Alfa Romeo Matta
Built: 1952-1954 · Series: Other models
More machines from model year 1952
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The Alfa Romeo Matta, officially the AR 51, is an off-road vehicle that was built from 1952 to 1954 for the Italian army. AR stands for Autovettura da Ricognizione, a reconnaissance car; Fiat and Alfa Romeo both submitted designs, and Alfa's won. The name Matta comes from the Italian word for crazy.
The engine is a water-cooled four-cylinder with 1.884 cm³ of displacement and an 82,5 mm stroke, DOHC valve gear and one Solex carburetor. Tuned down to 60 bhp for army use, the same engine makes 100 bhp in the road cars. The gearbox has 4 gears, and top speed is 105 km/h.
The body is steel, the brakes are hydraulic, and the front suspension is independent. Length 3.520 mm, width 1.575 mm, height 1.820 mm, wheelbase 2.200 mm, track 1.300 mm, ground clearance 20,5 cm, wading depth 70 cm, weight 1.250 kg. About 2.000 units were built, of which 1.281 went to the Italian defence ministry.
Alfa Romeo Matta – light off-road vehicle of the Italian armed forces, built 1952 to 1954, with a water-cooled engine for field and liaison duty
Alfa Romeo is an Italian car manufacturer based in the Milan area. The Matta was developed in the early 1950s as a light off-road vehicle for the Italian armed forces and was built between 1952 and 1954. Vehicles of this class took on liaison duty, personnel transport across rough terrain and the towing of light trailers within post-war armed forces; a compact, mostly open body kept weight and footprint small.
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The Matta's engine is water-cooled. Water cooling keeps operating temperature more even under changing load and little airflow than air cooling does, which is an advantage in off-road use with frequent stopping and starting, but it brings extra components such as a radiator, water pump and hose connections that must be maintained and kept leak-free compared with an air-cooled layout.
The Matta belongs to the class of light, off-road multi-purpose vehicles that armed forces used for reconnaissance, courier runs and moving small loads away from paved roads. Present-day civilian vehicle classes and driving-licence rules cannot be applied to a military vehicle of this build period.
When inspecting a Matta, the condition of the cooling system matters most: after decades, the radiator, water pump and hose connections are the parts most exposed to corrosion and leaks. Add to that rust in the frame and floor pans after long storage, the condition of the axles, steering and brake linkage, and the completeness of the original military equipment, which is often added back later on restored vehicles. Spare parts can practically only be sourced through specialised collectors and military-vehicle clubs; no manufacturer parts network exists for this model.
Sources: SpecCodex-Register: Kennwerte des Modells Matta, Alfa Romeo
Technical data
Engine
| Engine | 1.9 L I4correct |
|---|---|
| Displacement | 1, 884 cccorrect |
| Stroke | 82.5 mmcorrect |
| Compression ratio | 7correct |
| Cooling | water-cooledcorrect |
Dimensions and weights
| Length | 3,520 mmcorrect |
|---|---|
| Width | 1,575 mmcorrect |
| Height | 1,820 mmcorrect |
| Wheelbase | 2,200 mmcorrect |
| Unladen weight | 1,250 kgcorrect |
Drivetrain and chassis
| Gearbox | 4-speed manual gearbox with low ratio transfer boxcorrect |
|---|
Other data
| Body | Steelcorrect |
|---|---|
| Brakes | Hydrauliccorrect |
| Front suspension | Independentcorrect |
| Fuel system | 1 Solexcorrect |
| Ground clearance | 20.5 cmcorrect |
| Max slope | 120%correct |
| Max water deep | 70 cmcorrect |
| Top speed | 105 km/hcorrect |
| Track front/rear | 1, 300 mmcorrect |
| Valvetrain | DOHCcorrect |
Frequently asked questions
When was the Alfa Romeo Matta built?
Production years: 1952-1954.
What to check before buying
- Check the hour meter against the service records — a replaced instrument is the most common gap.
- Compare the data plate and chassis number with the papers.
- Shift the gearbox cold and warm — jumps only show up at temperature.
- Ask about parts availability for this build year — the running costs hang on it.
A general list for this type of machine — no substitute for an inspection or an appraiser.
We do not sell machines. We ask the dealers who carry this model and come back with price and lead time.
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This page carries 27 individual figures for this model. They come from 3 recorded sources; every figure can be traced there. What we cannot document is not here — we leave gaps open rather than estimate them.
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Sources: Tractor & Construction Plant Wiki (retrieved August 2026) · alfaworkshop.co.uk (retrieved October 2026) · conceptcarz.com (retrieved October 2026) · How we check the data
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