Alfa Romeo will transition its current lineup from front-wheel drive to rear-wheel drive in order to better compete with German marques, a new report finds. Alfa Romeo hasn’t produced a rear-wheel drive car since its 75 sedan and Spider in the early 1990s, but will launch the RWD 8C Competizione sports coupe next year.
According to Renzo Barbirato, Alfa Romeo’s marketing manager, the 8C is just the first of many rear-wheel drive vehicles to come from the Italian automaker. Alfa Romeo’s flagship — the 169 sedan — will debut at the end of 2009 with RWD, with several other Alfa Romeo models to follow. Barbirato said the only Alfa Romeo model that will not make the switch to rear-wheel drive is the entry-level Junior due to cost concerns.
Alfa is also considering offering high-performance all-wheel drive models in the future, the first of which could be the 159 GTA sedan.
10/26, 11:36 AM
posted by:
gtv6
yes!
10/26, 11:38 AM
posted by:
gtv6
Can’t wait for these to get to the states
10/26, 11:45 AM
posted by:
atourya
Yeeeeeeeeeessssssssss! I don’t care if they’re unreliable! bring it here quickly. Now we just need Fiat to get over here too and I’ll be happy.
10/26, 11:50 AM
posted by:
CA36GTP
Yes, bring Alfa and Fiat here. Then people will stop complaining about domestic reliability!
10/26, 11:56 AM
posted by:
inline6
I LOVE Alfas and Fiats. I’m also glad to see that Alfa’s switching back to RWD. Their FWD period wasn’t particularly kind to them.
I hope Alfa brings every car in their future lineup here. If they bring the 149 over, I might just have the cash to buy one.
10/26, 12:31 PM
posted by:
55amg
good news
10/26, 12:32 PM
posted by:
jamaicandude
ditto.
10/26, 12:53 PM
posted by:
global_lightning
Alfa and Fiat’s reliability are much better than when they left the U.S. Make mine bright red with a camel leather interior.
10/26, 1:11 PM
posted by:
nowei
Having never lived in a market with Alfa Romeos in it, I’m very far removed from people’s love of Alfas. With that in mind, what surprised me most about this article was that the 8C still hasn’t been released. Isn’t it based on older architecture? Won’t it be kind of dated by the time they actually get it to market?
10/26, 1:23 PM
posted by:
RicardoHead
I want my gosh-darned Cinquecento!!!!!!
Damn you FIAT!
10/26, 2:26 PM
posted by:
atourya
global, I’m with you, but I’ll take a navy blue.
10/26, 2:54 PM
posted by:
nagmashot
GREAT
10/26, 3:04 PM
posted by:
autonut
Great news, once they come here we all will march and buy them: they are niggardly cheap at about $200K a pop.
10/26, 3:14 PM
posted by:
atourya
autonut… I’m not talking about the 8C. I’m talking about something a little more on the entry level side.
10/26, 3:18 PM
posted by:
cardesigner5
if alfa’s future models continue the build quality set by the new 159 the can have a secure future.the only problem is changing people’s preceptions of the brand.
my neighbour has a 159 Q4 in black , Im green with envy.
you’re never a real petrolhead unless you’ve owned an alfa.
10/27, 12:41 AM
posted by:
sharpie
Good move, that may justify the price tag.
10/27, 1:59 AM
posted by:
Commodore
Good idea - and exactly what all Pontiacs and Cadillacs should do — become completely RWD across the whole line up
10/27, 5:52 PM
posted by:
c4Menace
they will never go stateside.. only their most expensive cars actually make it and they dont usually export more than 200
10/29, 11:39 AM
posted by:
Syrax
159 GTA…i’ve been waiting too long.