AlfaRomeo

Geneva Preview: Bertone's Alfa Romeo Pandion Concept Leaks Out

Stile Bertone Alfa Romeo Pandion Concept leaked images – Click above for image gallery

The raging torrent of pre-Geneva Motor Show leaks is officially in full effect today as a series of images showing off Bertone's new Alfa Romeo Pandion Concept have hit the Internet (thanks Unica-Strada!). First of all, what's a Pandion? That would be a type genus of the Pandionidae, better known as an osprey or as a fish hawk. Moving on, then.

To our eyes, the Pandion isn't really what we've come to expect from Alfa Romeo, at least not styling-wise. The Italian marque's classically flowing curves are present and accounted for, but they are bisected by swaths of what appears to be clear plastic. The rear-view is especially busy – kinda like it's fashioned from hundreds of containers worth of Tinker Toys. Oh, and fans of Battlestar Galactica are sure to appreciate the Pandion's head-on view.

Stile Bertone – which until recently was led by Jason Castriota, the man responsible for such far-out designs as the Alfa 8C-based B.A.T. 11 and the Corvette ZR1-based Mantide – penned the Pandion, and we do see some influence from the styling house's past designs. We don't yet know what's underhood of the uniquely styled concept, or really anything else about it not revealed by these images. See for yourself below.

Gallery: Stile Bertone Alfa Romeo Pandion Concept

[Source: Unica-Strada]

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Tags: alfa romeo, alfa romeo pandion, AlfaRomeo, AlfaRomeoPandion, bertone, geneva, geneva 2010, geneva motor show, Geneva2010, GenevaMotorShow, pandion, stile bertone, StileBertone

Italy's Finest to Unveil Trio of Alfa Romeo Concepts in Geneva

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Alfa Romeo is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year. Along the way, the Italian automaker has collaborated with some of Italy's finest design houses and coachbuilders. And they plan on reviving those relationships at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show in March with not one, not two, but three new concept cars.

Pininfarina – the design house responsible for crafting most modern Ferraris, among others – will present a roadster concept (previewed in the blue sketch above) targeted to succeed the Alfa Romeo Spider. Stile Bertone – responsible for the BAT series of Alfa Romeo concepts – will present a new coupe design (teased in the black and white sketch at top). And finally ItalDesign Giugiaro – which was responsible for the original design of the achingly beautiful Brera coupe – will present its proposal for a replacement for the 159 sedan.

All the while, Alfa Romeo itself will present the new Giulietta in its major motor show debut. Geneva, it appears, is gearing up to be a real Alfa love-fest.

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Tags: 2010 geneva motor show, 2010GenevaMotorShow, alfa, alfa romeo, AlfaRomeo, bertone, geneva, geneva 2010, geneva motor show, Geneva2010, GenevaMotorShow, giorgetto giugiaro, GiorgettoGiugiaro, GiugiaroVadho, italdesign, italdesign giugiaro, ItaldesignGiugiaro, pininfarina, stile bertone, StileBertone

Alfa Romeo MiTo for Maserati

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

If you've ever had to bring your beloved pet to the veterinarian, you know what it must feel like to drop off the keys to your prized Italian sportscar for service at the garage. But while a pet can't be replaced, it probably eases the separation anxiety to know you're getting something special back in the meantime. That's why Alfa Romeo has prepared a special run of its stylish MiTo hatchback especially for its sister company Maserati.

The special Maserati edition MiTo features Blu Oceano paint, delectable Pelle Frau leather interior, special badging, a 170-horsepower turbocharged engine, and all the top options available in the Alfa Romeo catalog. Only 100 examples are being made and distributed to Maserati dealerships across Europe.

Ferrari recently did the same with a special-edition Fiat 500, and then turned to offer them for public consumption. Alfa and Maserati may choose to do the same, but until then, the only way to get your hands on one is to bring in a GranTurismo or Quattroporte for service.

Gallery: Alfa Romeo MiTo for Maserati

Tags: alfa, alfa for maserati, alfa mito, alfa romeo, alfa romeo for maserati, alfa romeo mito, alfa romeo mito maserati edition, AlfaForMaserati, AlfaMito, AlfaRomeo, AlfaRomeoForMaserati, AlfaRomeoMito, AlfaRomeoMitoMaseratiEdition, maserati

Maserati CEO Harald Wester Named Head of Alfa Romeo

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Alfa Romeo and Maserati – two of Italy's most storied auto marques – have been more closely integrating over the course of the past several years. But now with the Fiat empire under which both brands lie growing to accomodate Chrysler, Alfa and Maserati are set to cooperate even further following the appointment of Harald J. Wester as chief executive of Alfa Romeo.

Executive reshuffles happen all the time in the auto industry, especially in the Fiat group as of late. But usually a new appointment means the vacation of another. In Wester's case, however, he'll be taking over Alfa Romeo in addition to his role as CEO of Maserati. Not only that, but he'll remain CEO of the Abarth performance brand as well, plus chief technical officer for the entire group.

As with the appointment of Lancia CEO Olivier Francois as head of the Chrysler brand, we can expect Alfa, Maserati and even Abarth to work more closely in the near future, most critically in North America where Maserati has been preparing the ground for Alfa and Abarth to return.

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Tags: abarth, alfa, alfa romeo, AlfaRomeo, ceo, Chief Executive, chief executive officer, ChiefExecutive, ChiefExecutiveOfficer, harald j wester, harald j. wester, harald wester, HaraldJ.Wester, HaraldJWester, HaraldWester, maserati, wester

Alfa Romeo and Italia Independent Collaborate on Special Edition Brera

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

As if the Brera coupe couldn't get any more stylish, Alfa Romeo has teamed up with fashion house Italia Independent for a special edition.

The Alfa Romeo Brera Italia Independent gets a special titanium paintjob, 18" turbine-style black rims, red brake calipers and an aluminum fuel cap. Inside the interior is decked out in black leather with red top stitching, carbon fiber trim and the requisite Italia Independent logos.

All this comes at a price, however: €29,700 (the equivalent of about $41k) with the 185hp 2.2-liter four, or €38,850 ($57k) for the 260hp 3.2-liter V6, available with front- or all-wheel-drive.

Gallery: Alfa Romeo Brera Italia Independent

Tags: alfa, alfa brera, alfa romeo, Alfa Romeo Brera, Alfa Romeo Brera Italia Independent, AlfaBrera, AlfaRomeo, AlfaRomeoBrera, AlfaRomeoBreraItaliaIndependent, Italia Independent, ItaliaIndependent

Presenting the All-New Alfa Romeo Giulietta

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Take a good look at the car above, because Alfa Romeo wants you to get used to seeing it. If the Italian automaker has its way, this will be the most popular product in the company's 100-year history. It's the new Alfa Romeo Giulietta, and it's here to stay.

Replacing the old 147, the new Giulietta is positioned just above the MiTo, and while pricing hasn't been announced, Alfa promises its positioned will be attractive enough to lure potential buyers away from the Volkswagen Golf. The vehicle was initially expected to carry the 149 nameplate before Alfa changed tracks to Milano. Workers displaced by Alfa's move to Turin, however, prompted the company to revive the age-old Giulietta badge.

With styling cues borrowed from the 8C Competizione supercar in a more aggressive format, the Giulietta will offer a range of four-cylinder turbocharged gasoline and diesel engines ranging from 120 horsepower to an eventual 230. Each model gets start-stop technology for improved fuel economy and will soon get the advanced MultiAir valve management system as well as a dual-clutch transmission. The new Giulietta is scheduled to make its public debut at the Geneva Auto Show in March, so stay tuned.

Gallery: Alfa Romeo Giulietta

Tags: 2010 geneva motor show, 2010GenevaMotorShow, alfa, alfa giulietta, alfa romeo, alfa romeo giulietta, AlfaGiulietta, AlfaRomeo, AlfaRomeoGiulietta, geneva, geneva motor show, GenevaMotorShow, giulietta

Autodelta's Supercharged Alfa Romeo Brera S & J4 159

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Few cars on the road – at any price – have the presence of an Alfa Romeo. Unfortunately their performance seldom keeps up with their looks. That's where aftermarket modifiers come in.

Last year the Italian automaker contracted British motorsport concern Prodrive to help it out in the performance department. Their answer was the Brera S, removing much of the aggressively-styled coupe's weight and fine-tuning the suspension. Now Autodelta is getting in on the action. The English tuning house has taken Prodrive's Brera S coupe and strapped on a supercharger good for 347 horsepower.

The power upgrades are also available on the Brera's four-door counterpart, the 159, which Autodelta transforms into the J4 3.2 Compressore. The pair were unveiled at London's exciting MPH09, but you can see them for yourself in the gallery below.

Gallery: Autodelta Alfa Romeo Brera S & J4 159 3.2 Compressore

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Tags: alfa, alfa 159, alfa brera, alfa brera s, alfa romeo, alfa romeo 159, alfa romeo brera, alfa romeo brera s, Alfa159, AlfaBrera, AlfaBreraS, AlfaRomeo, AlfaRomeo159, AlfaRomeoBrera, AlfaRomeoBreraS, autodelta, autodelta alfa romeo, AutodeltaAlfaRomeo, prodrive

Plans for Alfa Romeo's Return to North America come into Focus

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

With parent company Fiat Group's partnership with Chrysler, plans have been in motion for Alfa Romeo to finally, after years of speculation and strategizing, return to the North American market. But while the bulk of Alfa's line-up currently consists of relatively small vehicles, those that will be offered on this side of the Atlantic will be decidedly larger.

To start off, the company's smallest vehicles won't, according to the latest reports, make it to North America altogether. That includes the MiTo three-door hatchback and the Milano five-door which is slated to replace the ageing 147. The North American range is expected to start out instead with the replacements for the 159 and 166 sedans.

The current 159, as beautiful as it is, is slated to be replaced by the upcoming Giulia around 2012 as a global product that will include the North American market. Meanwhile reports indicate that Alfa Romeo could build a successor to the discontinued 166 flagship sedan on this side of the Atlantic in Ontario, Canada.

Gallery: Alfa Romeo

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Tags: alfa, alfa 159, alfa 166, alfa 169, alfa giulia, alfa milano, alfa mito, alfa romeo, alfa romeo 159, alfa romeo 166, alfa romeo 169, alfa romeo giulia, alfa romeo milano, alfa romeo mito, Alfa159, Alfa166, Alfa169, AlfaGiulia, AlfaMilano, AlfaMito, AlfaRomeo, AlfaRomeo159, AlfaRomeo166, AlfaRomeo169, AlfaRomeoGiulia, AlfaRomeoMilano, AlfaRomeoMito

Etiqueta Negra, Equestrian Style from Argentina

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Celebrity Shopping, Shoes, Sports, Men's Style

The recently-opened Etiqueta Negra boutique in downtown Manhattan has brought a modern take on masculine, equestrian style all the way from Buenos Aires. The store, which features among other décor elements a 1938 Alfa Romeo racecar (above), carries suits, jackets, jeans and shirts, as well as a line of leather shoes designed exclusively for Etiqueta Negra by Casa Fagliano, the Argentina-based maker of Prince Charles' bespoke polo boots. Prices for the princely footwear, which is not available anywhere else in the U.S., begin at $2,500 a pair. They also carry polo gear as well as women's clothing, though the emphasis is on the menswear.

Related: The Classicist: On Equestrian Style; The Classicist: Exploring the Wide World of Polo

Tags: Alfa Romeo, AlfaRomeo, Argentina, Buenos Aires, BuenosAires, equestrian, Etiqueta Negra, EtiquetaNegra, Manhattan, New York, NewYork, polo, Prince Charles, PrinceCharles, sporting

Alfa Romeo Showcases Special MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde in Frankfurt

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Green

Alfa Romeo's badge has enough clout as it is. But to Alfa enthusiasts, the Quadrifoglio Verde carries even more prestige. The clover-leaf emblem symbolizes the pinnacle of the company's racing history, and is used sparringly on road cars to distinguish some of its most aggressive, performance-oriented models.

In this case, the new MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde boasts a new 170-horsepower MutliAir engine that uses the latest technologies developed by Fiat Powertrain Technologies. The system optimizes airflow into the combustion chambers, thereby simultaneously improving both performance and fuel economy. The engine and new six-speed transmission are showcased in the Quadrifoglio Verde, and help the sportiest of MiTos get up to sixty in little more than seven seconds while returning an impressive 50 miles per gallon on the highway. Impressive.

To further set the Quadrifoglio Verde apart from ordinary MiTos, the special edition carries 17" wheels and trim in dark satin chrome, with an all-black interior offset by sporty white instruments. Plus, of course, the famous Quadrifoglio Verde emblem.

Gallery: Alfa Romeo MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde

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Alfa Romeo Says It's All in Your Jeans

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Apparel, Luxury Cars & Autos

With the MiTo premium hatchback, Alfa Romeo started talking a lot about its DNA. And now it's talking about the brand's jeans, thanks to a new collaboration with fashion expert Louise Roe to produce a line of specially-branded ladies denim pants.

The specially-crafted garments features such uniquely Alfa Romeo touches as red stitching, embroidered serpent from the company's iconic badge and, of course, fit like a glove. Available from the initiative's website mitojeans.co.uk, the jeans are produced in strictly limited quantities and sell for £75 a pair, proceeds from which go towards a charitable research organization.

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Tags: alfa, alfa jeans, alfa mito, alfa mito jeans, alfa romeo, alfa romeo mito, alfa romeo mito jeans, AlfaJeans, AlfaMito, AlfaMitoJeans, AlfaRomeo, AlfaRomeoMito, AlfaRomeoMitoJeans, mito jeans, MitoJeans

Japan Gets Special Alfa Romeo MiTo Imola Edition

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

For some, Alfa Romeos are special enough as they are. But just the same, the Italian automaker has just announced a new special edition of its MiTo premium sport-hatch called the Imola edition. Named after the famous Italian racetrack, the Imola edition gets a special yellow paintjob, unique 18-inch split-three-spoke wheels hiding red brake calipers, chromed mirror housings and a special Pelle Frau leather interior with yellow accents. Unfortunately Alfa will only be making 150 examples of the special Imola edition, and they're all bound for Japan where, despite a burgeoning domestic auto industry, premium imports are all the rage.

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Tags: 2010 Alfa Romeo MiTo Imola Edition, 2010AlfaRomeoMitoImolaEdition, alfa, alfa mito, Alfa Romeo, Alfa Romeo MiTo, Alfa Romeo MiTo Imola Edition, AlfaMito, AlfaRomeo, AlfaRomeoMito, AlfaRomeoMitoImolaEdition, Imola Yellow, ImolaYellow, MiTo, MiTo Imola Edition, MitoImolaEdition

The Most Expensive Alfa Romeo Ever Made

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Although most present-day Alfa Romeos are positioned at competitive price points, the company's name has almost the same clout as Ferrari or Maserati. But today all three of these venerated Italian marques are owned by the same company, so they each take a different market position. Except the 8C Competizione. That's the one model that bursts dividing walls between the separate divisions, with each one lending a hand towards the car's development and production. Alfa only made 500 examples, and they all went fast. But there are 500 more to come, and they could be even more desirable.

Spurred purely by popular demand, Alfa Romeo is building a second run of convertible 8C Spiders. But good luck getting your hands on one. Of the 500 that will be built, only 35 are destined for the United States. And when they get here, they'll be selling for $299,000 apiece. But with demand reaching far higher than supply, you can bet that most will be trading hands at far higher prices than that, giving new meaning to the phrase "nice work if you can get it".

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Tags: alfa, alfa 8c, alfa 8c competizione, alfa 8c spider, alfa romeo, alfa romeo 8c, alfa romeo 8c competizione, alfa romeo 8c spider, Alfa8c, Alfa8cCompetizione, Alfa8cSpider, AlfaRomeo, AlfaRomeo8c, AlfaRomeo8cCompetizione, AlfaRomeo8cSpider

Alfa Romeo Reportedly Cancels the MiTo GTA

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Everyone stood up and paid attention at the Geneva auto salon this past March when Alfa Romeo took the wraps off the MiTo GTA. The lust-worthy hatchback promised all the Italian style and aggression you'd get from a Ferrari or Lamborghini in a more accessible package and finally gave the diminutive MiTo premium hatchback – Italy's answer to the Mini Cooper and styled to mimic the gorgeous Alfa 8C Competizione – the capabilities to match its styling. Although what we saw in Geneva was just a concept car, Alfa Romeo spokesmen said we'd see a production version on the road by the end of the year. Well, don't go making room in your driveway just yet. Because while Alfa Romeo is slated to finally return to the North American market as part of parent company Fiat's new partnership with Chrysler, the MiTo GTA may not make it. And not just the trip across the Atlantic either, as Alfa Romeo now says that the harsh economic circumstances mean that the project has been put on indefinite hold. Which could mean that we'll get another chance at the mean little monster when things return to normal, or it could mean we'll never see it again.

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Tags: alfa, alfa gta, alfa mito, alfa mito gta, alfa romeo, alfa romeo gta, alfa romeo mito, alfa romeo mito gta, AlfaGta, AlfaMito, AlfaMitoGta, AlfaRomeo, AlfaRomeoGta, AlfaRomeoMito, AlfaRomeoMitoGta, gta, mito, mito gta, MitoGta

Retro-Cool Bugatti Stratos Concept

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Rare Bugatti Type 57s from the '30s and '40s sell for several million dollars at auction, so the design seems like a solid basis for a new concept car. French graphic / industrial designer Bruno Delussu has come up with the brilliant Bugatti Stratos (above), a retro-futuristic homage to the Type 57 mixed with the Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Mille Miglia along with a touch of the "futuristic optimism" of industrial designer Raymond Loewy's (1893 – 1986) amazing Art Deco steam locomotives. Noting his total lack of a need to adhere to practical restrictions of actual production, Delussu comments, "Often sports cars are compact, nervous and aggressive. I wanted the opposite. That's why I prolonged the frame and created a voluptuously streamlined [shape] that glides smoothly through the air like a hand over silk."

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Tags: Alfa Romeo, AlfaRomeo, Bruno Delussu, BrunoDelussu, Bugatti, concept car, ConceptCar, design, France