Speaking at the Los Angeles auto show, executives from Alfa Romeo confirmed the brand will introduce eight new models by 2018. The first major debut will take place this June, although neither North American chief Reid Bigland nor global head of Alfa Romeo Harald Wester would confirm what model will be unveiled at that time.
The first new model working toward those goals will debut June 24, 2015, just outside of Milan. The event will mark both the 105th anniversary of Alfa Romeo, as well as the re-opening of the renovated Alfa museum. The two executives hinted we’d find out more at the Detroit auto show in January but wouldn’t otherwise clarify which model will debut. We expect to learn more about a possible 4C Spider soon, given that Alfa’s five-year plan slides show the 4C Spider listed in the “current” category just after the coupe, but Automotive News Europe has reported that the new Alfa Romeo set to be revealed in June will be a mid-size sedan. The timeline would make sense given European bureau chief Georg Kacher’s earlier predictions of a BMW 3-Series-fighting sedan and wagon coming in 2015-2016, but there’s talk that the familiar Giulia name will not be used for this model. Alfa’s own slides show a new “mid-size” car debuting in the fourth quarter of 2015.
As for the product rollout plan, Bigland and Wester are confident that Alfa Romeo will meet all of its targets despite earlier delays for the 4C. “The gameplan remains on course,” said Wester. “We have a dedicated technical team that is totally separate from the big machine in terms of decision-making processes.” Pushing Alfa Romeo toward eight new models (including sedans, crossovers, and probably convertibles) by 2018 is no small feat, but the company is working with a $6.5 billion investment that includes growing its engineering staff from 600 people at present to about 1,000 by next year. Some of these new engineers will even come from divisions like Ferrari and Maserati. Engineers will be working on building powertrains unique to the brand that will be customized, “For Alfa, by Alfa.”
Bigland said that historically speaking, “The image and mystique of Alfa Romeo far outstrips its sales volumes.” Here in the U.S. however, Wester’s strategy for addressing its lackluster quality reputation is simple: “You don’t talk about it. You just have to have it.”
And they’ll have to have it if Alfa wants to distinguish itself as a real player in the premium segment. We’ll know more about which new Italian models are on the way at the Detroit auto show this January, so stay tuned for more news out of Alfa.
