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Alfa Romeo to Battle Germans with Ferrari Engines

Alfas may still have a special place in automotive afficionado’s hearts, but when it comes to the cold, hard sales statistics, the company needs a plan that would help it restore its former glory. It appears that one of the cards Alfa Romeo will be playing sees the company turn to Ferrari engines for its future premium models.
Alfa Romeo Giulietta grille 1 photo
Photo: original image by autoevolution
We are, in fact, talking about incarnations of the twin-turbo V6 engine Ferrari has created for Maserati. According to Automotive News, these will be used on Alfa Romeo’s future rear-wheel drive sedans.

Maserati also features a twin-turbo V8 unit, but there’s no word on this migrating to Alfa Romeo. While both these units are currently built by Ferrari in Maranello, Alfa Romeo is expected to rely on Fiat’s Pratola Serra or Termoli production sites in Southern Italy. Alfa Romeo plans to win its future customers using the Italian spirit, which is why production has to stay in the country.

As for the cars themselves, the new line of Alfas is expected to debut with a mid-size sedan called Giulia, which will replace the 159. The model, which has been previously delayed, will be put together at Fiat’s Cassino plant. The debut is expected for 2017.

This rear-wheel drive offensive signals Alfa Romeo’s intentions of becoming a truly premium brand. For one thing, this will allow it to tackle its German rivals at their level. As a side effect, Alfa’s current front-wheel drive models, the MiTo and Giulietta, are not expected to stay within Alfa’s focus.

The Giulia, with its Ferrari engines, is just a part in a larger plan aimed at increasing Fiat-Chrysler sales almost five times over the next five years. Of course, the US is a key market for the scheme. For instance, Alfa Romeos will be offered through Jeep’s 1,700 dealer network.

The Jeep dealerships should see at least six new Alfa models arriving over the following five years - two crossovers and a BMW 5 Series rival are on the list. The platform sharing with Chrysler should facilitate the move.
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About the author: Andrei Tutu
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In his quest to bring you the most impressive automotive creations, Andrei relies on learning as a superpower. There's quite a bit of room in the garage that is this aficionado's heart, so factory-condition classics and widebody contraptions with turbos poking through the hood can peacefully coexist.
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