Alfa Romeo Blog
Happy Birthdays: Chopard celebrates Alfa Romeo with special line of timepiecesFiled under: Etc., Alfa Romeo, Design/Style 
Chopard GT XL Chrono Alfa Romeo (above) and table clock (below right) - Click either image for high-res image gallery
In a field of automotive-inspired wristwatches, one marque stands above the rest as the connoisseur's choice: Chopard. From its ongoing sponsorship and participation in the annual Mille Miglia revival rally to exquisite timepieces like the LUC Engine One Tourbillon, Chopard's made a name for itself among lovers of classic cars. And this year they celebrate their 150th anniversary, conveniently in the same year as Alfa Romeo marks their 100th.
 To celebrate, Chopard has rolled out not just a single model, but a whole line of timepieces honoring Alfa Romeo. The range includes the Gran Turismo XL Alfa Romeo and the GT XL Chono Alfa Romeo (available in either stainless steel of carbon-coated steel), both of which feature COSC-certified in-house automatic movements, 46-hour power reserve, anti-reflective sapphire crystal, 44mm cases and Chopard's signature vintage Dunlop-inspired rubber straps. Only 500 of each of the three variants will be offered, along with a table clock in PVD-coated steel and a black leather, red-stitched case, and an additional travel alarm clock.
All in all, not a bad way to celebrate a birthday. Read about 'em in the press release after the jump and take a closer look in the gallery below.
[Source: Chopard]Continue reading Happy Birthdays: Chopard celebrates Alfa Romeo with special line of timepieces Happy Birthdays: Chopard celebrates Alfa Romeo with special line of timepieces originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Jul 2010 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsRumormill: Alfa Romeo planning Giulietta Sprint coupe?Filed under: Coupe, Europe, Alfa Romeo, Rumormill  Connoisseurs of historic Alfa Romeos - which seem to be coming out of the woodwork now that the firm is celebrating its 100th anniversary - will recall that the original Giulietta came in a number of variants. A hatchback like the reincarnated model wasn't one of them, however.
The first of the Giuliettas was actually the Sprint, a two-door coupe that debuted in 1954. The sedan and Spider convertible (like the one we drove in Montreal) came along later. So with the new Giulietta hatchback already hitting markets around the world, speculation is already surfacing of a revival of the Sprint in a new coupe variant.
If you're thinking a two-door Giulietta would step on its baby brother's toes, you're not far off. The Mito was envisioned as part of a two-pronged approach to replacing the old 147. But with the Alfa GT in need of replacement, a Giulietta Sprint could help Alfa capitalize on the new platform which is also set to underpin a new crossover as well.
[Source: Autoblog.it | Image: Theophiluschin.com]Rumormill: Alfa Romeo planning Giulietta Sprint coupe? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsKamal-Back: Alfa Romeo reportedly cooking up two new crossoversFiled under: SUV, Crossover, Alfa Romeo 
Alfa Romeo Kamal concept - Click above for high-res image gallery
Alfa Romeo, in case you hadn't noticed, is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. And it seems like rumors of an Alfa CUV have been floating around for just as long. But the wait may finally be over as the Italian automaker reportedly plans on making it up to its customers with not one, but two new crossover models.
With its sights set firmly on Audi's Q5 and upcoming Q3 compact crossovers, the two-pronged approach may help Alfa launch into the CUV market. The smaller of the two is tipped to be based on the new C-Evo platform developed for and recently launched on the Giulietta, while the larger model could borrow Jeep underpinnings, substantiating earlier reports. Expect the first to come along in a couple of years and the second to follow a couple of years after that, with North American sales a distinct possibility.
[Source: Autocar]Kamal-Back: Alfa Romeo reportedly cooking up two new crossovers originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 Jul 2010 18:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsAlfa Romeo planning to reach 500,000 annual sales by 2014Filed under: Alfa Romeo 
The Alfa Romeo brand is a tough one to pin down... or perhaps it's parent company Fiat that's elusive, or maybe just CEO Sergio Marchionne that refuses to be a fixed target. New Alfa-Abarth-Maserati CEO Harald Wester has said that Alfa's long-term sales target is 500,000 vehicles by 2014. That's a mountainous 400,000-unit increase over 2009 sales, yet the route to the peak of that mountain isn't any clearer than it was in January when Alfa wasn't coming to the U.S., except that Alfa finally has "the right conditions, the right products and the right synergies to get there," according to Wester.
A brief summary of the timeline: in January Marchionne says Fiat can't come to the States unless it makes a business case - which, at that point, hadn't been made; later that same month Harald Wester takes his consolidated CEO position; in February Marchionne says Alfas will be sold in the U.S. by 2012; and in April Fiat's five-year plan is unveiled with Alfa slotting in six new models, some based on Chrysler platforms.
The only detail we're missing is why Alfa Romeo thinks it will work this time, this well. Alfa has been underperforming in Europe in spite of the models its been releasing, and we don't know why Chrysler platforms would change that. True, Alfa is only relying on the U.S. market for that growth, but an average year-on-year increase of 80,000 cars, starting this year, is an order of the tallest kind. And that's before any talk of Alfa having to battle Lancia for market share and marketing dollars.
Audi may have big U.S. targets too, but Audi won't need to fight the perceptions of a dishonorable discharge from the U.S. market two decades ago in order to meet them. We've been expecting Alfas product assault to be good. But with these numbers, we'll expect it to be phenomenal.
[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req'd]Alfa Romeo planning to reach 500,000 annual sales by 2014 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 Jul 2010 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsAlfa Romeo unveils its statue at the Goodwood Festival of SpeedFiled under: Alfa Romeo, UK 
Audi celebrated itself at the Goodwood Festival of Speed last year, and the sign it hung out front as advertisement was a 135-foot statue with a 1937 Auto Union at one end and R8 V10 at the other. This year Alfa Romeo will be doing the major celebrations, blowing out 100 candles for its centennial soiree, and it has unveiled its statue on the Goodwood lawn. If tradition holds, the statue was designed by Gerry Judah and according to Motor Trend, called "the most stylish and memorable sculpture ever crafted for the event." Hmmm...
On the left is one of the only two P2 racers left, and this particular example won the 1925 Gran Prix World Championship. On the right, an 8C Competizione. In the middle is... well, something red and swoopy, which we'll suppose is a fitting enough representation of 100 years of Alfas.
[Source: Autocar]Alfa Romeo unveils its statue at the Goodwood Festival of Speed originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Jul 2010 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsAbarth to tune Alfa Romeos?Filed under: Performance, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Rumormill 
Anyone who's spent time in a desert climate knows all to well how fast a scorpion can move, and the same can be said of the reborn marque that bears the scorpion as its badge. Not just in terms of the vehicles it produces, but the busy pace which Fiat's tuning division keeps.
With only two core models in its line-up, Abarth always seems to have something new in the works. The latest debuts were hot versions of the Fiat Punto Evo and 500C. A new purpose-built roadster is reportedly in the works again. And now reports have it that the recently revived tuning studio is preparing to branch out beyond Fiat's own catalog and take on some offerings from Alfa Romeo.
The development follows the unification of the two Fiat Group brands under common management, a move which has already bred the Maserati edition Alfa MiTo. No word yet on exactly which Alfa models could get the Abarth treatment, but while the MiTo might seem a logical starting point, reports suggest that - with the Quadrifoglio Verde (Cloverleaf) model already on the market and a GTA still rumored to be in the works - the stylish little hatch will be immune to the scorpion's sting.
[Source: Autocar]Abarth to tune Alfa Romeos? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 29 Jun 2010 17:38:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments2010 Dana Point Concours: 100 Years of Alfa RomeoFiled under: Classics, Alfa Romeo 
1949 Alfa Romeo Villa d'Este Berlinetta - Click above for high-res image gallery
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 (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.2010 Dana Point Concours: 100 Years of Alfa Romeo originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Jun 2010 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsAustralian police hope to attract stares with Alfa MiTo cruiserFiled under: Hatchback, Alfa Romeo, Police/Emergency, Australia
NSW Police-spec Alfa Romeo MiTo - Click above for high-res image gallery
If your aim in choosing a new car is to get noticed, there's no shortage of attention-grabbing wheels to pick from, but few cars get noticed as quickly as a police cruiser. Sure, the flashing lights and blaring sirens might help, but not as much as the looming threat of being ticketed. Still, Australia's New South Wales police department seems to think it needs some help getting noticed.
That's precisely why Sydney-area law enforcement has taken delivery of an Alfa Romeo MiTo. Noticeably bereft of emergency lighting, the MiTo will be used for community outreach and safety awareness programs. Whether the wee Alfa will prove more effective in its assignment than a Hummer H3 or Holden Commodore remains to be seen, but it might help the authorities catch up with the next F1 champion who tries spinning donuts on city streets.
[Source: Car Advice via eurocarblog]Australian police hope to attract stares with Alfa MiTo cruiser originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 05 Jun 2010 15:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsAlfa MiTo Kit-One from Magneti Marelli Elaborazione isn't the GTAFiled under: Aftermarket, Performance, Europe, Hatchback, Alfa Romeo 
Alfa Romeo MiTo Kit-One by Magneti Marelli Elaborazione - Click above for high-res image gallery
Upon reading his own obituary, Mark Twain once famously quipped, "The report of my death was an exaggeration." Turns out, with apologies to the famous poet, that the same could be said of the Alfa Romeo MiTo GTA. The project may or may not be dead, but what we can tell you for certain is the spy shots that surfaced a couple of weeks ago were not of the GTA.
What we were actually looking at is a tuning kit by Magneti Marelli. Those who recognize the name may know it as Fiat's electronics division and a major OEM supplier, which produces everything from ECUs to headlights. It worked with Ford and Microsoft on the development of the Sync and Blue&Me in-car computer systems, and developed the Kinetic Energy Recovery System for Ferrari. In fact, the company's scope reaches so far that they claim their parts are in just about every new car on the road today, wherever it's made. Now the company is launching its own tuning division called Magneti Marelli Elaborazioni. The MiTo spied - as astute commenter "adpb" pointed out - was actually their first product, called the Kit-One.
The modification package is comprised of stiffer springs than lower the car by 30 millimeters, the "Parco Chiuso" dual-exit exhaust system with bypass valve, 305mm Brembo disc brakes, a competition ECU good for an extra 31 horsepower, 18-inch matte black wheels and a rather divisive body kit made by Carrozzeria Castagna Milano (who you might remember for their Aznom Corvette and various Fiat 500s) of which only 200 sets will be made. Each item can be ordered separately, and the division has also got packages in the works for the Fiat 500 and Grande Punto. And with their new facility going up in Auburn Hills, Michigan, we wouldn't be entirely surprised to see them modifying Chryslers, Dodges and Jeeps in the near future. In the meantime you can check out the MiTo with the Kit-One in the gallery below.
[Source: Magnetti Marelli Elaborazioni]Alfa MiTo Kit-One from Magneti Marelli Elaborazione isn't the GTA originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 May 2010 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsAlfa Romeo updates Brera & Spider with new engines, trimFiled under: Convertible, Coupe, Europe, Alfa Romeo 
2011 Alfa Romeo Spider - Click above for high-res image gallery
Say what you will about Alfa Romeo's latest 8C-derived styling direction, but we're going to miss the angular beauty of the current Brera and its drop-top Spider sibling. But before the achingly gorgeous two-doors sail off into the sunset - never having made it to American shores - Alfa has released an updated version.
The beneficiary of the latest from Fiat Powertrain Technologies, the Brera and Spider have now been made available with the 1750 TBi and 2.0 JTDM engines. The former is a turbocharged, direct-injection gas-burning four with 1742 cubic centimeters of displacement, 197 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque and propelling the Brera and Spider to 62 mph in 7.7 and 7.8 seconds, respectively, and a 146 mph top end. The latter is a 2.0-liter turbo diesel with 168 horses and 265 lb-ft of torque, capable of 8.8- and 9-second sprints to 62 for the coupe and convertible en route to a 135 mph terminal velocity.
In addition to the new engines, which you can read more about in the press release after the jump, Alfa is also making the Italia Indepenent trim level - previously a special edition - available across the range, with matte titanium paint, 18-inch black alloys hiding red brake calipers and special interior trim. Have a closer look in the gallery below to see what we're missing on the Atlantic's Western shores.
[Source: Alfa Romeo]Continue reading Alfa Romeo updates Brera & Spider with new engines, trim Alfa Romeo updates Brera & Spider with new engines, trim originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 May 2010 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsSpy Shots: Alfa Romeo testing GTA versions of 8C, MiTo for centenary launchFiled under: Spy Photos, Coupe, Performance, Hatchback, Alfa Romeo 
You didn't think Alfa Romeo was done celebrating its centenary already, did you? The 100-year-old Italian automaker kicked off the festivities by launching the new Giulietta hatchback, then teamed up with three of Italy's hottest coachbuilders - Bertone, Pininfarina and Zagato - for a trio of mouthwatering concepts. But the party's just started, people.
Next up, if these spy shots and emerging reports are anything to go by, is the return of the GTA. Shorthand for Gran Turismo Allegerito (that's lightweight GT to us yanks), the nameplate has adorned some of the fastest Alfas to date, and is about to return on two highly anticipated sports models.
The most enticing is surely the 8C GTA: Based on the sumptuous 8C Competizione, the GTA version is tipped to gain a 50-horsepower boost from its 4.7-liter V8 to bring output up to 500, unburdened by 150 kilograms (330 pounds) of excess weight trimmed by the use of carbon fiber. Reported improvements to the six-speed sequential transmission and suspension upgrades surely won't hurt, either, with an expected 100-example production run. The 8C GTA was rumored way back in 2008, but was recently spied undergoing testing in its native Italy.
Joining its big brother, the baby MiTo GTA was previewed in concept form at the Geneva Motor Show in 2009, but was subsequently put on the back burner. Which was a real shame, considering its 240-horse turbo four and sport-tuned chassis. But if the latest spy shots are any indication, it looks like the program has been put into high gear. 2010 is quickly shaping up to be one of the most exciting years in Alfa's history, and if its return to North American shores comes to fruition as planned, we just might have reason to celebrate, too.
[Source: Unica-Strada]Spy Shots: Alfa Romeo testing GTA versions of 8C, MiTo for centenary launch originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 May 2010 14:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsUma, meet Alfa. Alfa, Uma.Filed under: Europe, Marketing/Advertising, Hatchback, Alfa Romeo, Celebrities 
If you're wondering what you should be looking at in the above pic, you really can't go wrong: one is the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, the other is Uma Thurman. Lady T will be the star talent in the Italian commercial campaign for Alfa's latest, based around the car being perfectly suited to every one of her five multiple personalities. If there's anything wrong with this arrangement it's that the Italians get Uma and the Giulietta while we get cats and Caravans. The television spots being airing May 16.
[Source: World Car Fans]Uma, meet Alfa. Alfa, Uma. originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 May 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsAlfa Giulietta sets the pace at Monza as Superbike safety carFiled under: Europe, Hatchback, Alfa Romeo, Specialty 
Alfa Romeo Giulietta Quadrifoglio Verde SBK safety car - Click above for high-res image
As one of the most historic racing tracks in Italy, if not the world, Monza is inextricably intertwined with Alfa Romeo. Now those ties have been reinforced with the introduction at the circuit of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta as the safety car for the Superbike World Championship, which held its fifth round at Monza this past weekend.
The Giulietta takes over pacing duties for SBK (as the series is known in shorthand) from the MiTo, which itself had assumed the mantle from the 159. The Quadrifoglio Verde version, with its 235-horsepower, 1.7-liter turbo four, will continue its role for the eight rounds remaining in the series this season. If your Italian is up to snuff, you can read more about it in the native-tongue press release after the jump. And if not, well, we've gone ahead and translated it (thanks, Google!) for you, too.
[Source: Alfa Romeo]Continue reading Alfa Giulietta sets the pace at Monza as Superbike safety car Alfa Giulietta sets the pace at Monza as Superbike safety car originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 11 May 2010 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsYour Face Here: Fiat celebrating half a million 500s with owner-inspired paint jobFiled under: Budget, Hatchback, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, UK, Celebrities, Design/Style 
Fiat 500 - Click above for high-res image gallery
If the Fiat 500 does as well here in the U.S. as it has in the rest of the world, Chrysler is going to have plenty to celebrate. Fiat just announced that it has sold a staggering 500,000 500s in just three years. To mark the occasion, the company is creating a special edition, complete with fan photos incorporated into the paint. Sadly, only UK residents can submit their pictures, though Fiat says it is reserving a total of 70 percent of the car's surface for actual owners.
Alfa Romeo is rolling out a similar program to mark a special occasion of its own. The company has officially been in business for 100 years, and as such, it plans on plastering a Giulietta hatch with images from the brand's history books. Expect to see shots from The Graduate to make the cut, as well as a handful of owner-submitted pictures and celebrity photos, too.
At this point, it's not clear whether Fiat and Alfa are planning on working up some sort of photomosaic or simply slathering the cars with the photos and hoping for the best. Either way, the finished product should be something to behold. Hit the jump for the details.
[Source: Fiat via Moto Bullet]Continue reading Your Face Here: Fiat celebrating half a million 500s with owner-inspired paint job Your Face Here: Fiat celebrating half a million 500s with owner-inspired paint job originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Apr 2010 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsAlfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa live in the fleshFiled under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Performance, Europe, Alfa Romeo, Design/Style 
Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa with Andrea Zagato - click above for high-res image gallery
The caviar and concours-loving world was rocked this past Saturday night when Zagato dropped its Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa bomb. Seriously y'all, this sucker's so stunning that we don't even mind the childish graphics. In fact, our only gripe is that we weren't in attendance at the this weekend's 2010 Villa D'Este Concours so we could check out the tube-framed, almost Kamm-tailed TZ3 ourselves. Meaning we have no real gripes to speak of.
Luckily, an Autoblog reader named Graziano Mancini was there, took some shots, and he was good enough to send them on share with you. We like the live pictures even better than the stock studio shots. The TZ3 has that classic, special early 1960s Euro-racer charm and grace that is simply lacking from modern cars. Long story short, the car's fabulous. But don't take our word for it - the Zagato-penned Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa won the Villa D'Este's concept class. Very well done. Also, we'd be remiss if we didn't offer Andrea Zagato (above) a very happy 50th birthday today. Check out Mancini's full slate of shots in the gallery below.
Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa live in the flesh originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Apr 2010 12:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments28th Annual Dana Point Concours d'Elegance adds motorbikesFiled under: Classics, Alfa Romeo, Motorcycle, Event Alert
If it's good enough for Pebble Beach... For the first time in its history, the 28th Annual Dana Point (née Newport Beach) Concours d'Elegance will host an exhibit of antique and vintage motorcycles alongside the usual assortment of incredible automobiles from every era. The event has been moved up to the summer this year, but will once again be held at the St. Regis Resort in Dana Point, California.
Those who show up on that Sunday (June 27, 2010) will find that Alfa Romeo is the featured marque, celebrating 100 years of great racing and road cars in 2010. The 80-year-old Pininfarina design house will also be feted, but the big news for bike lovers will be the exhibition-only classes featuring 65 significant motorcycles from throughout history. The preliminary groupings divide European, American and Japanese motorcycles, as well as production and competition models.
Entry forms and additional information can be found online at: www.DanaPointConcours.org.
Photos by Frank Filipponio/Copyright (C)2009-2010 Weblogs, Inc.28th Annual Dana Point Concours d'Elegance adds motorbikes originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 25 Apr 2010 17:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsAlfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa unveiled at Villa D'EsteFiled under: Concept Cars, Motorsports, Classics, Coupe, Performance, Alfa Romeo, Racing 
Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa - Click above for high-res image gallery
The Zagato-designed Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa has been unveiled at the Villa D'Este concours, and frankly, it's spectacular. Driven by the Alfa 8C Competizione's V8, the TZ3 is very much in keeping with its 60s-era predecessors, the TZ1 and TZ2, sporting similar detail elements and the same near-breadvan profile. Also like the originals, this is a legit racing car. Unlike its forbears, however, the new machine wears aluminum bodywork stretched over a tube frame and carbon-fiber chassis. Power, as indicated before, is also of thoroughly modern origin.
Zagato says the TZ3 was commissioned by German collector Martin Kapp as a special celebration of 100 years of racing from Scuderia Ferrari, Alfa Corse, Autodelta, and Scuderia Zagato. On that "special" bit, we think it's safe to say, "mission accomplished" - with class and panache to spare. Official PR pics are in the gallery below, and a full live gallery is posted at OmniAuto. Be sure to pay them a visit as well. Thanks for the tip, Claudio!
[Source: Zagato (PDF link) via OmniAuto.it]Continue reading Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa unveiled at Villa D'Este Alfa Romeo TZ3 Corsa unveiled at Villa D'Este originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 24 Apr 2010 09:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiat unveils five-year product plan, we dissect in detailFiled under: Performance, Plants/Manufacturing, Chrysler, Dodge, Maserati, Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Luxury, Lancia 
Fiat's Five-Year Business Plan - Click above for high-res image gallery
It would seem that Fiat head Sergio Marchionne is nothing if not ambitious. Following the seven-hour-long marathon presentation of Chrysler's latest business plan back in November of 2009, the giant Italian automaking alliance has just released its own five-year business plan, which includes Fiat, Maserati and Ferrari in addition to announcing the long-awaited return of the Alfa Romeo brand to the United States as a full-range automaker.
We'll start with Ferrari... for obvious reasons. Kicking off a series of six new models will be a replacement for the four-seat 612 Scaglietti, which is destined to add a hybrid powertrain to its impressive V12 engine. Next up is a convertible version of the new 458 Italia sometime next year, and later another 458-based model that will be much more track focused, like the 430 Scuderia.
Staying with the Prancing Horse lineup, we should see a new range-topping Ferrari to take the mantle from the discontinued Enzo hypercar, very likely to see an engine utilizing forced induction along with a lightweight platform. The 599 GTB will get a replacement as well, and the recently released California will see itself updated and granted an M designation.
Like what you're hearing so far? There's plenty more where that came from, make the jump for the rest of the goods.
Continue reading Fiat unveils five-year product plan, we dissect in detail Fiat unveils five-year product plan, we dissect in detail originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Apr 2010 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsAlfa Romeo return to U.S. confirmed with big ambition, Chrysler will provide pair of CUVsFiled under: Convertible, Coupe, Sedan, SUV, Wagon, Plants/Manufacturing, Crossover, Hatchback, Chrysler, Alfa Romeo, Fiat 
Alfa Romeo 2uettottanta concept by Pininfarina - Click above for high-res image gallery
Italiophiles rejoice! Though the move isn't unexpected, Fiat's Sergio Marchionne has officially confirmed that the Alfa Romeo brand will make a return appearance to the United States starting in 2012.
The first vehicles that should hit American dealerships (of course, we don't yet know where the cars will be sold, but Chrysler's woefully underutilized dealer network would be a good bet...) will be the midsize Giulia, which will come in both sedan and wagon variants, along with a compact SUV built in the States using European Giullietta hatchback underpinnings.
One year later, Alfa plans to begin offering a five-door version of the beautiful MiTo hatchback in the States, which will be joined by a new Alfa Romeo Spider. Could it look something like the 2uettottanta concept from Geneva? Someone get Dustin Hoffman on the phone pronto.
Moving on to the 2014 model year, Alfa will redesign its compact Giullietta hatchback and send it to America. A second, larger SUV will show up in the same year and will be built in America using architecture borrowed from the next-gen Jeep Liberty.
There was plenty more news coming from the Fiat camp today. Stay tuned for a much more comprehensive breakdown of the Italian automaker's far-reaching plans for the next several years.
[Source: Fiat]Alfa Romeo return to U.S. confirmed with big ambition, Chrysler will provide pair of CUVs originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Apr 2010 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsReport: 2013 Alfa Romeo Spider, 2012 Giulia to be based on RWD Chrysler platformFiled under: Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Lancia 
Alfa Romeo Spider - Click above for high-res image gallery
According to the comprehensive five-year plan which Fiat/Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne unveiled today, the next generation of Alfa Romeos are slated to be based on a Chrysler platform.
Among those models will be the replacement for the current Spider, as well as the new Giulia sedan and wagon. These three models - which will replace the outgoing 159, Brera and Spider - were previously thought to borrow their underpinnings from a modified version of the C-segment platform that underpins the new Giulietta, but have now been revealed to be merged into Chrysler platforms, arriving in 2012 (Giulia) and 2013 (Spider). Although Marchionne didn't specify which Chrysler platform this will be, sources suggest it could be a modified version of the antiquated Mercedes-derived architecture that underpins the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Challenger.
In addition to the Alfa's adoption of Chrysler architecture, Marchionne indicated that Chrysler and Lancia are set to be further integrated, with common products (including a new compact minivan and the replacement for the Ypsilon supermini) sold as Lancias in continental Europe and as Chryslers in North America and the UK. With the exception of the Challenger, Charger and Viper, Dodge and Fiat products will be similarly integrated, while Jeep is slated for an increased overseas market presence.
[Source: Motor Trend]Report: 2013 Alfa Romeo Spider, 2012 Giulia to be based on RWD Chrysler platform originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 21 Apr 2010 15:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments
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