1962 Alfa Romeo Spider on 2040-cars

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Fiat Chrysler target 850k sales in China by 2018

Behind the vanguard of numerous Jeep models, two Chryslers, a smattering of Fiats and Alfa Romeos and local production through a joint venture with Guangzhou Automotive Group (GAG), Fiat Chrysler wants to increase sales in China more than six-fold by 2018. The group sold 130,000 cars in China in 2013, the aim for 2018 being 850,000 cars.
Ultimately it's expected that the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Cherokee, Wrangler, Renegade, the coming Grand Wagoneer and a sub-Renegade-sized crossover will either be built in or exported to the People's Republic. The Chrysler Town & Country and 300 will join the export list in 2016 and 2018 respectively, according to a report in Automotive News.
With a number of those vehicles not in production or perhaps even envisaged yet, and others not due on the local market until 2018, it will be interesting to see how Fiat Chrysler plans to achieve the target in the specified timeframe. The joint venture with GAG builds two products now, the Dodge Dart-based Fiat Viaggio launched two years ago - supposedly designed just for China - and the just-launched Fiat Ottimo, a hatchback version of the Viaggio. Fiat projected 300,000 Viagio sales in its first two years, that number has been adjusted downward to 94,000 and there doesn't appear to be an analyst alive that sees a good future for Fiat in China's overrun mainstream market. Still, last year's 130,000 group sales in China is a huge jump from 2012 sales of 66,000 units, but less than half the 300,000 units it projected.

Alfa Romeo's supercar is nearly sold out (but not yet approved)

Alfa Romeo's on-again, off-again supercar is taking shape. It hasn't been approved for production yet, let alone unveiled, but a recent report suggests that enthusiasts who want to add the model to their collection need to reach out to one of the firm's dealers as quickly as possible. Company boss Jean-Philippe Imparato told British magazine Autocar that several collectors have already put a deposit down on the car. There's no word yet on how many examples will be built, assuming the limited-edition model receives the proverbial green light for production, but the CEO suggested that demand will exceed supply. "It will be sold-out before I unveil the car," he told the publication. It's too early to tell what kind of supercar is in the pipeline. Allegedly called 6C, a name that seemingly confirms a six-cylinder engine, the model could feature a heritage-inspired design. "We are working on something that I could put aside the 8C in the museum of Arese, being proud of our contribution to the history of Alfa Romeo. That is what we want," Imparato clarified. He added that development work is ongoing. One of the numerous points that's up in the air is which six-cylinder the car will use. It's reasonably safe to assume that the engine will have a V configuration; Alfa Romeo doesn't have a straight-six engine in its arsenal. Although many of its sister companies do, it's not a layout that has historically been associated with the storied Italian brand while the V6 has been part of its heritage for decades. Using the 3.0-liter Nettuno V6 found in several recent additions to the Maserati range is likely more complicated than it might sound; Autoblog learned that Maserati isn't open to sharing the twin-turbocharged six-cylinder with another company, even one under the same umbrella. That leaves us with the 2.9-liter V6 that powers the Giulia Quadrifoglio, among other models, as the most likely candidate, but nothing is official at this stage. Stellantis executives will decide whether to approve the supercar in April 2023, according to Autocar. We're guessing that if deposits have already been taken and the car is nearly sold-out, there's a good chance that the model will see the light at the end of a production line. Haven't we already seen Alfa's supercar? If the idea of an Alfa Romeo supercar rings a bell, it's likely because coachbuilder Zagato unveiled a one-of-a-kind, Giulia-based model called Giulia SWB Zagato in December 2022.

Alfa Romeo won't sully the GTA name by putting it on the Stelvio

Alfa Romeo began celebrating its 110th birthday by resurrecting the heritage-laced GTA nameplate on a track-happy evolution of the Giulia Quadrifoglio. Enthusiasts went wild when they heard the news, but the company warned it's not about to put the GTA name on every model it makes just to capitalize on its popularity. First launched in 1965, the GTA acronym has historically denoted a lighter version of an existing model developed with racing (or, at least, track use) in mind. The recently-unveiled Giulia GTA fits the bill; a Stelvio GTA wouldn't, according to the company. Executives thought long and hard about it and ultimately ruled it out. "GTA is an important name for Alfa Romeo. Frankly speaking, we had a meeting on a Stelvio GTA, but it's just not in line with customer expectations. It has to be the best possible [on the track]. On the Stelvio, we have a higher center of gravity [than on the Giulia], so it won't achieve the same goals," said Fabio Migliavacca, the company's product marketing boss, in a candid interview with British magazine Autocar. His comments suggest the 505-horsepower Quadrifoglio model is as hot as the Stelvio will get in the foreseeable future. There's no indication Alfa Romeo is planning to add a second sedan to its range — its next new model is widely believed to be a smaller crossover — so the GTA treatment will be limited to the Giulia (pictured). This could explain why demand for the car and its two-seater GTAm counterpart has been exceptionally high. The stripped-out, 540-horsepower sedans are limited to 500 numbered units combined worldwide. Alfa Romeo hasn't started taking orders yet, and it had the misfortune of unveiling the model mere days before the Italian government imposed an ongoing national coronavirus quarantine, but it has received more expressions of interest than it has build slots. Migliavacca revealed a majority of the enthusiasts the firm has heard from prefer the more hardcore GTAm over the slightly softer GTA. It's lighter, and consequently quicker around a track. "A lot of people are raising their hands and saying, 'I want to have one,' 'I want to have four,'" he said. "It's truly an amazing reaction considering the timing." Related Video: