Photo: Stellantis
Could you imagine a car world where the Volkswagen Group would own Alfa Romeo? Well, regardless of your answer, the German conglomerate did, as they tried to acquire the Italian auto brand last decade.
The first attempt in this direction was made at the 2011 Paris Motor Show, when the former VW head honcho, Ferdinand Piech, declared his admiration for Alfa, saying that it could flourish under their ownership.
Piech went as far as stating that the Italian company could operate under Porsche’s umbrella, perhaps getting the flat-four boxer engines introduced in the Cayman and Boxster five years ago. The endless possibilities of such a marriage would have been something to write home about.
As the years went by, Piech’s desire to see Alfa Romeo under the roof of the Volkswagen Group grew stronger, to the point where on his prompting, VW boss Herbert Diess and FCA chief Mike Manley sat together in June of 2018. Diess reportedly “considered it his duty to follow through on Piech’s request”, Autocar states, quoting an undisclosed source, and he asked if Alfa was for sale. The answer was “no”, and the two are said to have discussed other matters.
A talented and intelligent manager with a great love for cars, Ferdinand Piech, who is responsible for the Bugatti Veyron, Volkswagen Phaeton and XL1, passed away on August 25, 2019, and with him, probably the only chance VW ever had to add Alfa Romeo in its portfolio.
On a different note, Stellantis, which is Alfa’s new parent company, said that every brand that operates under its roof, including Lancia, will receive significant investments over the next 10 years. As a result, none of them are for sale, so the Volkswagen Group would have to look elsewhere should they still want to bring new blood into their home.
Piech went as far as stating that the Italian company could operate under Porsche’s umbrella, perhaps getting the flat-four boxer engines introduced in the Cayman and Boxster five years ago. The endless possibilities of such a marriage would have been something to write home about.
As the years went by, Piech’s desire to see Alfa Romeo under the roof of the Volkswagen Group grew stronger, to the point where on his prompting, VW boss Herbert Diess and FCA chief Mike Manley sat together in June of 2018. Diess reportedly “considered it his duty to follow through on Piech’s request”, Autocar states, quoting an undisclosed source, and he asked if Alfa was for sale. The answer was “no”, and the two are said to have discussed other matters.
A talented and intelligent manager with a great love for cars, Ferdinand Piech, who is responsible for the Bugatti Veyron, Volkswagen Phaeton and XL1, passed away on August 25, 2019, and with him, probably the only chance VW ever had to add Alfa Romeo in its portfolio.
On a different note, Stellantis, which is Alfa’s new parent company, said that every brand that operates under its roof, including Lancia, will receive significant investments over the next 10 years. As a result, none of them are for sale, so the Volkswagen Group would have to look elsewhere should they still want to bring new blood into their home.
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