SUVs

[JHertzman@domain.elided]

Janis and Ian mentioned, as an Alfa Romeo SUV, the 1900 M (AR51 and AR 52) 
nicknamed "Matta". 2000 were built for the military, (the AR51) and another 
50 (the AR52) to study various municipal and agricultural applications. A few 
survive; one is in the USA, and was (is?) available for purchase from Keith 
Martin. The "Matta" nickname has been the subject of some discussion; it 
means something like 'crazy woman', but how that relates to the vehicle is 
open to conjecture. It is much like a Jeep, but the broad outlines of the 
grill are recognizably Alfa.

The 1900 M won first-in-class (categoria veicoli militari) in the Mille 
Miglia in 1952. If there were any other vehicles in the class they were 
presumably Fiats. It is a modest honor; the Mille Miglia organizers tended to 
set up special classes to suit narrow categories.

There was also a 6C 2500 Coloniale (1939-'42), a four-door convertible staff 
car derived from the 6C 2500 Turismo. The state of tune was the same as the 
postwar Freccia d'Oro, a bit warmer than the Turismo but lower than the Sport 
and Super Sport. The chassis was raised ("suitable to severe conditions on 
lumpy roads and wading locations", per Fusi's translator) but the suspension 
was standard 2500, including the swing axle and torsion bars at the rear. 
Only 152 were built before the more pressing need for trucks and aircraft 
engines was given priority.

Both the Matta and the Coloniale were built before either cupholders or 
cell-phones were invented, so it may be stretching things to call them "SUVs".

John H. 

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