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Weekly Recap: Chevy and Alfa plot comeback strategies

Chevrolet and Alfa Romeo were two of the 20th Century's most iconic automotive brands. Chevy embodied America's post-war power and confidence. Alfa was the definition of the stylish Italian sports car. They reached halcyon heights in the 1950s and '60s, before declining precipitously amid new competition, changing consumer tastes, and uneven corporate management. Both say 2015 is the start of something better, and this week Chevy and Alfa laid out ambitious plans and showcased new cars that they hope will make them more relevant this year, and in the coming years. Each brand sits at its own crossroads, and their paths forward are as different as the Chevy Cruze and the Alfa Romeo Giulia. Chevy is still a sales beast, as evidenced by its volume of 4.8 million vehicles sold around the world last year. Chevy executives are fond of saying one of their cars is sold every seven seconds, which illustrates the strength and reach of a car brand that is the fourth largest in the world. "Make no mistake about it, we are a brand for the people," said General Motors North America president Alan Batey. But he wants consumers to want to buy a Chevy for its design and technology, not simply because it's affordable. That starts with all Chevys now featuring a distinctive a family look, with sporty cues from the Corvette or strong lines that riff on the Silverado pickup. "We want people to fall in lust with our cars," said Mike Pevovar, executive design director for Chevy passenger cars. "That initial emotional attraction has to be right on the exterior, and that's where form comes into play." Chevy is also loading up its cars, like the freshly unveiled 2016 Chevy Cruze, with technology to appeal to a younger crowd that prizes connectivity. The Cruze will offer Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with its MyLink infotainment system, and OnStar with 4G LTE and wifi. Seeking out younger buyers is also sound business practice: Millennials now outnumber Baby Boomers as the largest single age group in the United States. Younger buyers also can improve a brand's image, which is another area where Chevy would like to improve. Chevy ranks 82nd on Interbrand's Best Global Brand's list, behind 11 other automakers. Apple is No. 1. "We need our own variation of the Genius Bar," Batey said. 2016 Alfa Romeo Giulia View 3 Photos Meanwhile, Alfa is in different shape.

Alfa Romeo 4C Spider is dead after 2020, but look at this 33 Stradale Tributo

The Alfa Romeo 4C Spider is finally making its exit. Alfa quit selling the coupe in America starting with the 2019 model year, and now the roofless version will wrap up with the 2020 model year. There will be no 2021 4C Spider in the U.S. Alfa is not killing the 4C without a bang, though. In conjunction with the announcement of the car’s U.S. departure, Alfa has announced a 4C Spider 33 Stradale Tributo special edition model. ItÂ’s meant to honor the 1967 Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale, which is the iconic roadgoing version of the Tipo 33 race car. ItÂ’s gorgeous and works as a fitting send off to the mid-engine sports car that kickstarted AlfaÂ’s return to North America. There are a number of things changed or added with the 33 Stradale Tributo, but the single biggest difference is the red transparent finish to the carbon monocoque chassis (pictured above). The normally black exposed carbon fiber is now a glowing and translucent red, and itÂ’s rather striking. Additionally, Alfa paints it in an exclusive shade of red: Rosso Villa dÂ’Este tri-coat. It gets gray-gold wheels, a two-tone black and “tobacco” (brown) interior and special badging on the dash, side sills and center console. Everybody who buys one will also get a special, numbered book that goes over the 4C in detail. All 33 Stradale Tributo models will be fully loaded with options, too. Most importantly, it gets the Akropovic exhaust and race-tuned suspension. Alfa says a standard 4C with every option would be “thousands more,” so hey, youÂ’re getting a deal. The 33 Stradale Tributo will start at $81,590, and only 33 will be built. Considering that Alfa has only sold 92 4C Spiders throughout all of FCAÂ’s 2020 reported sales so far, they might be easier to get than you think. If you want one, Alfa says you should email (yeah, weird) them at: sales@alfaromeo.com. Related Video:

Touring Superleggera planning a tribute to one of Alfa Romeo's most beautiful cars

Italian coachbuilder Touring Superleggera will help Alfa Romeo celebrate its 110th birthday by putting a modern spin on one of its most graceful sports cars. Called Berlinetta Aero, the coupe will break cover in July 2020. The preview image released by Touring Superleggera does a formidable job of hiding the model's overall lines. It shows what's essentially a sculpture that's half shrouded in darkness. However, it's revealing enough to tell stylists traced a parallel between the Berlinetta Aero and the one-off Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 B Speciale Tipo Le Mans (pictured below) built by Touring to compete in the 1938 edition of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. It wore an extra-long hood and a short rear end, defining styling cues that seem to appear on the modern recreation. Alfa Romeo 8C 2900 B Speciale Tipo Le Mans View 3 Photos As its name indicates, the 8C 2900 was powered by a 2.9-liter straight-eight that sent 220 horsepower to the rear wheels via a four-speed manual transmission. Touring doesn't have a straight-eight to play with in 2020, so it will allegedly power the Berlinetta Touring with the Giulia GTA's twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter V6. It develops 540 horsepower when it's bolted in the Alfa's engine bay, though a power hike isn't inconceivable. Touring Superleggera planned to introduce the Berlinetta Aero at the Goodwood Festival of Speed, but the 2020 event was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Its unveiling will consequently take place online, according to Italian website Motori. Additional details (like the unveiling date) will be published in the coming weeks. Touring hasn't said anything about pricing or production figures yet, but it's safe to assume the Berlinetta Aero will be expensive and rare. For context, it capped production of the gorgeous, 8C-based Disco Volante it unveiled in 2012 at eight examples, and it built five units of the Ferrari F12-based Berlinetta Lusso shown in 2015.