91 Alfa Romeo Spider on 2040-cars

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Alfa Romeo putting a slicker 'coda tronca' on its compact CUV

Our EV revolution Bingo card did not include spaces for the return of wagons (aero crossovers by a more suitable name) and the doubling down on retro design cues, but that's what we're getting and we like it. Alfa Romeo is clocking in on the retro side, design chief Alejandro Mesonero-Romanos telling Autocar, "Our next-generation cars will bring back the Coda Tronca into a current design language — as a means to boost aerodynamic efficiency and range, of course, but also to give the cars a distinctive, classically Alfa Romeo design character." You might not know that "coda tronca" means "short tail" in Italian, but you know what it looks like. Effectively a Kammback or Kammtail, it's when a vehicle roof descends toward the rear of the vehicle, ending in a vertical flank that looks like someone cut the car short with a large knife. It's been on everything from the Shelby Daytona Coupe and Ferrari 250 GTO to the Honda Insight, Toyota Prius, and Audi A2 and A7. The short tail was also famously on the 1963 Alfa Romeo Turbolare Zagato, shortened to the TZ. This is the design Mesonaro-Romanos refers to, as well as the Sprint Zagato, or SZ, that preceded it. He said, "You will see it on several future models," the first reportedly the compact crossover due on the market next year. This will be Alfa Romeo's version of the recently introduced Jeep Avenger battery-electric crossover for Europe, once believed to be called the Brennero. The design boss crossed that name out, telling Autocar, "The model name is now decided. it will be Italian and it will be beautiful. But more than that, I cannot say for now." We might have better luck predicting specs. Checking the Avenger's details, we'd expect the Stellantis eCMP 2 platform crammed with battery modules under the seats that add up to 54 kWh. The Avenger's e-motor turns the front wheels with 154 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque, an all-wheel-drive version is on the way. Range on the WLTP cycle is rated at an estimated 249 miles. As with the Jeep, the Alfa Romeo is expected to get a gas-powered version, maybe with the same 1.2-liter motor going into the Jeep. We're not sure how else the Alfa might distinguish itself from the Jeep, but the Kamm tail could make range for both powertrains a notable differentiator.  Related Video

Alfa Romeo unveils Formula One car for new season

MONTMELO, Spain — Alfa Romeo has unveiled the new Formula One car that will be piloted by former champion Kimi Raikkonen this season. Raikkonen, teammate Antonio Giovinazzi and team principle Frederic Vasseur posed with the white-and-burgundy Alfa Romeo C38 in the pit lane of the Barcelona-Catalunya Circuit before preseason testing started on Monday. Alfa Romeo is the rebranded name for the Sauber team this season. Raikkonen joined Alfa Romeo from Ferrari, where he won the Italian team's most recent drivers' title in 2007. The 39-year-old Finn is joined by Giovinazzi, a 25-year-old Italian with two Grand Prix races under his belt. Sauber finished eighth in the constructors' standings last year. More AP auto racing

Alfa Romeo 8C and GTV: Classic names revived as high-powered hybrids

BOLOCCO, Italy — There were grand plans for Alfa Romeo at FCA's last five-year plan. By 2018, we were supposed to get eight new products, including a new "specialty" vehicle. In reality, we've gotten the Giulia and Stelvio. At this year's follow-up, Alfa Romeo brand head Tim Kuniskis called the last plan ambitious, but he offered a new vision that was both more realistic and more far-reaching. Beyond doubling down on utility and electrified vehicles, by 2022 Alfa has plans to revive both the 8C and GTV names as high-performance hybrids. Since 2014, Alfa sales are up 160 percent, with an estimated 170,000 vehicles to be sold in 2018. The North American market counts for 16 percent of that, up from nothing back in 2013. Future products will focus on Alfa's current strengths: styling and performance. Look for new compact and full-size utility vehicles to slot on each side of the Stelvio. Plans for a larger sedan seemed to have been nixed, though a long-wheelbase version of the Giulia will make it to the ever-increasing Chinese market. The most exciting news obviously comes from the return of the 8C supercar and GTV sports car. We have few details, but what we do know looks promising. The 8C will use a carbon-fiber chassis with a mid-mounted twin-turbo V6. More than 700 horsepower will be sent to all four wheels thanks to an electrically-driven front axle. The car should hit 62 mph in fewer than 3 seconds. The GTV will be slightly more tame, though Alfa is promising more than 600 horsepower from its hybrid powertrain. The four-seater will also have all-wheel drive, torque vectoring and a 50/50 weight distribution. The brief teaser image shows a car that looks like a two-door Giulia, though it's unclear if we'll actually get a new coupe. Electrification, autonomy and connectivity are coming, too. Obviously, the 8C and GTV will get electrified powertrains, but look for each Alfa Romeo model to have some sort of electrification available. Look for six plug-in hybrids with all-electric ranges of more than 30 miles. Level 2 and 3 autonomous systems are coming, too. Related Video: Design/Style Earnings/Financials Green Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Coupe Crossover SUV Hybrid Luxury Performance Supercars FCA alfa romeo 8c