Alfa Romeo

Alfa Romeo will launch its high-performance MiTo GTA later this year but a second sporty variant of the stylish hatchback has just been unveiled. Making its debut at the 2009 AutoRAI in Amsterdam this week, the new hot hatch pick up Alfa Romeo’s longstanding ‘Veloce’ badging and is designed to fill the horsepower gap between the 240hp (179kW) GTA and the 155hp (116kW) standard model.

Under the hood is the same 16-valve 1.4L petrol turbocharged four-cylinder engine from the Fiat Grande Punto SS. Designed by Fiat Powertrain Technologies (FPT), the compact engine outputs 180hp (134kW) and 199lb-ft (270Nm) of torque and should see the Mito Veloce sprint from 0-62mph (100km/h) in about 7.5 seconds and reach a top speed in excess of 133mph (215km/h).

In addition to the engine, the car is also fitted with uprated brakes and suspension, 18in alloy wheels, and an aggressively styled bodykit. To further distinguish it from the MiTo fleet, Alfa Romeo has added white detailing for the mirrors, roof spoiler and wheels. The cabin has also been dressed up, with new bucket sports seats and aluminum pedals.

Alfa Romeo news at Alfa Romeo rolls out new MiTo Veloce

The worsening global financial crisis has forced Fiat to postpone two major targets it had planned for its Alfa Romeo brand in 2010 – a U.S. relaunch and reaching 300,000 sales in China. Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has confirmed that Alfa Romeo won't return to American shores in 2010 as originally planned, but will instead arrive one year later. Marchionne explained his decision to the press, stating that right now it would be "crazy investing in such a depressed U.S. market".

This will be the second postponement of Alfa Romeo's relaunch into the U.S. market, already having been pushed back from a 2009 date. This being the case, if market conditions are not favorable in 2011 then it is conceivable that the launch could be postponed again, reports Automotive News.

Despite the grim news, there will be at least one new Alfa Romeo model in showrooms next year. The car is the highly exclusive and expensive 8C Competizione supercar, which officially went on pre-order sale this month. Unfortunately, all 84 examples reserved for the U.S. have been accounted for but a Spider convertible version of the car will be available next year.

Poor market conditions have not only affected Alfa Romeo’s U.S. plans, as the Chinese market is also proving to be less successful than predicted. At one point Alfa Romeo had set itself a 2010 sales target of 300,000 units in the Chinese market, however this has now been revised to just one-sixth of its original size.

Alfa Romeo is currently importing vehicles produced in Italy and Turkey into China, and high transportation costs mean that each vehicle is sold for a loss. To combat this the manufacturer is in negotiations with local manufacturers in China to produce its cars and cut down on shipping costs, with rumors of a deal between Fiat and Guangzhou Automobile circulating.

Fiat is also in talks with Chinese automotive giant Chery Automobiles to produce the Alfa Romeo 159 sedan, as well as a replacement for the 147 in Europe however concrete details are still scarce.

Alfa Romeo news at Alfa Romeo U.S. relaunch delayed until 2011

The Fiat Group has set a goal of achieving profitability for Alfa Romeo, and to do that, says Alfa CEO Luca de Meo, the marque will need to increase its sales volume. With a goal of 300,000 vehicles per year by 2010, there are several steps being taken to help ensure it is met. Around the same time, Alfa has plans to introduce of a new SUV to further bolster its sales upon its return to the U.S., which is in the early stages of taking place.

The Italian carmaker first hinted at the possibility of an SUV when it revealed the Kamal Concept back at the 2003 Geneva Motor Show, however development didn’t really start in earnest until it was confirmed Alfa would return to North America. Choosing to build an SUV, even in America, after seeing the bottom fall out of the market may seem an odd choice, but de Meo thinks it's necessary.

"It is true that sales of these cars have plummeted in the U.S., [but] these tall cars are the most appropriate for that market. Even if only because in traffic in a saloon, you feel surrounded by monsters," de Meo said, according to Elmundo. There is also a perception at the company that it must at least offer an SUV to be taken seriously in the U.S., even by buyers not personally interested in the tall and fuel-thirsty vehicles.

There are also plans to introduce engine stop-start technology next year and eventually hybrid systems borrowed from parent company Fiat. These technologies could help improve efficiency to the point that the SUV wouldn't pay a heavy penalty for its size, though the Kamal-derived vehicle won't be a full-size SUV.

This rendering shows that Alfa’s new SUV will likely be styled along the lines of the original Kamal Concept and it’s thought the car could be released in both three and five-door variants. The underpinnings for both vehicles is expected to be based on a revised version of the platform used for the 159 sedan, which means a range of four and six-cylinder engines will likely make the cut. A flagship model will run Alfa’s familiar 3.2L 24V V6 but with several unique elements to achieve a 250hp (186kW) output. Other models will include a smaller 2.2L petrol version as well as a highly efficient five-cylinder turbodiesel with 295lb-ft (400Nm) on tap.

Alfa’s new SUV will have a lot of competition when it arrives at the end of the decade. Both Mercedes-Benz and Audi have already revealed their respective GLK and Q5 compact SUVs and Volkswagen and BMW also have their own Tiguan and X3 models to contend with.

Alfa Romeo news at New SUV key to Alfa Romeo’s U.S. return

Alfa Romeo’s full scale assault on the North American market isn’t expected to officially kick off until late next year or early 2010 but the first Alfa branded cars will go on sale in the United States later this month, although there is a catch. The catch is that the model that will go on sale is the highly exclusive and expensive 8C Competizione supercar, of which only 84 cars have been reserved for the U.S. and all of these have already been sold.

This will be the first Alfa sold in the U.S. since the brand pulled out back in 1995, leaving a reputation of poor quality and reliability behind it. The new 8C Competizione will be sold through a group of Maserati dealers, and all 84 cars have been sold out there will likely be a few available with significant mark-ups attached.

Only 500 examples of the car were built for worldwide consumption but an additional 500 ‘Spider’ convertibles will also be built as well as 100 high-performance ‘GTA’ editions.

The standard 8C Competizione, meanwhile, will arrive with a 4.7L V8 engine churning out 450hp (335kW) though a six-speed electronically controlled manual gearbox.

Following the launch of the 8C, Alfa may bring a new RWD flagship saloon currently in development as well as a possible GT. Alfa is currently searching for a RWD platform to build the new cars and its parent company Fiat is currently in talks with Tata over a deal to use a Jaguar platform. If a deal is reached, both vehicles might be sold in the U.S. by 2011, reports Automotive News.

Other possibilities include production of some Alfa models in North America, either at a newly built factory or using idle capacity at one of the Detroit 3’s plants. Finally, Alfa’s CEO Luca de Meo has openly stated that an SUV model is essential for success in the U.S., suggesting that a new soft-roader could also be in the works.

Alfa Romeo news at Alfa Romeo returns to U.S. this month

China's state-run Guangzhou Automobile Group, which also builds cars for Honda under the Li Nian brand name, has purchased Alfa Romeo's 166 platform. The Italian carmaker last used the platform to build a sedan which was discontinued in early 2007.

The purchase presages the company's efforts to develop its own brand, according to Automotive News Europe. Currently the company is primarily focused on producing vehicles for Honda, including the Odyssey, Accord and Jazz/Fit for the local Chinese market. Some of the Jazz vehicles are exported to Europe, however, meaning the company's quality of output is similar to that of the Japanese plants also building the car.

Acquiring Alfa's 166 platform will give the company a basis upon which to build a new sedan, though what such a vehicle might look like is anybody's guess. Previous concepts from the company have been widely divergent in their styling and outlook. For example, the A-HEV hybrid concept designed in a joint-operation with Italy's Torino Design looks like a modern take on the streamlined wagon, while the Guangzhou Coupe-Cabrio concept is all sports-luxury car in its demeanor, complete with folding hard top.

The new sedan will be designed by Stile Bertone, the legendary artisans that have crafted so many of Italy's - and the world's - great designs.

Alfa Romeo news at Alfa Romeo sells defunct 166 platform to Guangzhou Auto

Gracing Alfa Romeo’s stands at the Paris Motor Show next week will be the new TI edition of the stylish Brera coupe, which is set to go on sale across Europe before the end of the year. The car will debut with either a 2.2L JTS engine or 3.2L V6, and will be joined further down the track by more engine options.

TI stands for Turismo Internazionale, an acronym that Alfa Romeo uses for its highest-equipped cars. The original TI cars were derived from standard production models but were customized with mechanical and styling changes based on the carmaker’s racing experience. The latest Brera TI continues that tradition, receiving stiffer springs and dampers, 19in alloys and uprated Brembo brakes with red one-piece front callipers.

Inside, the car is fitted with standard leather seats, TI badging, brushed aluminum or optional carbon-fiber trim, and more leather used on the steering wheel and dash. The instrument panel can also be fitted with white-backlighting, while the pedal unit and foot rest are in aluminum with a special non-slip treatment.

The model on show in Paris will feature a 185hp (134kW) 2.2 JTS engine combined with a Selespeed sequential gearbox. Other features include a dual zone climate control system, VDC stability control, xenon headlights and parking sensors.

Alfa Romeo news at Paris debut for Alfa Romeo Brera TI

As Alfa Romeo approaches its centenary the company is facing one of the busiest periods in its storied history. With a handful of new models, a possible switch from front-drive to rear-wheel-drive platforms, and a relaunch into the tough U.S. market all on the cards, it’s safe to say that the carmaker’s recently appointed CEO Luca de Meo has a tough couple years ahead of him.

We've seen the launch of the new Mi.To, but as de Meo reveals the stylish hatch is just the first of several major model introductions set to take place over the coming years. Speaking with Auto Motor und Sport, de Meo confirmed that the 149 (the replacement for the 147) will arrive in showrooms in September next year. This will be followed by a new crossover model based on the current 159 in 2010 as well as a convertible version of the Mi.To.

On top of this, there will also be a GTA performance variant of the Mi.To, complete with a 230hp (172kW) 1.75L turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine. This will be joined in 2010 with a special edition 8C Competizione GTA, which will be built in an exclusive run of just 100 cars to mark the carmaker’s centenary.

The Alfa boss also confirmed that talks are taking place with Jaguar for the development of a new rear-wheel-drive platform, which will be used for the 169 luxury saloon. While the vehicle is confirmed for production, its launch date is yet to be decided and could be pushed as far back as 2012, de Meo explained.

Finally, Alfa is also working closely with its parent company Fiat and BMW over the development of a new generation of compact vehicles.

Alfa Romeo news at Alfa Romeo boss reveals details about future lineup