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Alfa Romeo's new CEO sees room to bring back the GTV and the Duetto

Alfa Romeo is open to reviving the GTV and the Duetto, two of its most emblematic nameplates, in the coming years. Whether either model returns partially depends on how well the firm's more mainstream models sell. "I'm very interested in the GTV. There is no statement or announcement at this stage, but I'm just giving you a personal feeling that I'm very interested in the GTV. I also love the Duetto," said Jean-Philippe Imparato, the Peugeot veteran who became Alfa Romeo's CEO under Stellantis, in an interview with Australia's CarSales. It's far too early to tell what each model would look like with any significant degree of certainty. Besides, we've been here before: in 2018, former Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) boss Sergio Marchionne outlined a born-again GTV with 600 horsepower, some degree of electrification, all-wheel drive, and seating for four when he presented Alfa Romeo's bold five-year plan. That model has been canned, along with a 700-horsepower halo coupe called 8C. Playing it safe, Imparato cautioned that neither two-door has been approved for production. Alfa Romeo's range currently consists of the Giulia, the Stelvio and the 4C, though the latter is a niche model at the end of its life cycle. It needs to achieve volume before executives can begin exploring coupe and convertible options, and we're in a market where the quickest and most effective way to increase sales is to make SUVs and crossovers. The next new addition to the Alfa Romeo range is widely believed to be the production version of the Tonale concept from 2019. "Allow me to bring Alfa Romeo to a certain level of economic performance, and then we speak," Imparato stressed. "In this time of big changes for the industry, the first priority is to protect Alfa Romeo and drive it through the challenges related to electrification, connectivity and safety," he added. Coupes and convertibles will come later. Interestingly, he strongly hinted the reports claiming the rear-wheel-drive Giorgio platform is on its way out are false. In Alfa-speak, the GTV nameplate traces its roots to the Bertone-designed 105-Series coupe released in 1963. It was called Giulia Sprint GT at launch, and it became the Giulia Sprint GT Veloce (which means "fast" in Italian) in 1965. GTV is the acronym that stuck throughout the model's career. Alfa put the nameplate on the coupe version of the Alfetta (pictured), and it added the 6 suffix when it stuffed the 2.5-liter Busso V6 in the engine bay.

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 CEO says 4C can manage more power

With 240 horsepower from a 1.75-liter engine, the Alfa Romeo 4C does a lot with very little. But there's always room for improvement, says the company's CEO. Speaking with Automotive News, Alfa Romeo chief Harald Wester indicated that the historic Italian auto marque could squeeze more out of the 4C's already high-strung engine. "We are only at 134 horsepower per liter," said Wester, "so there is space" for it to produce yet more power. To accommodate the extra muscle, Wester says, the Alfa would also need bigger brakes, but the chassis may already be as stiff as it needs to be. Considering that Mercedes gets 355 horsepower out of the 2.0-liter turbo four in the A45, CLA45 and GLA45 AMG (for a specific output of over 177 hp per liter), Wester may be right, opening the door for a 300hp version with a 0-60 time of around four seconds flat. And his saying so more than subtly suggests the possibility of a more powerful 4C becoming a reality. But then the prospect of shoehorning a bigger engine into the same chassis to make a new Maserati GranSport - another prospect which Wester (also CEO of Maserati) suggested earlier in the 4C's development - never came to pass, largely due to engineering roadblocks. Featured Gallery 2015 Alfa Romeo 4C: First Drive View 57 Photos News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Copyright 2014 Matt Davis / AOL Alfa Romeo Coupe Performance alfa romeo 4c alfa 4c