The debate has been raging on among those who appreciate the Alfa Romeo brand, ever since the pretty 159 was taken out of production, but not replaced with an all-new model, as it was promised: will it or won’t it be rear-wheel driven.
This matter alone has been the subject of many insider reports all of which stated that the Italian automaker was thinking it over and was leaning one way or another, and while most of them seemed plausible, so far only those regarding the co-development of the Mazda MX-5 and Alfa Spider have been officially confirmed.
However, we now have a new report from Car Magazine in the UK, which unlike some of the older ones we’ve read, doesn’t beat about the bush, and makes its message very clear: Alfa Romeo will give up on all of its front-wheel drive models, replacing them with rear-driven sedans, of which they will have two, rivaling the BMW 3- and 5-Series models. It is also stated that not one, but two SUVs will eventually join the range.
Moreover, Alfa will reportedly co-develop a new modular platform, along with fellow Fiat group members, Maserati, set to first underpin the smaller sedan (3-Series rival, possibly named Giulia), which is set to arrive in 2015, then also being used as a base for the larger planned model, that may be called the Alfetta, a car smaller than the old 166 (its spiritual predecessor), but one which “will overlap with the Maserati Ghibli in terms of size, say insiders.”
Ed. Note – That doesn’t make much sense as at 4,720mm (185.8 in) long, the 166 is substantially shorter than the Ghibli that measures 4,971 mm (195.7 in) long.
Their real money-makers, though, will be the two announced (Jeep-based?) SUVs, due in 2017 and 2018 respectively (not 2015, as previously reported), which are said to have their sights fixed on the BMW X1 and X3 – they will be the ones pushing up the annual sales figure, which group CEO Sergio Marchionne wants to boost to 300,000 units.
It’s good to keep in mind, though, that there is still no official confirmation for all of the above, and while it may be encouraging to hear that Alfa is going RWD, and will be connected to Maserati, we have to hear it from Marchionne himself, before we believe it.
Note: 2004 Alfa Romeo 166 and Alfa Romeo Touring Superleggera Disco Volante Study pictured below
By Andrei Nedelea
PHOTO GALLERY
