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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

2023 Alfa Romeo Tonale aims to be the enthusiast's small SUV

Alfa Romeo's lineup will expand by 50% next year thanks to the 2023 Tonale, its new small SUV engineered to take on the voluminous and still-expanding utility segment beneath the Stelvio and its ilk. This new baby SUV packs a minimum of 256 horsepower and all-wheel drive with an optional, performance-oriented plug-in model available.  It's difficult to talk about the future of the automotive industry without acknowledging the spread of electrification and the rise in vehicular ride heights, and Alfa's checking both boxes with the Tonale. The small SUV will now be the brand's entry-level model. That's right; while you weren't looking, Alfa's lineup shrank to just two vehicles: Giulia and Stelvio. The company will add more electric variants in the coming years, including a BEV before the middle of the decade, so while the Tonale may be the first, it's not going to be the only, and while Alfa is adamant that there's a future for Giulia, we're now nearly a decade removed from the days of Alfa showrooms being populated by little coupes, convertibles, hatchbacks and sedans.  The Tonale shares its underpinnings with just about every other small SUV in the Stellantis portfolio. Its largest cousin sold here in the U.S. is the Jeep Compass. We don't have all the numbers for Tonale just yet, but we suspect the only thing it'll really have in common with Jeep's economical compact will be the length of its wheelbase, which slots it into the same class as the Audi Q3, BMW X1, Mercedes-Benz GLA/GLB and Lexus NX. And there's certainly nothing Compass-like about its exterior, which looks credibly Alfa-like. LED lighting is standard; the fancy wheels on the models shown in these photos are not; you'll need the Veloce trim for those.  Alfa's punching up a bit in the cabin too. A 10.25-inch Uconnect 5 infotainment system is standard (the Stelvio's base screen is just 8.8 inches) and paired to a 12.3-inch digital cluster display skinned to look like a vintage Alfa Romeo instrument panel. The Uconnect system is integrated with Alfa Connected Services to enable over-the-air updates and other personalized functionality. Each Tonale can store five individual driver profiles accessible via a single touch and is compatible with wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. But while Alfa promises the Tonale will feel appropriately luxurious for its price point, this isn't aimed at the crowd that wants a soft, distant experience.

Alfa Romeo planning Giulia GTA to rival M3, C63

What do you think of when you see the letters GTA? The Grand Theft Auto video game franchise? The GTA Spano supercar from Spain? Alfa Romeo enthusiasts remember it as the ultimate badge of performance from the Italian automaker, but while it's been over a decade since those letters appeared on a production Alfa, the latest rumors suggest they could be making a comeback in the form of a new Giulia GTA. Those who've been following developments from Alfa Romeo will know that the company is planning a successor to the beautifully angular 159 with a new Giulia to slot in above the Giulietta five-door hatch, and according to Auto Express, a new GTA version is in the works. Tipped to be powered by an upgraded version of the 3.0-liter twin-turbo V6 developed by Ferrari for the Maserati Ghibli, the Giulia GTA is rumored to pack around 500 horsepower (give or take 20 horses) underhood. That would give it a solid output advantage over the 425-hp BMW M3 and 451-hp Mercedes C63 AMG and give Fiat Chrysler Automobiles a performance sedan to challenge the upcoming Cadillac ATS-V and slot in below the bonkers 707-hp Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat. Expect other oily bits to include a dual-clutch transmission and limited slip differential, as well as upgraded brakes, rolling stock and aero components. The last time we saw the GTA badge was on the MiTo GTA concept (pictured above) that appeared at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show. Alfa was said to be considering a 159 GTA, similarly powered by Ferrari, back in 2007, but the rumors didn't come to fruition. The last production model to wear those letters was the 156 GTA that preceded it, with a 3.2-liter V6 that produced 250 hp. The most famous example, however, was the Giulia Sprint GTA produced in the late 1960s... a legend that Alfa appears keen to revive with this new model. Featured Gallery Geneva 2009: Alfa Romeo MiTo GTA News Source: Auto Express Alfa Romeo Performance Sedan alfa romeo giulia