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Alfa Romeo 4C production to continue until at least late 2020

Maserati will end production of the GranTurismo and the GranCabrio in November 2019, and it will retool the historic Modena, Italy, factory that makes both models in preparation for a new sports car due out in 2020. But Autoblog learned production of the Alfa Romeo 4C made in the same facility will continue even after the retooling, debunking rumors of the model's immediate demise. "Production of the 4C will continue in the same production plant/line until late 2020 for the NAFTA and APAC regions," an Alfa Romeo spokesperson told us via email. The factory will close during the retooling, so "there will just be some weeks of technical interruption" during the process, according to the same spokesperson. Production will resume as soon as the overhaul is completed, and Alfa's carbon fiber-intensive two-seater will be built alongside Maserati's next sports car. North American enthusiasts still have time to put a new 4C in their garage. Available only as a convertible, the 4C recently entered the 2020 model year with a limited-edition model named Italia that gains an array of visual add-ons, like piano black trim on the front end. Just 15 Italias will be built, but the standard 4C remains available as a regular-production model. It's powered by a mid-mounted, 1.75-liter four-cylinder engine turbocharged to 237 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. The engine's displacement wasn't chosen at random; Alfisti will know right off the bat that it echoes the 1750 engine Alfa offered in the late 1960s and the early 1970s. European enthusiasts aren't as lucky. Autoblog also confirmed an earlier report claiming 4C production for the European, Middle Eastern, and African markets ended in August 2018. While the GranTurismo will be replaced by a new model in 2021, what the future holds for the 4C is up in the air. Alfa Romeo's product plan doesn't currently include a second-generation 4C, which is too bad. It's one of the purest, most undiluted sports car on the market; may it live long. Featured Gallery 2020 Alfa Romeo 4C Spider Italia Auto News Alfa Romeo Convertible

Marchionne threatens to move Alfa production out of Italy

Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne was unsurprisingly frank when asked by reporters about potential investments in Italian manufacturing for Alfa Romeo and Maserati, giving the Italian government the ultimatum, "Italy should decide if they want [Alfa Romeo's relaunch] to happen here or not as Fiat and Chrysler have several alternatives." Them's fightin' words.
Fiat's issue with the government stems directly from its courtroom clashes with the Fiom labor union. The two are currently embroiled in proceedings over longer shifts and shorter breaks, as Fiom has so far refused to sign a new contract citing revised labor laws that it says are anti-union.
According to Bloomberg, Fiat will be spending over $2.5 billion on development of eight new Alfas and six new Maseratis, in a bid to wrest some of the luxury pie away from BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi. But that's only going to happen if the government is willing to play ball and make life easier on Fiat.

Marchionne on Alfa's US return, Dodge Dart's powertrain weakness and minivan plans

As a reporter covering an auto show, the one opportunity you never want to miss is going to the Sergio Marchionne press briefing.
"This undertaking to bring Alfa back is a one-shot deal... We are not going to do this twice."
There just aren't that many real characters left in the auto industry. Marchionne, who sits atop both Chrysler and Fiat, is not only one of the smartest execs in the business, but also the most frank. Herein, a sample of the quotable always-sweatered executive: