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Alfa Romeo returns to F1 as Sauber title sponsor

LONDON - Alfa Romeo will become title sponsor of the Sauber Formula One team next season as part of a multi-year technical and commercial partnership, both sides announced on Wednesday. "This agreement with the Sauber F1 Team is a significant step in the reshaping of the Alfa Romeo brand, which will return to Formula One after an absence of more than 30 years," Fiat Chrysler chief executive Sergio Marchionne said in a statement. Sauber announced in a statement of their own that the team will officially be known as the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team from 2018 onwards. "Working closely with a car manufacturer is a great opportunity for the Sauber Group to further develop its technology and engineering projects," Sauber Holding AG chairman Pascal Picci said. "We are confident that together we can bring the Alfa Romeo Sauber F1 Team great success, and look forward to a long and successful partnership."Reporting by Alan Baldwin.Related Video: Image Credit: REUTERS/Ueslei Marcelino Motorsports Alfa Romeo Racing Vehicles F1 Sergio Marchionne FCA

On Location at the Alfa Romeo Museum with the new Giulia

The most exciting news from the reveal of the new Alfa Romeo Giulia was undoubtedly the 510-hp Quadrifoglio model that will top the lineup. To play up the brand's Italian-ness, as well as the fabulous sound the twin-turbo engine makes, Alfa had opera singer Andrea Bocelli sing the car out onto the stage. The event took place at Alfa Romeo's old headquarters in Arese just outside Milan. It's also the site of the brand's museum, which has been closed to the public for years and was recently expanded and redone. We got a quick preview ahead of the museum's official public reopening on June 30, 2015. Anyone traveling to the Milan area should definitely check it out, even if those who aren't die-hard Alfisti. Before the Alfa event, I got to spend some time at Expo Milano 2015. Expos like it are held every five years now around the world and are the modern-day equivalent to a world's fair. The theme was "Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life" with the pavilions from various countries showcasing displays on food production, shortages, and future solutions. When you're done watching our On Location video, stick around for an Alfa promo reel that teases the Giulia's insanely delicious noise.

Alfa Romeo to unveil compact crossover in Geneva, report says

Last year, Alfa Romeo outlined its five-year plan, which calls for reviving both the 8C and GTV as high-performance hybrids and plans for new utility vehicles to bookend the Stelvio. Now, a report from Autoblog.gr (no relation) says the Fiat Chrysler brand will show its long-rumored compact SUV to slot underneath the Stelvio at the Geneva Motor Show next month. The Greek website did not identify its source but says the compact SUV will be built on the Giorgio platform that underpins the Giulia and would contribute to the brand's goals of hitting 400,000 annual sales. The Geneva Motor Show kicks off March 5. FCA is investing $5.7 billion in its under-utilized Italian plants to ramp up production of Jeep, Fiat and Maserati models, plus the new Alfa Romeo compact SUV to be built in Pomigliano, Italy. But those plans, which were reported by Automotive News Europe, had the new Alfa compact ute built on the platform underpinning the Jeep Compass, which was also set to start production in Melfi, Italy. A plug-in hybrid version of the Alfa is also reportedly in the picture, which squares with the brand's plans to expand its offerings of electrified powertrains to six PHEVs. Last we heard, Alfa Romeo was planning to launch its largest-yet SUV as a seven-seater, based on the Giorgio platform, as a mild hybrid.