The market for the 500 can expect a same skeletal frame but using a modified platform to build on. The redesigned chassis will be shedding of some pounds off from the car and also contribute in improving the cars dynamics. The US 500 will be assembled in their Mexico plants.

The new 500 will be using some technologies used for the development of the new Fiat 500C. The designers are also working on decreasing the cars noise, harshness, and vibration.

The European release of the 500 will not be getting the changes as its US sibling but Fiat will be using the platform for the new Ypsilon under the Lancia brand year and for the new Panda by 2011.

Fiat is also going for a major upgrade of the B-platform utilized for cars like the Alfa Mito and the Fiat Punto.

Another great news is the high-performance Giulietta which might be badged as the Cloverleaf or GTA. This release was previewed during the Geneva Motor Show sporting a turbocharged multiair engine that is capable of giving out 235 bhp. The top of the range Giullietta will use electronic Q2 differential, active dumpers, and a dual clutch transmission. This is scheduled to be out this April.

It is very unlikely that we’ll see a Mito GTA because the development was of the car was put into a halt last year when the company had to revise its priorities because of the global recession.

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.

An Italian newspaper published an interview with the top executive of Alfa Romeo who discloses that the Giulia will be rolling of the dealerships by 2012. The CEO explained that they are keeping the MiTo (who is doing reasonably well against the Fiat 500 and the Mini!) and the new Milan for a more viable market in European countries. So it is clear that the Alfa Romeo will have the Giulia leading its return on the U.S. roads.

Bigger cars actually have bigger rooms to earn a profit compared to smaller cars like the MiTo. It might be a wise decision for the Italian car maker to have Giulia over the Milano or MiTo in a hesitant U.S. market.

The Giulia will lead the 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.

The Italian car maker, after doing a case study of the MiTo, just did not find a positive feedback from the U.S. market about the hatchback. A luxury, small car like the MiTo might find some buyers and sell about 20,000 units annually but that is not an acceptable figure for Alfa Romeo.

Bigger sedans are favored also for having a bigger price margin which can help the car maker rake in some profits on a per unit basis compared to hatchbacks or smaller cars. The U.S. which is still trying to recover from a recession does not the see good economics in acquiring cars like the MiTo.

The industry is awaiting though the result of the collaboration of Chrysler and Alfa Romeo. The companies might share platforms but everyone is wondering how one brand will look different from the other.

I try to explain to them that buying an Alfa Romeo is NOT the same as buying a Porsche or a Lexus. Why? Well, basicly, the Alfa is a car lover’s car. The Porsches or the Lexuses are nice cars for you regular people… ^^

I always use the Alfa Romeo 159 as an example. It’s stylish, it’s got a decent engine, yet it’s priced pretty high mainly because us freaks just LOVE the MOJO the car has… Can you resist the Alfa Romeo 159 ti shown below?

I sure as hell can’t. Alfa’s are petrolheadcars. ^^