US Alfa Launch Looks Likely

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

According to the Freep, Fiat’s Sergio Marchionne is planning on running its Alfa Romeo right at the heart of the established import luxury market. With an LX-platform 169 sedan (still an acknowledged maybe) and a “GTX” version of the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. This is in line with Global Insight‘s breakdown of the Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep/Fiat/Alfa-Romeo empire. Got brands?

On a more promising note, GI’s analysis has an Alfa MiTo planned for 2011, “built on the Fiat 199 platform that will also underpin the Dodge Hornet [neé Chery, Versa].” Everything else, from Caliber to Journey to Sebring, will be replaced with new models based on Fiat’s C-EVO platform. Lots of brands and not so many platfoms. Good thing Fritz Henderson isn’t in charge.

Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

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  • Matt Matt on Jun 26, 2009
    mpresley : June 25th, 2009 at 5:30 pm Does any American wake up and say, “Gee, if I could only buy an Alfa, my life would be better than it is?” Yes. I would love a 159. Make mine black, with tan leather, please. And if (when) it breaks, I can drive my completely reliable (so far) Nissan.
  • Porsche986 Porsche986 on Jun 26, 2009

    "Alfa is being SAABed" Funny, but this has been the case for awhile. The last Alfa Romeo sedan sold in the US (164... VERY beautiful) was based on a shared platform with the Saab 9000.

  • Porsche986 Porsche986 on Jun 26, 2009

    "The Brera and 159 are build on the General Motors Epsilon platform, the V6 is based on a GM block." I don't think this is totally accurate. Fiat and GM developed the platform, but GM abandoned it as "too expensive" and never actually produced a vehicle based on it. I DO believe, however, that the V6 is indeed the same block as the GM "High-Feature" family of engines with Alfa designed heads.

  • Chuck Goolsbee Chuck Goolsbee on Jun 26, 2009

    Make mine a Spider, with a JTDM engine please. --chuck

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