Alfa Romeo Confirms Return to North American Market
After taking a considerable decade and a half pause from the North American market (excluding Mexico), it has been confirmed that Alfa Romeo will be returning to North America. Earlier last week, Fiat Auto CEO Sergio Marchionne announced that the company was “readying itself for an imminent return” during the firm’s first-quarter financial result report, and while no date has been set in stone, the big arrival is expected to take place sometime during early 2007. It’s even possible that the brand could re-launch at NAIAS in Detroit next year. Distribution of its new vehicles will be through Maserati’s current dealer network, although future independent Alfa dealerships are expected to proliferate once the brand starts seeing some sales success.
Although the brand’s exact date of arrival is not known, and there’s no official information about which vehicles will initially be available, insiders and industry analysts have painted a pretty accurate picture of what will be heading our way. Certain to be included will be the 159 sedan, a critically-acclaimed BMW 3-Series-sized four-door that’s set to target the compact luxury segment. The range will most likely feature the Twin Spark inline-four series engines, as well as the Holden-designed, but Alfa-modified V6 engines. A 159 wagon will follow, and both cars will be offered with a unique all -wheel drive system featuring Torsen’s new ‘C’ variable differential.
Although the bulk of the sales are expected to go to the 159 sedan, Alfa is also planning to bring over a couple of supplementary cars: the art-like Brera three-door coupe, and the Spider, of course, plus the equally beautiful convertible. Both the Brera and the Spider use the 159’s underpinnings and share the same nose, although they’re tuned for sportier ride and handling. However, the crowning achievement of the Alfa Romeo range will be the 8C Competizione, a limited-edition offering powered by a supercharged 4.2-litre V8 engine, which will give the near-luxury Italian brand the capability of effectively competing with Porsches, Jaguars and even its parent brand’s sports car firm, Maserati. The 8C will be launched in Europe first, towards the end of this year.
But the projected four-car range won’t be all; Alfa Romeo is planning on tapping into other important markets. In Europe, the Italian brand currently sells the 147, a compact hatchback which rubs shoulders with the Audi A3 Sportback, the BMW 3-Series Compact, and the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Sport Coupe. Alfa won’t be bringing the 147 over right away, as it’s nearing the end of its lifecycle, however, it plans to sell the next-generation 148, which is set to make its debut towards the end of 2007 as a 2008 model year product.
Technical details on the new hatch were also released last week. A great deal of the 147’s global success is due to the fact that it uses a shortened and adapted version of the old 156 platform. This move was highly controversial within company walls; although the 147 drove, handled and rode as well as its competitors, it cost a fortune to build. The brand’s choice to build the old 147 off an Alfa Romeo chassis, as opposed to a mass-market Fiat paid dividends; the car was completely free of being knocked as a clone, helping Alfa rebuild its name.
However, times have since changed. Although Fiat Group has returned to profitability, to ensure that things stay in the black, precautionary cost-cutting measures have been taken. Alfa has decided to switch to a shared architecture for the 148; the car will feature a chassis and suspension system used in Fiat’s new C-Sector car, as well as the next-generation Lancia Delta. Aside from production costs, insiders have suggested that the plans were put off due to the weight of the larger Alfa platform. The decision to bring over a smaller Alfa will allow the brand to thrive in the rapidly growing premium hatchback market, which will soon include offerings from Volvo and Saab.