This book provides a meticulous historical and technical account of Alba, one of Portugal's rare and most fascinating automotive manufacturers, active between 1952 and 1961.
Founded by António Augusto Martins Pereira in Albergaria-a-Velha at the "Fábrica Metalúrgica Alba" (a prominent metalworks factory), the brand became famous for building elegant, aerodynamic sports cars tailored for racing, instantly recognizable by their custom aluminum bodies and signature yellow paint.
The second edition significantly expands and updates the original 2009 release, focusing on several key areas:
- The "Alba 1500" engine: The book delves deep into the engineering behind the 1.5-liter Alba engine. This was a monumental technological achievement for the country, standing as one of the very first automobile engines entirely designed and manufactured in Portugal, built to overcome the limitations of the Fiat engines the team initially relied upon.
- Racing pedigree: It chronicles the brand's involvement in national motorsport events of the 1950s. The narrative highlights the challenges of circuit racing and hill climbs, detailing the performances of Alba's primary driver, Francisco Corte-Real Pereira.
- Legacy and preservation: The author traces the lineage of the surviving chassis (only three complete cars were ever built by the factory). The book documents their restoration processes and their current status as highly prized historical artifacts, including the pristine example currently preserved at the Museu do Caramulo.
Alba: Uma Marca Portuguesa de Automóveis (1952-1961) is widely regarded as an essential reference for classic car enthusiasts and historians of Portuguese industrial design.
170 pages, richly illustrated. Text in Portuguese.
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