Autoblog

After having being introduced way back in 1998, Alfa Romeo finally stopped production of the 166 last year. Now without a flagship sedan to hold up the top of the range, Alfa is working on the development of its successor. However, the 169 (as the model is expected to be called) has been pushed back at least another three years while the automaker tries to sort out which platform it will be based on.

With an eye towards the American market, Alfa is said to be committed to making the new 169 a rear-wheel-drive vehicle, but the only rear-drive platform the Milanese automaker has in its range belongs to the 8C Competizione, which CEO Luca de Meo recently rejected as a possible donor for the 169. (Rats.) The platform that underpins sister-company Maserati's Quattroporte and GranTurismo was likewise dismissed as too costly, as Alfa Romeo looks to other automakers – chief among them Jaguar, now owned by the Fiat Group's Indian ally Tata – for a suitable rear-drive platform for Alfa's new flagship sedan.

In related news from the other end of the range, the upcoming 149, which – along with the new MiTo – will replace the aging 147, is reportedly getting a brand new platform of its own. The reports contradict earlier suggestions that the five-door hatch would be based on the Fiat Bravo platform when the new 149 is introduced in 2009.

[Source: AutoTelegraaf via Motor Authority]

Alfa Romeo is returning to the US market in about a year, offering the zooty 8C Competizione and 8C Spider atop a range of less spectacular offerings. While the top-end 8Cs will probably be Italian emigres, the 149 and 169 sedans could be put together in Mexico. Alfa doesn't have a hard and fast decision yet, and could pick another site, even one in North America. Moving the labor to Mexico for the volume sellers might prove to be a wise move on Alfa's part. The dollar continues to take a beating, pushing up the cost of European items on US sales markets, and building somewhere else would sidestep some of those increased costs. Alfa is trying this idea in China, too, where Chery will assemble automobiles for that market. We're all for it if it gets the keys to some stylish Italians in our hands while holding the prices down. The quality can't be any worse than it was in the bad old days that led to the notorious reputation for unreliability that afflicted Italian marques. Besides, those shop queens were so joyous to drive, they made suckers out of all of us, and we'd do it again, given the chance.

[Source: Inside Line]

With the Alfa Junior hatch gearing up for production, the 8C Competizione being delivered to customers and the 159, Brera and Spider gorgeous-ing up roads around the world, the next item on Alfa Romeo's plate is the 169, its upcoming flagship sedan.

Although the 169, spy shots of which we brought you back in February '07, could be based on a modified Maserati platform or potentially on one borrowed from Jaguar, it's slated to return to rear-wheel-drive either way, which puts it in a better position to take on Europe's very best sports sedans.

The image above, of course, is just a rendering, but draws on existing and anticipated brand styling cues. We hope the actual production version will be more sexy and, well, more Italian than this illustration, and we also hope it'll make it across the pond with its stablemates.

[Source: The Hollywood Extra]

Alfa Romeo's flagship 169 sedan is scheduled to replace the ageing 166 in 2009, but conflicting speculation has suggested that the luxury sedan could be based on either a stretched 159 chassis or on the upcoming Maserati Quattroporte successor. The latest reports coming out of Italy suggest it'll be sharing with the larger trident rather than the smaller Alfa.

The Fiat Group that dominates the Italian automotive industry has traditionally kept their brands separate, refusing to share most components, let alone platforms, in a bid to keep the marques distinct from each other and steer well clear of the increasingly popular trend of badge engineering. But in recent years, that trend has been reversing even in Turin. Maseratis started sharing components with Ferrari and now with Alfa Romeo, Fiat has been partnering with PSA and Suzuki on new models, and an upcoming Alfa hatchback will be based on the Fiat Punto. So with Maserati still lagging in profitability and Alfa trying to regain its prestige, it's no wonder they've decided to go this route for the upcoming 169 and Quattroporte sedans.

Together with the thrilling 8C Competizione sports car, the 169 marks Alfa Romeo's return to rear-drive after 15 years of horses pulling from the front.

[Source: Winding Road]

Late last week we brought you the leaked production schedule from the Fiat group, revealing, among other enticing tidbits, a slew of new models from Alfa Romeo, slated to hit the road in 2009, including the entry-level "Junior" sport hatch, the CXover SUV/coupe and the 169 range-topping sedan. The new details come out of the Fiat Auto Investor Presentation at Lingotto in Turin, Italy.

As we've reported earlier, the Junior model will slot below the current 147/future 149 hatchback in the line-up and will share its platform with the successful Fiat Grande Punto. Targeting the 18-30 age demographic, the Junior is expected to feature aggressive styling and power from turbocharged fours producing between 150 and 220 horsepower, with prices targeted for the €16k range.

Like the Junior, the new CXover will launch its assault on a segment currently untouched by Alfa. The idea is described as a crossover between a coupe and an SUV, sold at a price range between €28-45k. No word yet on what platform it will be based or what will feature under the hood, but given the styling of some of Alfa's recent models, expect it to epitomize the best of Italian design in a new package.

The 169 sedan, the long-awaited replacement for the 166, is the next in the pipeline. The image above is a rendering of what the car might look like. Expected to be based on either a lengthened 159 chassis or on a Maserati platform, the 169 will measure nearly five meters long with elegant lines and a price range between €40-55k, targeting the demographic of over 55.

We'll just have to wait and see what models make it to the Western shores of the Atlantic.

(Follow the jump for three concept sketches of these three models)

[Source: Italiaspeed]