs of the brand: Alfa Romeo has also produced commercial vehicles for a long time. Between 1930 and 1967, heavy trucks rolled off the assembly line, and in the 1950s, a short Matta off-road vehicle rolled off the production lines of Kragujevac Zastava from 1951 to 1973.
The successors of the transporter series become two vehicles that surprise the observer: the Fiat Ducato and the Iveco Daily with the Alfa Scudetto emblem on the hood. Many would think that Photoshop was at play and that such a vehicle never existed! It is, though. But only in Italy.
It all started in 1978 with a joint venture called “Sevel”. This abbreviation means “Società Europea Veicoli Leggeri”, which in translation would be “European Society for Light Commercial Vehicles”. The companies Fiat and PSA participate with 50 percent each, which is in a way the predecessor of today’s Stellantis group.
A large factory was built in Atessa, Italy, which still exists today. The economic logic is clear: Joint development of commercial vehicles saves money and resources. Similar examples are the first Mercedes Sprinter alias VW LT, Toyota in cooperation with Stellantis or the latest VW T7 Transporter based on Ford Transit/Tourneo Custom.
We go back to the early eighties of the last century and Sevel: From January 1982, Fiat Ducato I, Citroën C25, Peugeot J5 and Talbot Express (Type 280) came off the production line as light commercial vehicles, until August 1990.
The joint investment is visible on the almost identical vehicles of initially five and later three partner brands. Thus, the first generation Fiat Ducato is mostly identical to the Peugeot J5, Citroën C25 and Talbot Express models.
In Italy, from April 1985 to December 1989, the Ducato was also offered under the name Alfa Romeo AR6. Why so late? At that stage, the takeover of Alfa by Fiat is being prepared. And after the end of production of the A12, the brand from Areso clearly still sees the market for light commercial vehicles.
That market is apparently big enough for an Alfa Romeo AR8 to appear. Since 1973, Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Officine Meccaniche (OM) have been developing a large transporter as the Fiat S-series, which was finally presented in 1978 as the Fiat Daily. Later, the series was united under the name Iveco Daily, and it was also made in Kragujevac as Zastava.
Also, the Alfa Romeo AR8 exists as the later AR6 exclusively in Italy. The AR-series includes three basic models: “30 AR.8”, “35 AR.8” and “40 AR.8”, whose payload varies between 1,300 and 2,000 kg.
All models are equipped with the same “Fiat-Sofim 8140” diesel engine, a four-cylinder engine with indirect injection and a pre-chamber. The engine has a volume of 2,445 cc and develops 72 DIN-HP at 4,200 rpm. The gearbox has five forward speeds and one reverse.
However, Zastava’s version was the only one with direct fuel injection and 75 horsepower at 2,200 rpm instead of 72 at 2,400 as in other countries.
The chassis meets the criteria for heavier commercial vehicles with its C-longitudinal supports. In addition, there are disc brakes on the front axle. The cab is positioned so that the front axle is in front of the door.
The series includes a total of no less than 40 versions with different wheelbases and heights, suitable for transporting goods and people in the form of minibuses.
The first revision of the model came in 1979, when the number of versions was increased to 57.
On January 1, 1981, the Alfa Romeo “Apomi” factory in Pomigliano d’Arco near Naples, where aircraft engines and all commercial vehicles of the brand are produced, became a double subsidiary, one of which was renamed “ARAVIO” and integrated into Alfa Romeo Avio, while the other is now called “ARVECO” and belongs to the business unit “Alfa Romeo Veicoli Commerciali”.
At the 7th Salon of Industrial and Commercial Vehicles in Turin in May 1981, Alfa Romeo officially presented the second AR8 series. This second series is characterized by a changed interior. In addition, performance has been improved with the new turbo engine, whose volume remains the same, but power increases to 95 HP.
Also, the model line has been redefined with new versions of “Minibus” and “School Bus”, a specific and regulated vehicle in Italy, as well as the “Combi” version. The range now includes 44 variants.
In the same year, 1981, the Fiat Ducato and its version with the Alfa Romeo AR6 brand were introduced. Production of the AR8 series continues until the end of 1987. Since January 1, 1988, Alfa Romeo no longer sells commercial vehicles, but only cars. In their place comes the Fiat Professional line.
Source: www.magazinauto.com
