As a successor to the 147, Alfa Romeo will release the brand-new 149 later this year. Though our spies have nabbed the 149 in camouflaged form, they can’t legally penetrate Alfa Romeo’s factories – but a Facebook user and Alfa Romeo enthusiast has, giving us what are believed to be genuine photographs of the undisguised 149 that could make its way to North America as the Milano.
From the photos, we can see that the 149 follows the design theme of the recenlty-introduced MiTo, though it’s a larger vehicle all the way around. These photos, snapped and posted online by Facebook user Gianmario Deriu, appear to have been shot inside the Pomigliano d’Arco, Italy, assembly plant where the 147 is built.
We expect the production 149 to debut in September at the Frankfurt Motor Show, though it looks like Alfa Romeo might actually introduce the car to the public will before the show date.
The Volkswagen Rabbit/Golf-competitor is pointing right at the hearts of the typical Alfisti, statistically aged between 27 and 40. With an overall-length of 4.3 meters, the C-segment model comes very close to the former Alfa 156, but the 149, which will be available in five-door guise only, is actually based on the same platform as the Fiat Bravo. The MiTo will take charge of Alfa’s two-door compact hatchback efforts.
Power will come from turbocharged petrol engines delivering between 120 and 265-horsepower, with a V6 engine slatted for the top-of-the-line GTA. Like the MiTo, the new 149 will receive a six-speed manual gearbox, with an automatic transmission offered as an option.
And, if all goes according to plans, we’ll eventually see the 149 in Chrysler dealerships here in the States.
07/06, 10:03 AM
posted by:
2WheeledSpeed
Those sneaky facebook users….
07/06, 10:22 AM
posted by:
CarCzarCdn
Looks like someone may have signed their own pink slip.
07/06, 10:27 AM
posted by:
rds130
You can see the Bravo in pic #2, but otherwise, this is far better proportioned than the MiTo. The MiTo’s front end is just awkward. This is pretty well integrated.
07/06, 10:42 AM
posted by:
2WheeledSpeed
Well I was wondering that too CarCzar… but it says “Enthusiast” and not “Employee”… so maybe he just signed his own restraining order?
07/06, 10:43 AM
posted by:
atoms
^ I agree with you on that, it actually looks pretty good
07/06, 10:44 AM
posted by:
atoms
with rds130
07/06, 11:10 AM
posted by:
mayer_ray_nagin
Kinda boring for an Alfa
07/06, 11:15 AM
posted by:
johnnycanuck
I’ll say it before Impulsive- lose the beak and we’ll talk.
07/06, 11:26 AM
posted by:
JakeK66
My lovely city’s baseball team mascot Fredbird has a car designed just for him!
I’ll say it before A4 – No two door? You got to be effin kidding me!
07/06, 12:15 PM
posted by:
Impulsive
LOSE THE BEAK !!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dear Lord, what a disaster.
You beat me to it, ‘johnny’, but it can’t be stated enough … this is the WORST front end in the automotive world … absolute WORST … even worse than ANY Chinese design and that’s saying a lot.
07/06, 12:23 PM
posted by:
reedfast
^what about an edsel?
07/06, 12:47 PM
posted by:
Donfuy
Umm, Impulsive, it’s not.
Like rds130 said, it’s quite well integrated, and the flowy design is really great.
I personally love the MiTo and the new designs of Alfa-Romeo.
07/06, 1:50 PM
posted by:
Impulsive
Ummmm, yes it is, OBJECTIVELY. Your subjective opinion doesn’t matter in the real world. It’s garbage like this that litters the roads I drive. I’ll wait for this parrot of a car to squawk instead of horn honking.
What a failure in automotive design … FACT.
07/06, 2:17 PM
posted by:
beatusmongous
Sad but true, the Edsel front end is more becoming than this front end.
07/06, 4:12 PM
posted by:
key4wheels
Alfa has shown nothing interesting since the ’60’s. This car has the cool alfa triangle design with nothing else to support it.
07/06, 4:27 PM
posted by:
SomeGreek
Let’s wait to see the whole car in clear photos…
07/06, 5:15 PM
posted by:
Impulsive
… so we can see the bird face in all its glory. What a joke.
07/06, 6:14 PM
posted by:
Blakkarr
beatusmongous,
Everything but that weirdly protruding grill is to my liking. It is hardly as awful as an Edsel, the rest of this car makes up for that grill.
07/06, 7:28 PM
posted by:
aggie531
good. now bring it to America as an Alfa Romeo, not a Dodge
07/06, 7:44 PM
posted by:
beatusmongous
I’m just talking front end, Blakkarr. The rest of it is pretty nice.
07/06, 8:46 PM
posted by:
zoomzoomer
So now I know what a $25,000 Dodge Caliber will look like.
07/07, 12:00 PM
posted by:
benroethig
Looks like a good platform, but like all hatches, it took a few wacks from the ugly stick.
07/07, 4:57 PM
posted by:
scratchy
i think it look horrible. but i also get sick when i see a Maserati.
10/03, 1:07 PM
posted by:
Scirea7
I think the front looks great! Alfa has been bold and daring at the same time keeping tradition The bumper sills & air intakes are nicely sculpted giving it an aggressive sporting look. The rear lights are great! In my opinion, it will go top of it’s class for looks and design, only the Audi A3 and BMW 1 series coupe come close! To all those criticisers, Let’s be honest it’s far more intriguing, sophisticated, characterful, exclusive and more importantly much much better engines than all the other trash tin can rivals!!