Alfa 75 Carabinieri: The Story of a Dream Born in a “Gazzella”

From evenings spent in the garage of the Viterbo Mobile Unit to restoring the longest-lived 75 in the world. The story of Giovanni Conti, who transformed a childhood memory into a lifelong mission.

by Giovanni Conti

My passion for the world of Alfa Romeo wasn’t born from flipping through a magazine or visiting a car show. It was born in the cold winter of 1998, in Viterbo, when I was only three years old. My father, an officer and driver for the Radiomobile Unit, placed me for the first time inside an Alfa Romeo 75 in its official institutional livery.

That car, plate number EI221CV, wasn’t just any car: as fate would have it, it was the exact model used in the early seasons of the famous Italian TV series “Il Maresciallo Rocca”. But to me, in that moment, it was simply the place where dreams were made. I can still clearly remember the smell of my father’s leather boots, always polished, mixed with the unmistakable scent of the seats and the onboard radio. Sounds and scents that, to a child, smelled of adventure and daily heroism.

The Ritual of “Shift 19”: The Start of Service

Growing up in a police station meant living by a precise rhythm. I often accompanied my father as he prepared for the evening shift, the one from 7:00 PM to 1:00 AM. Together, we would walk down the stairs to the garages, where the patrol cars—the “Gazzelle”—rested in a row, spotlessly clean, in the silence of the shadows.

The ritual was sacred: checking levels, water, and oil. Then came my favorite moment: turning on the devices. When the blue emergency lights pierced the darkness of the garage, it was pure magic for me. We would start the 1,800cc engine, turn on the OTE radio on the 400-range, and by pressing “key 6,” we would “hook” into the Operations Center to signal the car was in service. My father’s crackling “Agganciato” (Connected) marked the beginning of everything.

While the officers loaded bulletproof vests and M12 submachine guns, a colleague would often joke: 

“Peppino, did you bring your assistant?”.

My father, with a humble and almost embarrassed smile, would reply that he had no choice since my mother was at work. Then he would look at me and say: 

“Giovanni, get in and crouch down in the back, let’s go to Mom.”

That Cloud of Smoke and the Dropping Rear

The trip from the station to the school where my mother worked was my moment of glory. Sitting on the back seat of the Gazzella, I listened to the roar of the Alfa twin-cam engine and the “meows” of the radio as the city began its nightlife.

When we arrived, I would step out proudly under the eyes of my mother’s students. Before they sped off, I would watch the Alfa 75 drive away: the rear end squatting toward the ground under the push of the rear-wheel drive and that omnipresent cloud of smoke that accompanied every sharp acceleration. It is an image that has remained etched in my heart for twenty years.

From the Screen to Reality: The Discovery

Years passed, but the bond with that car never faded. I began collecting clips of Maresciallo Rocca on YouTube, creating a dedicated channel. It was thanks to this visibility that in 2018, a breakthrough occurred: a young man contacted me, saying he had an Alfa 75 Carabinieri for sale.

Even though it was in pitiful condition—the car was literally being eaten by rust—I answered “yes” immediately. To many, it was a piece of junk to be thrown away; to me, it was the missing piece of my life’s puzzle.

A Five-Year Restoration

The restoration was a labor of love that lasted five years. I worked side-by-side with specialized technicians, often working 14-hour shifts, investing every saving and every ounce of energy. I wanted it to shine again “as God commands.”

The greatest satisfaction? The first post-restoration trip: 1,200 km from my home to Palermo, to attend a rally for historic service vehicles in Southern Italy. Seeing that 75 cruising the roads of my native Sicily at 27 years old, after dreaming about it since I was three, was an indescribable achievement.

A World Record

Today, thanks to ASI documentation and the certificate of origin from the manufacturer, I discovered that my 75 is the longest-lived in the world among those formerly belonging to the Carabinieri. It is a record that repays every drop of sweat.

I now attend events all over Italy, meeting enthusiasts and former officers. Every time I turn on the blue lights or hear the roar of the engine, I become that little boy with curly hair looking at his father with admiration. Because, in the end, in the world of car collecting, uniqueness always pays off, but it is the emotion that truly drives the car.

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Did you enjoy this story? If you own a vehicle with an institutional past or have faced an impossible restoration, tell us about it in the comments or send your story to vintaagecar@gmail.com !