EU safety regulations look set to outlaw Alfa Romeo’s offset numberplate, a long-standing signature of the brand
The Alfisti may have been weeping over their mig welders when the Visconti serpent badge appeared on the nose of an SUV, but a further blow to Alfa Romeo’s traditional quirkiness has now been announced with the end of the offset front number plate.
Although an offset front plate was common on the classic Spiders, it didn’t enter the mainstream until the launch of the Alfa 156, which featured the prominent central grille making it impossible to accommodate the standard European number plate centrally.
The feature then became a signature of modern Alfas, appearing on the 159, Mito, Giulietta, Giulia and derivatives but according to an announcement this week by Alfa design chief Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos it’s set to disappear.
It’s all in the name of safety apparently, with the EU’s updated General Safety Regulations requiring a centrally mounted plate on the grounds that it’s supposedly safer for pedestrians. The Junior (formerly known as the Milano) will be the first model to revert to the standard central plate, although since Alfa has chosen to mount it low down at the bottom of the bumper, doubtless the end result will be countless Alfas without a front plate at all…
