Autocar says that Alfa could get direct assistance from Porsche, who is hard at work on the development of a new flat-four engine for the entry-level sub-Boxter roadster. This deal would also benefit Alfa, as it would increase the economies of scale on the motor’s production.
VW believes that the Italian brand will be a key asset in its effort to become the world’s number one carmaker by 2018. It also has spare production capacity, most notably at SEAT’s Martorell plant.
Unfortunately, we might not get a Porsche-powered Alfa 4C in the near future, as Fiat remains adamant that it won’t sell its Italian cousin to the Germans. “We shut the door in their [VW’s] faces and now they’re trying to get in the window,” a Fiat Group spokesman said.
Autocar also explains that the main issues faced by the VW are related to the future of the Pomigliano plant in Naples (earmarked for the delayed next-gen Panda, but plagued by industrial relations issues), Alfa’s extensive and expensive classic car collection, and the Balocco test track.
At the recent Geneva motor show, VW chairman Ferdinand Piech stated that he could increase Alfa’s sales four times within the next five years. He also responded to Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne’s insistence that the brand was not for sale, saying that “Volkswagen has time”.
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