LOCAL MUSEUM: Alfas galore at Museo Della Passione

We visit Museo Della Passione, a new motoring museum that has recently opened to the public, situated on the picturesque Lourensford Wine Estate in Somerset West. It is a place that should be on any petrolhead's must-visit list.

Words and pictures: Wilhelm Lutjeharms

It is not every day that a new museum opens in South Africa, even more so when it comes to car museums. Most of us are aware of the Franschhoek Motor Museum outside Franschhoek, and we have featured several private collections on SentiMETAL, but now there is a new, very professionally-curated car museum in Somerset West.

• Find a classic Alfa Romeo to buy for yourself here.

Called the Museo Della Passione (Italian for “Museum of Passion”), this exhibit is owned and curated by Lynton Hilliard-Lomas. According to the website the exhibit will be rotated every quarter, which means there is an "excuse" to go back a few times in the year.

To start off with, the new building is a combination of a concrete structure with large wooden doors, making it an ideal place to house precious cars. Situated on the Lourensford Wine Estate there are also several activities for you or the family to do before or after visiting the museum. There is also a market on weekends offering a variety of food and sometimes even live music. 

The collection

As I walk into the museum (the entrance fee is a very reasonable R60) I am immediately greeted by an Alfa Romeo SZ – a rare sight indeed. Currently the entire museum’s exhibit focusses on Alfa Romeo, and from the get-go I must mention that all these cars look immaculate.

Each car has a neat information board next to it with some basic information as well as some technical specifications. Here you can either test your knowledge about each respective car or learn something new. The SZ is, for instance, the only SZ that was converted to right-hand drive and is fitted with the larger 3.5-litre engine, done by Autodelta.

As I walk down along the two rows of cars, there is a group of four late-70s and 80s Alfettas and GTVs. It starts with the entry-level 1976 Alfetta GT 1.8. Offering a 1.8-litre, four-cylinder engine, it develops 90 kW and has a claimed top speed of 185 km/h. It was designed by Giugiaro, offered 50:50 weight distribution and weighed only 1 050 kg.

Move along and there is a 1983 GTV6 2.5. This car marked the arrival of the “Busso”-powered GTV which really excited local afficionados. According to the information board, the first 100 GTVs to arrive in South Africa were all numbered. The 2.5-litre, V6 engine developed 142 kW and the 1 210 kg car could reach a top speed of 205 km/h.

Needless to say, the last car in this line-up is none other than the uniquely South African GTV6 3.0-litre.

A rare model

On the other side of the room are also a number of earlier, classic coupés in the shape of the 105-series cars. The one that stood out for me might be the least desirable for most enthusiasts. It is a 1975 2000 GTV (97 kW, 195 km/h and weighing 1 028 kg) that formed part of the last cars of this Bertone Coupé range, but it is painted in a very rare “Prugna” (Italian for prune) colour and is also fitted with an automatic transmission. 

Further down the hall there is a small BMX collection and there are also a number of classic on-and off-road motorcycles placed among the cars that fit in perfectly with the collection.

Along the end of the hall is one of only a few 1999 Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio race cars that did duty on South African race tracks. One of these cars achieved the first Alfa Romeo victory at Kyalami since 1984. Closely parked to this car is a modern Giulia QV super sedan.

Make your way back to the start, and there are even more classics to peruse on the other side of the building. A great example is the 1976 Giulia “Introzzi” Wagon. It is said to be one of only four that were imported into South Africa and was “used as a service and parts delivery vehicle”. These cars also did service as race and rally support vehicles. Further information on this car indicates that that it is one of only two left in South Africa and that it has been lightly restored.

One of the earlier cars in the collection is a 1963 Giulietta Ti, featuring a 1.3-litre, four-cylinder engine developing 54 kW and weighing only 915 kg. In terms of performance, no one can miss the smooth design that is the 1961 Giulietta Sprint Speciale. At the time this car stood out in terms of its aerodynamics and technology. 

There are also several convertibles in the collection. This includes a 1963 Giulia Spider Normale and a row of 105- and 115-series Spiders. The last in this specific row is 1984 Spider Aerodinamica. Fitted with the 2.0-litre engine and featuring aerodynamic improvements, it was the fast 105/115 Spider.

You will leave this collection either inspired to get a classic Alfa for yourself, or with a deeper understanding of this fabulous brand. The website also confirms that the collection features BMWs, Porsches, Ferraris, Renaults, Lotus and heritage Minis and even Japanese cars. It is evident that we can expect a lot more from this museum in the future.

For more information, visit the Museum’s website or their Facebook page.