The passion for classic cars is truly international, inspiring enthusiasts and collectors all over the world. FCA Heritage has decided to tell their stories. In Como, northern Italy, father and son Diego and Lorenzo Maspes run an authorised Alfa Romeo workshop, a family tradition for over 50 years.
The business was founded in 1959, when the last models of the Alfa 1900 were being manufactured at the Portello plant in Milan.
"Everything started that year," recalls Diego Maspes, "when I decided to open an Alfa Romeo workshop in Como. Back then, the Alfa 1900 had become established in Italy due to its ability to combine modernity and refinement. With its charm and that engine, the brand’s first series-produced twin cam, it had captivated everyone, including me, so much so that I decided to devote myself heart and soul to Alfa cars. I made a career out of it!"
Since his younger days, Diego always had clear ideas of what he wanted to do when he grew up: "I focused directly on my ultimate goal: I attended the IRI Alfa School at the Portello plant, then learned the ropes in what was the only dealer in Como, the historic Peverelli dealership. It was a very important stepping stone for my professional growth, before I started my own business by opening my authorised Alfa Romeo workshop."
Diego’s passion runs deep and is certainly contagious. His son Lorenzo will vouch for that.
From taking his first steps in the workshop next to his father, to sharing exciting experiences of the Mille Miglia, the Targa Florio and the Gran Premio Nuvolari, Lorenzo Maspes is very much a chip off the old block. Today, together with his dad, he runs the authorised Alfa Romeo workshop in Como. Now he is ready to take over the mantle.
"I started off by going to ‘Alfa school’ with my father, working in the workshop since I was small. He has always been my supervisor, and he still is now!
But just as he did in his day, I’ve realised that to keep the passion for Alfa alive without sacrificing excellence, it needs to be cultivated and refined. That's why I've studied and stayed up-to-date, to continue the family business with the utmost professionalism. I was trained in a technical school, always thinking about machines. At the end of my studies, going back to the workshop was a natural progression."
Diego and Lorenzo’s story is the story of a family in which Alfa is the glue that has brought two generations together. The pair are bonded by an enthusiasm that transcends the years, that keeps pace with the times and that is fuelled by working on cars with irresistible appeal: "A long time has passed since 1959 and the Alfa Romeo 1900! Over the decades, my father and I have been fortunate enough to repair the most beautiful Alfa models of all time. A lot has changed, it’s true: technology has allowed us to make tremendous strides in terms of comfort and reliability. Even old-school Alfa enthusiasts have become increasingly demanding and the market is very competitive."
Before we say goodbye, Lorenzo and Diego let us in on the secret ingredient that, besides their biological ties, cements their unique relationship and makes them feel part of an even bigger family that includes all fans of the ‘Biscione’ brand worldwide: "What unites us has to do with the heart and soul of these machines: it's the sound of the engine, the same sound that I heard for the first time thanks to my father, and which still resounds today in our workshop."
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