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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 realigns product onslaught (again)

After Sergio Marchionne announced an ambitious plan in May of 2014, Alfa Romeo has continued to struggle, pushing back launch dates and the debut of the models that would serve as the brand's new bedrock. And now it's happening again. A new investor relations document reveals that Alfa won't complete the debut of its new lineup until the middle of the next decade, and that FCA will be scaling back the brand's research and development, manufacturing, and product investments through 2018. The move is partially down to "uncertainties" in China, which gels with what we reported back in December. Alfa also needs extra time to "guarantee proper global distribution network execution," the document claims. As we've reported, the revised product cadence will still see the Giulia (pictured) and a new midsize utility vehicle hit dealers in 2016 and late 2016/early 2017, respectively. From there, Alfa is still aiming to flesh out its lineup with six more vehicles, including a fullsize sedan, two more utility vehicles, two "specialty" vehicles, and a hatchback. This new product strategy differs from the original Marchionne strategy in a few key ways. First, all of these vehicles were supposed to have been launched between May 2014 and sometime in 2018. Since it's 2016 and we can't even buy a Giulia yet, it's pretty clear that plan isn't going to happen. Instead, the six vehicles that will follow the Giulia and midsize CUV won't start arriving until 2017, with debuts continuing until at least 2020. The new product strategy also better reflects today's market. Gone are the two compact cars, and in their place is a single hatchback, arriving at the tail end of the brand's new product offensive. That might explain why the MiTo was given a stay of execution. It's no surprise to see a second utility vehicle in Alfa's plan, considering the way the segment has exploded in the past few years, while enthusiasts will likely welcome the idea of a second "specialty" vehicle. The brand's second midsize sedan has been pushed out, though, so the only Alfa four-door following the Giulia will be a fullsizer. As for Maserati, the investor relations PDF didn't list nearly as many specifics. As we've reported, FCA still expects the Levante CUV to be a growth leader for the brand by 2018. The performance brand's fortunes will also be bolstered by pairing its dealerships with those of Alfa Romeo. Related Video:

Alfa Romeo Giulia, Stelvio Quadrifoglio get louder and — literally — greener

Alfa Romeo made several small improvements to the Quadrifoglio variants of the Giulia and the Stelvio as part of its 110th birthday celebrations. The changes make both models safer, more stylish, and quite a bit louder. Outside, the design tweaks are largely limited to new-look LED rear lights with darker lenses and 21-inch alloy wheels for the Stelvio. The color palette grows with the addition of three new hues called 6C Villa d'Este Red, GT Junior Ocra, and Montreal Green, respectively. They're heritage-laced colors that dyed-in-the-wool Alfisti will immediately recognize; the green is a tribute to the V8-powered Montreal released in 1970, for example. Step aboard, and you'll notice there's a redesigned center console that stylists carved additional storage space into, a new steering wheel, plus additional upholstery choices. Sparco sport seats built around a carbon fiber shell are waiting on the list of options along with red and green seatbelts. The updated infotainment system we've already experienced in the standard Giulia has found its way to the Quadrifoglio, too. It's displayed on an 8.8-inch touchscreen and Alfa Romeo added a feature called Performance Pages that shows a wealth of drivetrain-related parameters like the turbo pressure, the amount of power generated in real-time, and a chronometer. If these digital features sound familiar, it's likely because some Dodge models — including the Challenger — are already available with the Performance Pages app. We like it there, and we'll certainly enjoy Alfa's spin on it. Bosch helped Alfa Romeo add a panoply of electronic driving aids to the Giulia and Stelvio. The list includes lane-keeping assist, adaptive cruise control, active blind spot assist, traffic sign recognition, and traffic jam assist. The suite corresponds to level two on the SAE scale so it doesn't turn either model into an autonomous car. There are no mechanical changes to report, meaning power still comes from a 2.9-liter V6 that relies on a pair of beefy turbochargers to make 505 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque. It spins the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission, and pelts the Giulia from zero to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds before sending it to a 191-mph top speed. The same six powers the bigger, heavier Stelvio, but it channels its power to the four wheels. Enthusiasts who want to be heard before they're seen are in luck.