Alfa Romeo Blog
Rendered Speculation: Alfa 4C coming to Pebble Beach?Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Rumormill  Alfa Romeo says it achieved its objectives with the stunning 8C Competizione. Now the brand known for the quadrifoglio wants to make the same kind of splash - only bigger - and rumor has it that it will do so by unveiling an Alfa 4C at this year's Pebble Beach Concours.
Automobile reports that the 4C will be a "a compact, lightweight sports car concept," shorn of high-zoot and high-dollar goods like carbon fiber and a Ferrari engine. Instead, it will use a 250-horsepower four-cylinder and could be rear-wheel-drive. Price for the limited-to-5,000 vehicles is being estimated at €50,000 ($70,000 U.S.).
However, while the 8C was busy killin' it, the rest of the Alfa line has been busy struggling. Sales haven't exactly pleased parent company Fiat, so the fate of Alfa's (and, by extension, the the 4C) oft-planned return trip to North America is still in question. Unless and until the Giulietta and its variants prove they are winners and show Fiat the money, it looks like the message for the American Alfa will remain, "Please hold..."
[Source: Automobile]Rendered Speculation: Alfa 4C coming to Pebble Beach? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsGeneva 2010: Bertone Alfa Romeo Pandion Concept reaffirms our love of car showsFiled under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Alfa Romeo 
Bertone Alfa Romeo Pandion Concept -- Click above for high-res image gallery
Even though our colleague Paul Esienstein might not agree, car shows serve a few pretty great purposes. Besides reuniting with old colleagues, pressing manufacturers' flesh and geeking out over (certain) booth babes, it's the wild and well done concept cars that get our juices flowing the fastest. Take the Alfa Romeo Pandion Concept from all-star design house Bertone. It rocks.
When we first saw the Panidon images we were less than impressed. Yeah, the shape was good, as Stile Bertone kept this far out show car classically proportioned (low, long hood, short deck, big wheels). But something didn't quite click. Then we walked past the Pandion during the press conference and did a big double take. Whoa. You know what didn't click? The doors, as they were closed in the press pictures.
First of all, reverse-hinged scissor doors are the coolest Bertone show car feature since they debuted the Lamborghini Countach's front-hinged scissor doors at the 1973 Geneva Motor Show. Not only are the rear-hinged doors cool, they're massive, sticking about ten-feet straight up in the air. In case you've read this far and haven't looked at the above photo (fat chance, we know) the doors include part of the front fender. Very, very cool says us.
Also spectacular is the rear end of this sucker. It looks as if someone tossed a softball through a stained glass window and hit pause. Hundreds of tiny shards of shattered... stuff (carbon fiber, magnesium - you tell us) appear to be frozen in mid-explosion. It's something TVR might have come up with if a second generation Sagaris had come to fruition. The rear end is different, fabulously so, and to reiterate the title of this here post, it's why we love covering these manic car shows so dang much. Be sure to check out the albino HR Giger-skeleton interior and the flippin' wheels, which replicate the smashing rear end. As they say here in certain parts of Switzerland, tres magnifique! Or, in Alfa Romeo's native tongue, countach!
Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.Geneva 2010: Bertone Alfa Romeo Pandion Concept reaffirms our love of car shows originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Mar 2010 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsGeneva 2010: Alfa Romeo 2uettottanta concept by PininfarinaFiled under: Concept Cars, Convertible, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo 2uettottanta concept by Pininfarina - Click above for high-res image gallery
It's all about the anniversaries up here in Geneva. Alfa Romeo is celebrating its centenary, and like the show itself, Pininfarina is marking its 80th this year. And when a design house as venerated as Pininfarina is celebrating, you better believe it'll be mouthwatering.
The quizzically named 2uettottanta concept is Pininfarina's vision for how a next-generation Alfa spider should look. And we can't help but agree. The 2uettottanta represents the culmination of an age-old partnership between the two Italian firms, and pays tribute to the iconic 60s-era Duetto roadster. Power is (theoretically, at least) provided by a modest 1.7-liter turbo four, longitudinally mounted in homage to the 1750 Veloce.
We could go on about the details, but there's a press release for that. A Pininfarina concept is about design, and you can see it for yourself in the live and stock high-res image galleries below.
Photos by Noah Joseph / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.Continue reading Geneva 2010: Alfa Romeo 2uettottanta concept by Pininfarina Geneva 2010: Alfa Romeo 2uettottanta concept by Pininfarina originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 Mar 2010 15:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsBertone's Alfa Romeo Pandion Concept leaks ahead of GenevaFiled under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Geneva Motor Show, Alfa Romeo 
Stile Bertone Alfa Romeo Pandion Concept leaked images - Click above for image gallery
The raging torrent of pre-Geneva Motor Show leaks is officially in full effect today as a series of images showing off Bertone's new Alfa Romeo Pandion Concept have hit the Interwebs (thanks Unica-Strada!) First of all, what the heck is a Pandion? Simple: a type genus of the Pandionidae. Mmm hmm. That'd be an osprey, sometimes known as a fish hawk. Moving on, then.
To our eyes, the Pandion isn't really what we've come to expect from Alfa Romeo, at least not styling-wise. The Italian marque's classically flowing curves are present and accounted for, but they are bisected by swaths of what appears to be clear plastic. The rear-view is especially busy - kinda like it's fashioned from hundreds of containers worth of Tinker Toys. Oh, and fans of Battlestar Galactica are sure to appreciate the Pandion's head-on view.
Stile Bertone - which until recently was led by Jason Castriota, the man responsible for such far-out designs as the Alfa 8C-based B.A.T. 11 and the Corvette ZR1-based Mantide - penned the Pandion, and we do see some influence from the styling house's past designs. We don't yet know what's underhood of the uniquely styled concept, or really anything else about it not revealed by these images. That said, see for yourself below and, as always, let us know what you think in the Comments.
[Source: Unica-Strada]Bertone's Alfa Romeo Pandion Concept leaks ahead of Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 19:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsMarchionne: Alfa Romeo back in the U.S. by 2012Filed under: Chrysler, Alfa Romeo, Fiat
Alfa Romeo 159 - Click above for high-res image gallery
It's been 15 years since Alfa Romeo last sold vehicles in the U.S. market, but according to Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne, we won't have to wait much longer for a chance to own a vehicle donning the Cross and Serpent. Automotive News is reporting that Marchionne insisted that Alfa will return Stateside in the next 24 months, adding: "I'm a lot more confident now that Alfa Romeo will reconstitute a product offering that is acceptable globally, and more in particular in the United States and Canada."
To make the jump to the U.S. and Canada, Alfa will reportedly need to rely on its newest sibling Chrysler for the appropriate platforms. AN sources say that the most likely Alfas to make the trans-Atlantic journey are the successors to the 159 and 166, but those vehicles could be sitting on Chrysler platforms when they make their way to production. The 159 replacement would reportedly be built in the U.S. with a scheduled 2012 arrival and it could rest atop Chrysler's "compact wide" midsize architecture. The range may eventually also spawn both a sedan and wagon. AN indicates that the 166 successor could be matched up with The Pentastar's large rear drive platform that currently underpins the Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300, with the vehicle being built at Chrysler's Brampton, Ontario plant. The 147 replacement that is scheduled to be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show will apparently not be coming to North America.
We're really hoping Alfas will in fact arrive on our shores within the next couple years, but we've certainly witnessed this song and dance before. There is no question that Fiat has to do something with Alfa, though, as global sales that have gone from 203,000 in 2000 to 102,000 in 2009 won't cut it for long.
[Source: Automotive News - sub. req.]Marchionne: Alfa Romeo back in the U.S. by 2012 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 16 Feb 2010 10:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsReport: Two Fiat-based small cars to replace PT Cruiser, Caliber in 2012Filed under: Geneva Motor Show, Crossover, Hatchback, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Alfa Romeo, Fiat 
Late last year, Alfa Romeo previewed the all-new Giulietta ahead of its reveal at next month's Geneva Motor Show. While the five-door hatch is enough to make Stateside consumers weak in the knees - particularly in Quadrifoglio Verde trim - the impact in the U.S. figures to be much more substantial.
According to a new report by Automotive News, the underpinnings of the Giulietta are set to proliferate throughout Fiat's range in the coming years, and of the one million vehicles the automaker plans to build off the new architecture annually, the Chrysler group will account for around 700,000.
 Fiat and Chrysler are currently working on a widened version of the platform - appropriately dubbed "Compact Wide" - and seven new models for Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep will use the new underpinnings, including the replacement for the Chrysler PT Cruiser and Dodge Caliber in 2012. And judging by Fiat's description, it's a helluva platform.
Aimed to compete with the new Audi A1 and BMW 1 Series, the platform uses 84 percent high and ultrahigh strength steel, a McPherson front and a dual-link rear suspension, both of which will use aluminum components (front and rear arms, along with the crossmember).
The platform comes in around 10 percent lighter than its predecessor thanks to the use of aluminum and magnesium, and is designed to fit a transverse engine and can be adapted for either front- or all-wheel drive applications.
On a related side note, during last week's Economic Club of Chicago luncheon in which Ralph Gilles, Dodge CEO and Chrysler Group design head, dropped a a handful of interesting tidbits about the future of the automaker, he also showed a few teasers of upcoming products. Included in the presentation were images of the new 300C and Jeep Grand Cherokee, along with the the rendering above, a new subcompact product from Dodge, almost assuredly the next Caliber. Combined with the new platform and Fiat's Multiair engines, we may finally have a credible contender in the compact arena from Chrysler. And it's about damn time.
[Sources: Automotive News, AutoBird]Report: Two Fiat-based small cars to replace PT Cruiser, Caliber in 2012 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Feb 2010 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsBertone teases Geneva-bound Alfa Romeo conceptFiled under: Concept Cars, Coupe, Geneva Motor Show, Alfa Romeo, Design/Style 
Alfa Romeo concept sketch by Stile Bertone - Click above for high-res image
Two down, one to go. Well...not quite. Three of Italy's most venerable design houses are set to unveil concept cars at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show that will at once both celebrate Alfa Romeo's centenary (and, by extension, their historic collaborations with each of the studios) while bidding to replace the current 159/Brera/Spider range. Pininfarina's will be a roadster, Bertone's a coupe and ItalDesign's a sedan. PF has already released a sketch of its design, but if you thought that was a tease, Bertone's (pictured above) gives even less away.
Bertone has been in flux these past few years, caught in the middle of a legal battle between members of the family. Alfa Romeo's parent company, Fiat, recently acquired the old manufacturing facility, but left Stile Bertone independent. It's that design studio - headed until recently by one Jason Castriota and responsible for such designs as the Alfa 8C-based B.A.T. 11 and the Corvette ZR1-based Mantide - that will be bringing out the concept.
Other than the novel take on the classic Alfa grille shape, expanded outwards to accommodate LED headlamps, there's not much else to tell, but we can't wait to see what Italy's finest have to offer when we get to Geneva's Palexpo.
[Source: Stile Bertone via Car Body Design]Bertone teases Geneva-bound Alfa Romeo concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsGeneva Preview: Alfa-based Pininfarina Spider concept to make its debutFiled under: Concept Cars, Convertible, Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Alfa Romeo, Design/Style, Luxury 
Pininfarina is celebrating its own 80th birthday, as well as Alfa Romeo's 100th, by unveiling a new concept at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. The Pininfarina Spider show car is, naturally, a two-seat roadster based on Alfa Romeo mechanicals. It's intended to pay tribute to the longstanding relationship the design house has had with the Italian automaker throughout their histories.
This would appear to be the first of the three concepts that Inside Line reported Alfa had commissioned for the show.
All Pininfarina has revealed of the Spider so far is the sketch you see here, but signs clearly point to "Sexy." The car, in the metal, rolls into the limelight on March 2nd. We'll be there with cameras in hand and "Mrs. Robinson" playing in our heads. Thanks for the heads-up, Ziga!
[Source: Pininfarina]Geneva Preview: Alfa-based Pininfarina Spider concept to make its debut originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 29 Jan 2010 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsAlfa Romeo prepares special-edition MiTo for Maserati dealer networkFiled under: Performance, Europe, Maserati, Alfa Romeo, Luxury 
Alfa Romeo MiTo for Maserati - Click above for high-res image gallery
If you're dropping off a six-figure Italian exotic at the dealership for service, you expect to be loaned something special in return, right? That's why Fiat supplied Ferrari with a run of special-edition 500s for use in their European service network. (Heck, they even produced some for public consumption.) Now its classy kid sister is following suite with a special loaner car of its own.
Produced in a limited run of 100 units, these specially-prepared Alfa Romeo MiTos will be dispatched to Maserati dealers across Europe. Each is distinguished from the average MiTo by its Maserati Blu Oceano paint, special plaque on the center console and "Alfa Romeo for Maserati" sill plate. The special edition Alfa also comes equipped with top-of-the-range 170-horsepower, 1.4-liter MultiAir turbo engine, 18-inch wheels and rear spoiler, along with an interior decked out in sumptuous Pelle Frau leather and all the electronic bells and whistles on offer.
After Maserati gave Alfa the 8C Competizione, it's nice that Alfa - now under the same leadership as Maserati - can give a little something back. Details in the press release after the jump.
[Source: Maserati]Continue reading Alfa Romeo prepares special-edition MiTo for Maserati dealer network Alfa Romeo prepares special-edition MiTo for Maserati dealer network originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 28 Jan 2010 18:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsFiat unites Maserati, Abarth, Alfa Romeo under one CEOFiled under: Europe, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Maserati, Alfa Romeo, Fiat  With the unification of Fiat and Chrysler, we're been expecting major changes in the corporate structure of the two automakers and their various brands. Most recently, Lancia chief executive Olivier Francois was named head of the Chrysler division, leading to reports that the two brands - similarly positioned in the sub-luxury premium segment - will be integrated into one unit. Now similar reports place the Abarth, Maserati and Alfa Romeo brands under common leadership.
Let's get ready to play musical chairs for a moment... This news comes with the appointment of Harald Wester as CEO of Alfa Romeo. In his new role, Wester replaces Sergio Cravero, who himself was recently promoted from the brand's communications directorate to serve as a replacement for the departing Luca de Meo who will change to a new role as head of product planning for the entire Fiat Group.
Wester, meanwhile, retains not only his roles as group chief technical officer, but also as CEO of both the Abarth and Maserati brands. As a result, we can expect to see a deeper level of collaboration between these performance-oriented brands within the expanding Fiat empire. Details in the press release after the jump.
[Source: Fiat]Continue reading Fiat unites Maserati, Abarth, Alfa Romeo under one CEO Fiat unites Maserati, Abarth, Alfa Romeo under one CEO originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Jan 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsVideo: Alfa Romeo Giullietta gets teasedFiled under: Performance, Wagon, Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Videos, Hatchback, Alfa Romeo 
It's rare that teaser ads are anything but that - teasers. Usually, they don't show you the car, last about the length of a sneeze and are created only to virally spin out of control. See here if you're not sure what we're talking about. However, this Alfa Romeo video for its reborn Giullietta is different.
First of all, it clocks in at nearly two minutes long. Second, as you can plainly see above, Alfa shows us the entire car. It's still basically devoid of actual information, much like almost all teaser clips. But hey, you do get a good 90 seconds or so of the very pretty Giullietta. Fine by us. We'll be seeing this car come March at the Geneva Motor Show. Until then, this is probably as good as it's going to get. One more thing: will Fiat bring the Giullietta to the U.S.? Start wishing real hard right now while you make the jump to watch the video.
[Source: YouTube]Continue reading Video: Alfa Romeo Giullietta gets teased Video: Alfa Romeo Giullietta gets teased originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 25 Jan 2010 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsAutodelta takes on the Alfa Romeo 8C CompetizioneFiled under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Performance, Misc. Auto Shows, Alfa Romeo, UK
As far as Alfa Romeos go, the 8C Competizione is as exotic as they come. Still, some are looking for more. Originally, rumors surfaced that Alfa was working on a lightweight GTA version, but while we wait for that to pan out, Alfa tuner par excellence Autodelta is working on tuning the svelte supercar themselves.
Few details are known at this point, but a remapped ECU should squeeze out a modest 17 horsepower boost from the stock 444-hp, 4.7-liter Ferrari-developed V8. Autodelta is also working on fine-tuning the chassis, taking their 8C around some of the finest tracks in Europe to get it just right.
The result is slated to be unveiled at the Pistonheads Performance Car Show in Birmingham later this week, so stay tuned, and follow the jump for the press release in the meantime.
[Source: Autodelta]Continue reading Autodelta takes on the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione Autodelta takes on the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Jan 2010 18:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsReport: Alfa Romeo's U.S. launch delayedFiled under: Detroit Auto Show, Alfa Romeo, Fiat 
We were getting amped up for Alfa Romeo's return to the U.S. and the chance to drive Breras and Guilietta's on our favorite roads, and then Fiat head Sergio Marchionne delivers what they call a "smackdown" at the Detroit Auto Show. According to Autocar, Marchionne says that Fiat has to show it can sell enough cars in America to make the enterprise worthwhile on its own, which we take to mean he's not content with Alfa being a critically loved but money-losing division of a profitable conglomerate. If Alfa can't prove the worth of flying to America, then it will stay grounded in Europe. We have but one word to say to this news: maledizione!
[Source: Autocar]Report: Alfa Romeo's U.S. launch delayed originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Jan 2010 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsReport: Alfa commissions trio of 159-replacing concepts for GenevaFiled under: Concept Cars, Convertible, Coupe, Sedan, Geneva Motor Show, Alfa Romeo, Design/Style 
2002 ItalDesign Alfa Romeo Brera Concept - Click above for high-res image gallery
Following up on a model as achingly gorgeous as the Alfa Romeo 159 - to say nothing of its Brera coupe and Spider convertible counterparts - is no mean feat. Which could be why Alfa is turning to the considerable pool of talent at its doorstep. According to the latest reports, three Italian design houses will be displaying their ideas of what the next-gen mid-size Alfa should look like.
If the source quoted by Inside Line proves accurate, at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show in March, Stile Bertone will show off a two-door coupe, with a Pininfarina-penned convertible and an ItalDesign Giugiaro four-door sedan sharing the stage as potential candidates to succeed the 159/Brera/Spider line-up. Meanwhile, Alfa Romeo will be taking the wraps off the new Giulietta at its own show stand.
It's worth noting that Giugiaro was responsible for the original concept car that spurred Alfa to put the Brera into production, and Pininfarina was responsible for the car's assembly. And with Bertone also in the mix, this is one fight we're looking forward to seeing unfold on the floor of the Geneva Palexpo.
[Source: Inside Line]Report: Alfa commissions trio of 159-replacing concepts for Geneva originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 13 Jan 2010 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsVIDEO: Alfa Romeo proves that no place is safe from billboards - not even Marianas TrenchFiled under: Etc., Europe, Videos, Alfa Romeo 
Years ago, we read a book by Jerry Mander called Four Arguments for the Elimination of Television. While we can't remember the four arguments, we'll never forget one point Mr. Mander made. "People in advertising are either good at controlling peoples' minds, or they enjoy it." With that said, it looks like Alfa Romeo hired a bunch of people that enjoy controlling folks' minds, but aren't very good at it.
What are we talking about? Alfa is selling its sexy little 147 for less than €15,000 (circa $21,600 USD) with a tagline, "We Couldn't Go Any Lower." To prove that mantra, they decided to go ahead and lower a billboard more than 36,000 feet down into the Marinas Trench. If you don't know, the Marianas Trench is the absolute lowest point on earth, more than seven miles below sea level (actual depth is 11,034 meters, or 36,200 feet). And Alfa Romeo just dropped a billboard into it.
We don't know about you, but we had a pretty visceral reaction to this video. From the self-satisfied, spiky-haired, twenty-something Euro-boy ad men to the fact that they actually went ahead and stuck a billboard in the Marianas Trench, the whole thing feels wrong and sits wrong with us. It would be like placing a Big Mac ad on top of Mount Everest, or advertising Quarter Pounders atop Angel Falls. Of course, there is the chance that either A) The whole campaign is a well staged hoax - although they've gone to the trouble of building a whole website to chronicle the process B) They raised the billboard up after filming the video. But still... bad taste... or is that just us? Make the jump to watch the video, decide for yourself, and then drop us your thoughts in Comments. Hat tip to Oliver!
[Source: YouTube via Expedition 147]Continue reading VIDEO: Alfa Romeo proves that no place is safe from billboards - not even Marianas Trench VIDEO: Alfa Romeo proves that no place is safe from billboards - not even Marianas Trench originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Dec 2009 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsMore pics of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta appearFiled under: Geneva Motor Show, Hatchback, Alfa Romeo 
Alfa Romeo Giulietta -- Click above for high-res image gallery
The Interwebs have discovered some additional snaps of the Geneva Motor Show-bound Alfa Romeo Giulietta. Although there's a full-on rear shot, these are more about details and lighting elements than taking the entire car in. The new hatch won't suffer from any lack of LED's, with an array of four in the headlights and a basket full of them in the rear taillights and third brake light.
Fiat's aims to sell around 100,000 units per year, and with five engine choices on offer at launch, the company is doing its best not to leave any potential customer out. If we're lucky, that pool of potential customers will include Americans that aren't ex-pats... Have a look at what's coming in the gallery of high-res images below.
[Source: Blog Motori (translated)]More pics of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta appear originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 Dec 2009 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsSpy Shots: Alfa Romeo Kamal Concept snapped at Fiat R&D facility?Filed under: Spy Photos, SUV, Europe, Crossover, Alfa Romeo  If this crossover looks a little familiar, your eyes are not playing tricks on you. Alfa Romeo unveiled this concept vehicle at the 2003 Geneva Motor Show. It was called the Kamal, and it was supposed to have gone into production by now. But things have been a little crazy over at the Fiat group. Mergers and acquisitions have collapsed and others have gone through, forcing the Italian automaker to change its product strategy at every turn.
What has us asking questions all over again is this batch of spy shots reportedly leaked by an employee at Fiat's Elasis research and development facility in Pomigliano, Italy. Of course, it's entirely possible the original concept was being moved from one storage facility to another, but then they could be bringing it out again for another reason. One way or another, we should find out soon as Fiat/Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne prepares to decide on Alfa's fate in due course.
[Source: alvolante.it via Worldcarfans]Spy Shots: Alfa Romeo Kamal Concept snapped at Fiat R&D facility? originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsAlfa Romeo teams up with Italia Independent for special-edition BreraFiled under: Coupe, Europe, Alfa Romeo, Luxury 
Alfa Romeo Brera Italia Independent - Click above for high-res image gallery
Say what you will about its driving dynamics, but there's little doubt that the Alfa Romeo Brera is one of the most stylish and fashionable sets of wheels on the road today. As if to reinforce that notion, the Italian automaker has teamed up with fashion house Italia Independent for a special edition model of the angular coupe.
The Alfa Romeo Brera Italia Independent is distinguished by its titanium paint shade, 18" turbine-style dark alloys hiding red brake calipers and an aluminum fuel cap. Inside it's all carbon fiber, black leather and red top stitching, accented with Italia Independent logos.
The special edition is available with the 185-horsepower 2.2-liter four or 260-hp 3.2-liter V6, in front-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive. Only 900 units will be sold in Europe, Japan and Australia, starting at €29,700 (the equivalent of about $41k USD) for the 2.2 and €38,850 ($57k) for the 3.2. Check out our gallery below for a closer view of this fashion-forward forbidden fruit.
[Source: Alfa Romeo]Alfa Romeo teams up with Italia Independent for special-edition Brera originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 10 Dec 2009 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | CommentsRuh-Roh: Marchionne reportedly puts Alfa Romeo under reviewFiled under: Car Buying, Europe, Earnings/Financials, Alfa Romeo 
Take a look at the Fiat auto group. What division (barring Ferrari and Maserati) would you think holds the highest value for the company? If you thought Alfa Romeo, you're on the same page as yours truly, but you'd be mistaken. Horribly mistaken, as it turns out: Alfa has lost Fiat hundreds of millions of euros every year. Its sales have declined sharply, and not just since the global economy collapsed: Alfa sold 203,000 units in the year 2000, but only 103,000 last year. That's a heck of a drop-off.
In response, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has ordered a full re-evaluation of the marque, with two courses of action to potentially result. The first would see Alfa more closely integrating its future products with Chrysler platforms. The second would be to stop investing in the brand altogether, leaving the still-new MiTo and the brand-new Giulietta to carry its aging stablemates (including the 159, Brera, Spider and GT) for the foreseeable future.
Speaking with Automotive News Europe from Fiat's headquarters in Turin, Marchionne reportedly said the new plan for Alfa will be revealed this coming February or March. Even if he chooses to keep Alfa alive with Auburn Hills synergy, though, Marchionne has nixed the notion of merging the brand with Dodge, noting that there's a limit to how many times a brand can be reborn.
[Source: Automotive News Europe - subs. req'd | Image: Tiziana Fabi/AFP/Getty]Ruh-Roh: Marchionne reportedly puts Alfa Romeo under review originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Dec 2009 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsAlfa Romeo previews stylish new GiuliettaFiled under: Geneva Motor Show, Europe, Hatchback, Alfa Romeo
Alfa Romeo Giulietta - Click above for high-res image gallery
It's been a long time in the making. It has changed names several times along the way. But it's finally here. Well, almost. It's the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, and it's coming to the Geneva Motor Show this March to coincide with its phased market launch across Europe next year to coincide with the marque's centenary.
Positioned just above the MiTo in Alfa's lineup (and, tellingly, below the anticipated upcoming 159-succeeding Giulia), the Giulietta replaces the 147 as Italy's answer to the Volkswagen Golf. Since Alfa's parent company Fiat already targets the Golf with its own Bravo, though, some might consider this more of an aggressively-priced competitor to the Audi A3. The hatchback takes its styling cues from the sumptuous 8C Competizione, but carries it off in a decidedly more aggressive way than implemented on the MiTo. Plenty of glass also make the cabin more airy, with a body-colored panel running across the dashboard.
A range of transverse four-cylinder engines - both gasoline and diesel - will be on offer, producing between 120 and 170 horsepower until a 230 hp Quadrifoglio Verde model comes along. They've all got start-stop engine management and Alfa's DNA adjustable suspension system as standard equipment. Fiat's cutting-edge MultiAir valve-actuation system will eventually find its way into all of the engines, while the selection of five- and six-speed manual gearboxes is set to be joined by a new dual-clutch transmission as well.
The new Giulietta marks a pivotal product launch for Alfa Romeo, as the company is hoping to make this its volume offering the most prolific model in its history - with production targeted for an ambitious 100,000 units annually. Check out the trifecta of images in the gallery below and the press release after the jump for full details.
[Source: Alfa Romeo]Continue reading Alfa Romeo previews stylish new Giulietta Alfa Romeo previews stylish new Giulietta originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds. Permalink | Email this | Comments
|
 
Resources
Alfa Romeo blog
History
8c Competizione
At the wheels
Theft Proof: Lockable Valve Caps
Modified Cars
Sell my car for cash
Super Cars
Oz Free Car blogs
Best blog for car tips
my car blog |
