2010 Dana Point Concours: 100 Years of Alfa Romeo

The 28th Annual Dana Point Concours d'Elegance took place this past Sunday, once again adorning the Monarch Beach Golf Links at the St. Regis Resort with some of the most beautiful pieces of rolling sculpture ever created. Celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2010 is Alfa Romeo, so it was only fitting that this maker of some of the most incredible Italian sports and racing cars be one of the featured marques at this year's concours.

It's odd to think that this quintessentially Italian firm actually started out as a French company way back in 1906, but its SAID (Società Anonima Italiana Darracq) ancestor quickly dropped off the map when the Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili (A.L.F.A.) opened its Milanese factory doors on June 24, 1910. It wasn't until 1915 that Nicola Romeo came on board and the company we know and love finally started to flourish after the war, with its return to car building in 1920 under the Alfa Romeo name. It wasn't long before Enzo Ferrari and other drivers were establishing the racing prowess of the marque, eternally cementing the legacy of the automaker.

The Alfa Romeo turnout at most concours is usually pretty healthy, so with the special centennial this year, it wasn't surprising to see such a spectacular display of Alfas at Dana. Check out our gallery below and you'll see some of our favorites, from the Villa d'Este above, to the pair of Giulia Sprint Speciales, to the audacious '65 TZ2 GT Coupe of General Lyon.

Photos by Frank Filipponio/ Copyright ©2010 Weblogs, Inc.