Alfa Romeo Plots Rest of the Decade

TURIN, Italy — Fiat has outlined its hopes for Alfa Romeo until 2010. Fortunately, it has put all those hopes online for the world to see.

Alfa Romeo sold 137,000 cars in 2005 and hopes to sell 170,000 this year. But there's an ambitious goal: to shift 300,000 units in 2010. By that time Alfa, also intends to have made inroads to the U.S. market.

Looking at the presentation of Antonio Baravelle, chief of Alfa, it is apparent that the company has an image problem: Only the 147 sits well with young, well-to-do families; all the other models attract older folks. To meet its sales target, Alfa needs another, sub-147 volume model. To be called Junior, it will be introduced in the summer of 2008. It will be a sporty three-door hatch, less than 157 inches long, and will fit into the under-$19,000 price segment. Another new model coming in 2009 will fill the gap between the 147 and the 159.

Alfa will also cash in on the crossover boom. Many fans wanted to see the stunning Kamal concept of 2003 put into production. This did not happen, but with the CXOver, which is scheduled for early 2010, its spirit will live on. CXOvers will cost somewhere between $36,000 and $57,000.

At the top of the range comes the successor to the 166. To be called 169, it will be a rakish executive sedan, priced between $50,000 and $70,000. Alfa debuted the gorgeous high-performance 8C Competizione at late September's Paris auto show, announcing that it will come to the U.S. in early 2008.

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