“I said I will not sell Alfa Romeo,” Marchionne was quoted as saying by Autonews. He also added that there is not and never has been any talk with Volkswagen for the sale of the brand.
Last week, several sources began pointing to an increased interest for the Alfa brand coming from Germany. The purchase of Alfa Romeo fall right into the larger plan Volkswagen has of becoming the number one player in the automotive world by 2018.
On the other hand, Marchionne said last week that he was already considering selling Alfa Romeo in the US via Chrysler dealers. The Alfa Romeo plan for the US has already been outlined several times.
The model lineup to be launched in the US, pretty much drafted by now, will start with the launch of the Giulia in 2012, followed by a subcompact, a hatchback, a roadster and in the end a mid-sized SUV.
Analysts are however skeptic the Italians can turn Alfa Romeo around. It thier view, Alfa Romeo would be a perfect replacement for Seat in case it will be killed.
”Maybe Alfa could get to a half million unit sales a year, but only after the brand is sold to Volkswagen,” Arndt Ellinghorst, global head of automotive research at Credit Suisse said last week.
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