Alfa Romeo ’s return to the United States won’t happen until late 2009, according to a new report by AutoWeek. In late May, Italy’s Quattroruote reported much the same thing, saying the brand wouldn’t be seen on North American shores until some time around 2010 — Alfa’s 100th anniversary. Previous reports had suggested Alfa would return as soon as late 2007.
The first models to be launched in the United States will be the 159 sedan, Brera coupe, and Spider convertible. All three models were designed knowing they would one day come to the United States, says Alfa Romeo spokesman Richard Gadeselli. All three models are also based on Alfa’s new “Premium” platform, which was codeveloped with GM’s Saab unit. It supports front- and all-wheel-drive configurations, and meets U.S. safety regulations.
After 2010, three more Alfa models may eventually find themselves stateside, the report says. The first will be a compact SUV inspire by the Kamal concept in 2011. Another possible arrival in 2011 is the Sprint — a successor to the Alfa Sud Sprint developed under the “Racer” code-name. However, AutoWeek says its sources are unsure if Alfa will proceed with the vehicle at all. Lastly, a crossover called the 169 could arrive in 2012 under the 169 nameplate, though it’s unclear how it would differ from the Kamal-based SUV.
Recent rumors have also suggested a production version of the Alfa 8C concept may come to the ‘States.
