Oral Traditions & Apocrypha

[Joe Elliott <jelliott@domain.elided>]

Scott's story is pretty much true.  My understanding of the Italian law is
that it's not illegal to *sell* cars capable of exceeding 112mph to drivers
under 21 and over 65, those drivers just aren't allowed to be caught
driving such cars.  The July 1989 issue of Classic & Sportscar magazine
mentions this law as the reason for Alfa's production of the Alfetta 1.6GT.


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Date: Thu, 02 Dec 1999 10:07:26 -0800
From: Scott Fisher <sefisher@domain.elided>
Subject: Oral Traditions & Apocrypha

There's an old story, which may or may not have any basis in fact, but
it's a good story nevertheless -- so with that grain of salt, here's the
oral tradition, with variants that I've heard noted:

In the late 1960s, an Italian law was passed making it illegal to sell
automobiles capable of exceeding a certain speed (which varies from
story to story; I've heard 112 mph and 122 mph) to people over or under
a certain age (I've heard under 21 and over 65).  As a way around this,
Alfa allegedly marked the tachometer at the RPM which corresponded to
that speed -- not because there was any mechanical necessity, but simply
to get around the law.

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