New Dodge Dart hints of Alfa Romeo DNA [with video]
Alfa Romeo has announced its return to the shores of the United States several times now but fans have also been frustrated after it has pushed back its date of comeback. Somehow we can say now that Alfa Romeo has landed again in the US in the form of the Dodge Dart that was recently unwrapped at the Detroit Motor Show.
The Dodge Dart is the resurrection of the midsize car that became popular back in the ’70s which makes use of the platform that serves as the foundation of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta. The new Dodge compact sedan is the first product of the cooperation between Fiat and Chrysler since the take over of Fiat back in 2009.
The design of the 2013 Dart does not take the lines of its Italian cousin since it is a 4-door sedan and not a 5-door hatchback. The vehicle is also wider and longer compared to the Giulietta. The crosshair grille also shows a very Dodge character plus the rear lights which takes inspiration from the Dodge Charger.
The Dodge Dart is 4,672 mm in length, 1,830 mm in width, and 1,465 mm in height. The wheelbase is pegged at 2,703 mm. Looking at these numbers, this ride is very much similar to the size of the newest 3-Series from BMW.
The interior of the Dodge Dart makes use of soft-touch, high quality materials plus a high tech reconfigurable cluster display of gauges among other features. The seven-inch display can be customized the driver to include a navigation system showing assist for every turn, eco-meter, audio, compass, temperatures, fuel economy, and analog or digital gauges.
It can also be setup with a media center making use of an 8.4 inch Uconnect touch screen that has built in features like radio, iPod control, navigation, blue tooth, weather updates, and other interesting stuff.
Buyers can also choose from twelve body colors, 14 combinations of color and trim for the interior, and seven options for the rims of the vehicle.
The Dart will have three options for the 4-cylinder gas engine ranging from 160 bhp to 184 bhp.
Here is a good video to give you a sneak peek of the 2013 Dodge Dart :
Tags: Alfa Romeo, Alfa Romeo DNA, Dodge Dart
Alfa Romeo wants to focus on North America, Europe next in line
Fiat wants to focus on the relaunch for the Alfa Romeo line in North America before they crawl back up the European market to restore their credibility as a brand. This was the statement of CEO Sergio Marchionne who also shared that the task at hand for Alfa Romeo is the toughest among his list of goals upon taking the helm at Fiat seven years ago.
Alfa Romeo is expected to tap an executive to spearhead its operations in the United States before the end of the year prior to their planned relaunch in 2013. Alfa Romeo exited the US market back in 1995 but market tests done recently showed positive results for the brand. The market pulse have convinced the management of Alfa to first focus on North America before crawling back into Europe.
Marchionne pointed out that the desirability indications of the Alfa Romeo as a brand is still positive despite being absent in the market for quite some time now. Alfa is still among the well known car brands across the globe so the company wants to take advantage of the eagerness of the market.
The mother company foresees Alfa Romeo to deliver around 400,000 units annually to its global consumers as soon as 2014. The target is quite on the ambitious side as the sales reports reflect an average of about 150,000 per year since the ’80s.
In North America, Fiat sees Alfa Romeo to roll out 85,000 vehicles by 2014 which the CEO considers as a realistic goal.
The relaunch of Alfa Romeo will have the following lineup up for grabs the rear drive compact Alfa Romeo 4C and the SUV which was developed in collaboration with Jeep. The role of the 4C in the US relaunch is vital as it rekindles the love of the market for the Alfa Spider made famous by the film The Graduate that showed in the 1960s.
Alfa Romeo will also have the 6C during the 2014 relaunch of the brand. This will be the flagship saloon lifting its DNA from the platform of the Chrysler 300. It will have the tamer version of the V63.6L Pentastar powerplant under its hood. The lineup will also include a new version of the Spider, the 5-door Mito.
Fiat is also expanding its network to around 150 dealerships before the end of the year.
Tags: Alfa Romeo, Alfa Romeo 4C, Chrysler 300, Fiat
Alfa Romeo to unveil 4C in Frankfurt [with video]
Everyone is awaiting for the opening of the annual Frankfurt motor show this September, and Alfa Romeo is one of the brands that may be doing an exciting unveiling. Alfa will be officially unwrapping the Alfa Romeo 4C.
The Italian carmaker recently released a teaser of the 4C on their Facebook page which was initially introduced as a concept car at the Geneva Salon.
According to the topman of Chrysler and Fiat groups, Sergio Marchionne, the 4C will be rolling onto dealerships in Europe by the first half of next year while some sample units getting on to U.S. shore before the end of 2012. Consumers in the US might after all see the production version of the Alfa Romeo 4C, or if not Alfa might field a 4C roadster version or even a more aggressive version.
In Geneva this year, the 4C concept was presented having a 1.75L turbocharged petrol engine equipped with direct injection. This engine is paired with twin clutch Alfa TCT transmission. The concept rear wheel drive 4C only weighs around 1,873 pounds with a power weight ratio of 4 kg per horsepower and can speed up from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour below 5 seconds. Top speed is pegged at 255 kph.
Watch the promo video below of the Alfa Romeo 4C:
Fiat-Chrysler Partnership to Make 280,000 Compact SUV units a year
Renowned Italian automaker, Fiat S.p.A. joins forces with American car company, Chrysler Group LLC to produce about 280,000 units a year of compact SUV models for the brands Alfa Romeo and Jeep. The partnership’s activities will kick off in 2012 and will be based in the Italian automaker’s plant in Turin.
Just recently, Fiat S.p.A. has announced its approval of the $1.78 billion budget that will be used to ready the factory where the very first SUV will be born in the 101 years history of Alfa. This will also be where a new Jeep model unit will be made, in replacement of the former Patriot / Compass models.
It is speculated that the production output will start showing by the latter part of year 2012. This was confirmed by Sergio Marchionne, the CEO of the joint Fiat-Chrysler team.
According to the partnership’s spokesperson, the new Alfa SUV model will be going head to head with Mercedes-Benz GLK, Audi Q5, and the BMW X3. Marchionne also adds that the Mirafiori, Turin plant is the sole factory where the new Jeep model will be produced.
Out of the initial 280,000 units to me made in the Turin plant will be sold in the European market while the other half will be sold in North America. The new Alfa model units carry a big weight since it’s part of the Fiat’s re-launch in North America that is scheduled in early 2013.
An estimated 15,000 Jeep units are expected to be made in a year while Alfa units are expected to be somewhere around 100,000 to 130,000.
Tags: Alfa Romeo, car news, new Alfa Romeo SUV
Alfa Romeo TZ3 Wows Crowd at Villa D’Este
The Alfa Romeo TZ3 was introduced to the public at the Vista D’Este concours. The crowd agreed that the new TZ was indeed spectacular. With an Alfa 8C Competizione’s V8, the TZ3 continues the somewhat royal bloodline of its 60s predecessors, the TZ2 and the TZ1. The recent evolution of the TZ line sports the same, classic details as the earlier models. Reviewers were quick to notice the near-breadvan features of the TZ3.
Like its two predecessors, the TZ3 is also a legitimate race car. However, this new machine is made with an aluminum body which is stretched over a carbon fiber chassis and a tube frame. As was already indicated, the car isn’t lacking in power at all. Significantly upgraded from its forbears’ engines, the TZ3 performs at its best with nothing less than a V8 engine.
Tags: Alfa Romeo, Alfa Romeo TZ3, Race Cars
Alfa Romeo Giulia heading to the U.S. in 2012
Fans of Italian cars are eagerly awaiting the first product that will roll out of the assembly line after an alliance has been formed between Fiat and Chrysler. Before the end of 2010, the Fiat 500 may touch the American soil. Following shortly are possible productions of hatchback units like the Alfa Romeo Milano or the MiTo. The Italian car maker has not confirmed the release of the last two vehicles though.
The American market has not accepted the functionality of a hatchback as the everyday family car. It just follows that a wagon from the luxury segment will be on the top choice of the list. Mercedes Benz and BMW are both selling their smaller units but they both veered away from selling the hatch versions in the United States.
Alfa Romeo is following suit and may be opting to send the bigger Giulia sedan to the American market. It might just be the first Alfa Romeo that will be produced in high volume to mark the return of the brand in the U.S. soil.
Tags: Alfa Romeo, Alfa Romeo Giulia, Giulia
Alfa Romeo may have a new SUV derived from Jeep’s 2011 Grand Cherokee
Chrysler has an established wide network in North America but does not have a good product base to offer its partners in Fiat. They may have the V6 engine of the Pentastar or the LX of the Chrysler 300 but the emission regulations combined with the struggling economy have made these products lost their luster.
A bright future though is seen on the 2011 Grand Cherokee of the Jeep line up. This vehicle was developed with their former partner, Daimler, and shares a lot of characteristics with the next generation of ML Class SUV from Mercedes Benz.
The executives from Fiat are contemplating on using the Jeep platform to develop a premium SUV under the Alfa Romeo badge. The vehicle is expected to compete with the likes of Audi Q7, Touareg from Volkswagen, and the BMW X5 in their market in North America.
They are looking at European sales performance of the Grand Cherokee and it is quite impressive. Fiat is planning to duplicate this success in the North American market with the new SUV from Alfa Romeo.
Tags: Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, SUV
Alfa Romeo opts for Giulia sedan over MiTo for US Market Comebackk
The American market really hasn’t seen the functionality of a hatchback as a family car. Premium brands like Mercedes Benz and BMW make small cars but both do not sell small cars in the U.S. The idea is shared by Alfa Romeo which might field the big sedan Giulia to mark its return to the U.S. shores.
The Giulia will lead th
e comeback of the Alfa Romeo everyday car in the United States after a 15 year hiatus. Earlier reports revealed that the MiTo hatchback and the Milano will be the first models to roll out of the U.S. dealerships.
Alfa Romeo sees the Giulia to be the car that Americans will find interesting. The car manufacturer plans to build cars with Chrysler and inject the Alfa Romeo Soul that the consumers can appreciate and find useful.
Alfa Romeo is now a division of Fiat and they cannot afford to make a costly mistake when they try to re-enter the U.S. A jump in sales is what Alfa Romeo badly needs. Alfa Romeo is looking for short term gains as of now and cannot wait a few more years to see results.
Tags: 159, Alfa Romeo, Alfa Romeo Giulia, MiTo, United States, USA
Alfa Romeo is to be sold as re-branded Dodge models in Europe
Alfa Romeo’s plans in the United States were revealed last week as well the growing support over the new design proposed by the car company. Today, however, we received news about several cars taking the other route pass the Atlantic towards Europe. Over there, the Alfa Romeo is going to sell re-branded Dodge models.
Fiat and Chrysler have also gone a switch in branding; however the re-branding of Dodge could possibly be the most crucial for the United States. If re-vamped Dodge vehicles can meet the needs of Alfa Romeo, then this move could help save U.S. production and boost supply.
According to a report published in Auto Car, Marchioone gives much importance to the merge of both Dodge and Alfa Romeo brands. Dodge is the ultimate muscle car of the United States while Alfa Romeo its European counterpart.
Tags: Alfa Romeo, Corporate, Dodge
Alfa Romeo adds MultiAir system to Mito Hatch, increases Fuel Efficiency
Fiat is well-know for being on the forefront of developing diesel technologies but it still wants to conquer new grounds by adding fuel saving technology to petrol engines. Fiat will use the MultiAir system in the Mito Hatch from Alfa Romeo which is soon to debut in Europe.
MultiAir power plants is said to generate 10% more power and 15% more torque. Aside from these, car owners can also save about 10% more fuel and lower significantly their emissions.
The Mito 1.4L hatch will be the guinea pig for the MultiAir technology. This variant is will be released with engine options of 170hp, 135hp, or 105hp.
The MultiAir system relies on the breakthrough design of the electro-hydraulic valve which makes saving more fuel and decreasing emission possible. The combustion of the petrol engine and its ability to conserve fuel is dependent on the quality of the air charges in the cylinders.
Tags: Alfa Romeo, Alfa Romeo Mi.To, Fiat, Fuel Efficiency
