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Alfa Romeo scales back electrification offensive as it rethinks turn-around

Alfa Romeo stopped developing a pair of two-door sports cars to focus on high-volume crossovers as part of its ongoing restructuring. The Italian firm has also scaled back its green ambitions, though it hasn't deep-sixed them completely, and a recent report sheds light on what to expect. The Fiat-owned automaker needs to release electrified models to keep up with its German and Japanese rivals, to satisfy demand from buyers, and to remain on the right side of government regulations. While it originally announced plans to electrify six of seven nameplates, its updated product road map outlines two plug-ins out of four models; they're the two we haven't seen yet. With the 4C allegedly out of the picture, and a direct replacement not expected to arrive, the Alfa Romeo range currently consists of the Giulia sedan (pictured), the Stelvio crossover, and a city-friendly, front-wheel drive hatchback named Giulietta sold in Europe, among other global markets. The latter will retire next year as it celebrates its 10th birthday, so the Giulia and the Stelvio will represent the Milan-based brand on their own until they're joined by two crossovers. One is the Tonale, which was previewed by an eponymous concept car at the 2019 Geneva auto show, and leaked online several weeks later. It will take Alfa Romeo into the plug-in hybrid segment for the first time. The other is a yet-unnamed entry-level soft-roader which will offer an electric powertrain. Both will also come with non-electrified drivetrains. The Giulia and the Stelvio are no longer in line to receive hybrid technology, interestingly. Alfa Romeo has a proven history of changing its product plan on a regular basis, so seeing a plug-in hybrid variant of either nameplate is not entirely out of the question. Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) boss Mike Manley hinted the rear-wheel drive Giorgio platform on which both cars are built was recently updated to accommodate an array of tech features, including alternative powertrains. "We have changed the suspension. We have updated all of the electrical architecture in that so that it can take the next-generation infotainment as well as very, very advanced high-tech features," he explained, according to Automotive News. He didn't go into more specific details, but the publication believes the updated platform could also find its way into the research and development department of sister company Maserati, which is also planning a major range extension during the 2020s.

Alfa Romeo working on high-performance engines

During the big Fiat Chrysler Automobiles FCA US LLC announcement of its five-year plan earlier this year, the strategy for Alfa Romeo was easily summarized by brand boss Harald Wester: "Go back to the Alfa Romeo that people admired." Easier said than done. With the 4C as one step in that procedure, we might see the next when the company unveils its midsize sedan in June with a trio of new engines with up to 480 horsepower. Anonymous sources at suppliers are already making some big claims about the new mills to Automotive News Europe. The top of the heap is reportedly a 2.9-liter, twin-turbocharged V6 making up to 480 hp, based on the 3.0-liter engine in the Maserati Quattroporte and Ghibli. Below it is a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that's claimed to produce between 180 hp and 330 hp for rear- or all-wheel drive applications. Finally, there's potentially a 2.2-liter turbo-diesel four with between 135 hp and 210 hp. Little has been officially announced about the midsize sedan, but it was possibly spied testing recently hidden under the body of a Ghibli. It was rumored to be rear-wheel drive with a size between the BMW 3 Series and 5 Series, and a high-performance GTA version was also speculated. According to ANE, the vehicle won't be called the Giulia and won't hit the market in the US until 2016. In addition to the midsize model's engines, FCA is also reportedly working on an updated version of its 3.0-liter diesel V6 sourced from VM Motori with new 275-hp and 340-hp versions. They are likely slated for Alfa's future large sedan and SUV. News Source: Automotive News Europe - sub. req.Image Credit: Copyright 2014 Drew Phillips / AOL Alfa Romeo Technology Sedan FCA alfa romeo giulia fiat chrysler automobiles

Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio 100th Anniversario gets even more power

Alfa Romeo is celebrating its Quadrifoglio emblem's 100th birthday by rolling out limited-edition variants of the Giulia and the Stelvio. The commemorative cars receive a more powerful twin-turbocharged V6, edition-specific visual accents, and carbon fiber interior trim. The green Quadrifoglio (which means "four-leaf clover" in Italian) first appeared on a straight-six-powered RL race car at the 1923 edition of the Targa Florio, a grueling road race that was held in Sicily. Legend has it that pilot Ugo Sivocci had the emblem painted on his car for good luck. He won, and the Quadrifoglio quickly began appearing on Alfa Romeo's race cars before showing up on street-legal production models. Fast-forward to 2023, and the four-leaf clover denotes Alfa Romeo's most powerful models: the Giulia Quadrifoglio is the Italian company's answer to the BMW M3, and the Stelvio Quadrifoglio competes in the same segment as the X3 M. The limited-edition 100th Anniversario models build on these foundations with a 520-horsepower evolution of the twin-turbocharged, 2.9-liter V6 (that's 15 more than in the regular-production variants). Alfa Romeo also added a mechanical limited-slip differential derived from the sold-out, 540-horsepower Giulia GTA. Based on the recently-updated Giulia and Stelvio, the 100th Anniversario models come with LED headlights,19-inch wheels for the Giulia (the Stelvio rides on 21-inch alloys), and edition-specific gold-colored brake calipers. Quadrifoglio emblems with gold-colored accents and "1923-2023" lettering are fitted to the fenders, and the list of equipment also includes a carbon fiber grille and carbon fiber door mirror caps. The interior gets a similar treatment: There's carbon fiber trim, gold-colored stitching, and a "100" logo on the dashboard. Like their regular-production counterparts, both cars get a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster whose layout changes depending on the driving mode selected. Alfa Romeo will build 100 units of the Giulia Quadrifoglio 100th Anniversario and 100 additional examples of the Stelvio Quadrifoglio 100th Anniversario. Pricing and availability haven't been announced yet, and deliveries are scheduled to start in the coming weeks for buyers in European markets. Alfa Romeo confirmed to Autoblog that both models will be sold in the United States. Buyers will have three colors called Rosso Etna, Montreal Green, and Vulcano Black to choose from. More details will be announced in the not-too-distant future.