Alfa Romeo gets ready to return to the USA. Starts with Facebook

Many years ago a young Sergio Marchionne announced that Alfa Romeo was going to return to the United States of America. Time passed by and year after year the return of the Italian brand was postponed to the following year. The latest announcement came in January saying Alfa was (finally) arriving in the North American market later this year, and it seems that might actually happen.

Yesterday a new Facebook page was created with the name Alfa Romeo USA saying it is the official page for North America. The only thing that is weird is that it says that in Italian. For now only images of the 4C are displayed in that page confirming that the small sports car will lead the way into the North American market.

Source: fb alfa romeo usa

The rebirth of the Alfa Romeo Disco Volante aka Flying Saucer [Video]

The Alfa Romeo Disco Volante also known as the Flying Saucer or the 1900 C52 was a car thas was produced in 1952 and 1953 which had a curious looking body. At that time it was made in collaboration with the Milan based coachbuilder Touring Superleggera, that now has brought to us the modern version of the Disco Volante.

The car was presented at the Geneva Motor Show and it is surely a head turner. Some of the more round shapes of the original car have been replaced by sharper lines that best suit our modern tastes but it still looks classic and classy.

The original Flying Saucer used the 2.0 liter engine with 160hp (118 kW) from the Alfa Romeo 1900 but the modern car uses the chassis, engine and gearbox of the Alfa Romeo 8C. For those who can't remember it's a 4.7 liter V8 that produces 450hp (331kW) and 485Nm (354lb/ft) that is connected to a six–speed semi-automatic transaxle gearbox.

Buy one while you can, production is limited to an undisclosed number of cars.
  
Pictures: autowp

Alfa Romeo 6C gets imagined by a design student

Design student, Alexander Imnadze, from IED in Torino created this concept as a competitor to the new Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro, SRT Viper, and all those cars that follow the "muscle car" philosophy.

This work was done as a school project but it a pretty good looking car, inspired, according to him, by the 1948 Alfa Romeo 6C, the 8C and the 2uettottanta concept crested by Pininfarina.

I wouldn't mind seeing it in the road, it looks fresh and aggressive even if its a front-engine, rear-wheel drive car. Marchionne pay attention.

Source: alexanderimnadze via carscoops

European Design Institute (IED) shows the Alfa Romeo Gloria at the Geneva Motor Show

Alfa Romeo will go through a huge transformation in the coming years starting with the arrival to the U.S.A. later this year and the release of the 4C sports car. So a new concept is always something we have interest in. The Gloria concept was created by the European Design Institute (IED) in collaboration with the Alfa Romeo Style Centre.

It was done as a practical exercise for the IED's (it won't explode) young students in which they had to come up with an independent interpretation of a new Alfa Romeo saloon for the the American and Asian markets.

With 4700mm long, 1920mm wide, 1320mm high and with a wheelbase of 2900mm the saloon is long and low giving it a more sporty look, and to help that feeling it would be powered by a "state-of-the-art V6 or V8 biturbo engine".

Could we see this as a production model for Alfa Romeo? Or will it inspire other future models? Find it more at the Geneva Motor Show.

Alfa Romeo 4C. Production model revealed. Finally!

The Italian company has finally revealed pictures and information about their upcoming mid-engine, rear-wheel drive sports car that is the result of experience built up with the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, and will reach dealers in both Europe and the USA later this year.

The 4C uses technologies and materials also used in his bigger brother, the 8C, besides those found in other Alfa Romeo models, like carbon fiber for the monocoque, aluminum, the DNA system and several other things used in the upgraded 1750 Turbo engine and the Alfa TCT twin dry clutch transmission.

Like i said before the production model uses a four cylinder 1750cc turbo petrol engine with an all-aluminum engine block with direct injection, but while we don't know the power figures or the weight, we do know it will have a weight-to-power ratio under 4 kg/HP.

Rumors pointed to an weight of under 1000kg, so we can try and guess it will have around 240hp, while later a more powerful version could show up with 270hp or more. But we do know is it will have the Alfa TCT automatic twin dry clutch transmission powering the rear wheels.

Also new is the Alfa DNA selector which now includes a Race mode created to enhance the driving experience on a race track, besides the Dynamic, Natural and All Weather settings.

The exterior remains true to the concept with the exceptions of the headlamps, taillights, door mirrors, and some small changes to the bumpers. And like the concept, this is a small car, it is under four meters long, 2000mm wide, 1180mm high and with a wheelbase of less than 2.4meters you know this will be agile.

Production with take place in Italy and only 2.500 units will be made each year. If you can go to the Geneva Motor Show to see it live.

Marchionne says Fiat and Chrysler will merge next year. Alfa Romeo isn't for sale.

Sergio Marchionne, which we all know is the President of the Fiat Group, said recently in an interview that he wants to buy the remaining 41.5% of Chrysler directly from Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA), which is an United Auto Workers pension fund.

But the two parts don't agree on the value of those shares, with VEBA accusing Marchionne of underestimating the value of Chrysler. "VEBA and Fiat have a different opinion on how much Chrysler is worth but I believe we will be able to find a solution to the problem in 2014," said Sergio Marchionne.

Furthermore he also said that Alfa Romeo is not for sale. This is relevant since there have been rumors that the Volkswagen Group wanted to buy the Italian brand. He even added that "Alfa is one of the premium companies that we want to focus on developing over the coming years", "We're certainly not going to sell the firm, especially not to Volkswagen" and "I have to admit, I find it hard to say the name Volkswagen. I have to practice all morning beforehand."

Harsh words.

Source: leftlanenews

Alfa Romeo will return to the North American market late this year

Sergio Marchionne, chief executive of both Fiat SpA and Chrysler Group LLC, confirmed on Friday that the Italian brand will return to USA in late 2013 with the Alfa Romeo 4C.

Marchionned added that "For sure it's coming back this year with the 4C. With the Alfa Romeo 4C," and "We are finalizing the car now, so it should be here this year.". The objective is to increase Alfa's sales and reduce the losses of Fiat in Europe. 

Source: reuters

Alfa Romeo and Mazda will join forces for the new Alfa Spider and Miata (MX-5)

Last year Alfa Romeo and Mazda signed a memorandum of intent for collaboration in building convertible rear-wheel drive vehicles, but only now they closed the deal involving details like the deadlines, and technical data.

This partnership will bring to the market the next-generation Miata, or MX-5, with several petrol engines using the SkyG technology, and the return of the Spider to the range of the Italian brand with their own engines, possibly the 1.750cc with 300hp and the 1.4liter MultiAir starting at 165hp.

Both cars will be manufactured at the Mazda's plant in Hiroshima, from 2015, and will share the platform and some other mechanical elements.

Short News: Alfa Romeo 4C testing in Detroit and crashed in Italy [Video]

Would you look at this, the Alfa Romeo 4C was caught testing in Detroit, USA (picture), meaning a presentation may happen soon, especially if we take into account the teaser revealed before Christmas by the Italian company promising a big surprise in 2013.

Source: Golden by Design

Yet we still do not know anything, and can only speculate about the mechanical characteristics of the 4C. Rumors point to a 4 cylinder, 1750cc engine with around 250hp and should weigh less than 1000kg (2200lb). The maximum speed should be limited to 250km/h (155mph) and will take less than 5 seconds to reach 100km/h (62mph). So far nothing extraordinary, but what will make the car stand out is the intense use of composite materials such as carbon fiber for the structure of the car. Production should start this Spring.

The 4C was also caught testing in Italy. As you can see in the video below the car left the road and got stuck in a ditch. But right in the end of the video we see another disguised car, does anyone have any idea what car is that? The Giulietta has the rear door handles "hidden", while the mystery vehicle has them in sight. Can it be the future Giulia? Or the Giulietta based SUV? What do you think?

Short News: Alfa Romeo teasing the new 4C?

Does this mean that the presentation of the younger brother of the Alfa Romeo 8C will happen soon? Will it happen in Detroit, in a few weeks time?

 

I don't know, but the Italian company is already teasing a huge surprise for 2013 and i suspect it will be the 4C. We will have to wait and hope for a big announcement anytime soon, but for now "Happy 2013".

Besides the USA, Alfa Romeo will also return to Brazil.

No one really knows when Alfa Romeo will return to the United States of America, first it was planned to be in 2012, then 2013 and now only for 2014, but South America will also see the return of the Italian brand through Chrysler dealers.

 

Supposedly the Alfa Romeo Mito and Giulietta will go on sale in Brazil in 2013, taking advantage of the Chrysler Group distribution network allowing to immediately reach a larger audience. The green license plate in the picture above, taken in Brazil, means the car is under factory testing.

 

O Brasil tambem merece ter de volta a Alfa Romeo!

Source: Auto Segredos