According to Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne, his company’s stylish Alfa Romeo brand will return to North America in the next 24 months, meaning that models should be on sale in 2012. “I’m a lot more confident now that Alfa Romeo will reconstitute a product offering that is acceptable globally, and more in particular in the United States and Canada,” said Marchionne to Automotive News.

According to AN, the vehicles most likely to arrive in North America are the successors to the 159 and 166 models, which are believed to be based on upcoming Chrysler world platforms. The 159 would show up in 2012 and ride on Chrysler’s new compact wide midsize architecture, which is also believed to underpin the next Caliber and PT Cruiser – which is odd, considering they are compacts. As for the 166, it may ride on the next generation of Chrysler’s large rear drive platform, which will also be used for the 300 and Dodge charger.

It is not clear how Marchionne intends to position the Alfa brand in the U.S., especially using similar low-dollar platforms to Chrysler models and with Alfas normaly commanding much higher dollar values and delivering a higher level of performance and sophistication.

[Source: Automotive News via Autoblog]

The upcoming Alfa Romeo Giulietta, set to debut at the Geneva Auto Show next month, will likely underpin the next generation Dodge Caliber and Chrysler PT Cruiser. According to a report by Automotive News, Fiat (Alfa’s parent company) is looking to sell one million vehicles based of the Giulietta platform, 700,000 of which it intends to move in the U.S. as Chrysler company products.

The Giulietta will have to be made larger for the North American market and Alfa is reportedly working on a widened version called “Compact Wide,” which will not only underpin the Caliber and PT Cruiser, but five other Chrysler brand products. Both front drive and AWD versions of the platform can be had and yes, that does mean a Jeep version is included in Chrysler’s Fiat’s plans.

Above we have an early design sketch of what an Alfa Romeo Giulietta-based Dodge Caliber would look like, provided by Dodge Brand CEO Ralph Gilles. A gallery of Giulietta images can be found below, including one image of a 1750cc turbocharged Fiat engine, with 200-hp and 236 ft-lbs of torque, which could likely be tweaked further for an SRT4 version. The 2012 Dodge Caliber, at least in base trim, is likely to get the company’s revised 2.4-liter four-cylinder with 190-hp and 175 ft-lbs of torque.

GALLERY: Alfa Romeo Giulietta

[Source: Automotive News and Autoblog]

A week ahead of a planned Fiat/Chrysler press conference in which Sergio Marchionne, the CEO of both automakers, was to outline the future of Chrysler, much of the information has been revealed in an in-depth report in the Wall Street Journal. But before we get to the new products that the Italian-owned automaker is planning to bring into the North American marketplace, it’s time to learn the fate of the vehicles being axed. And judging from the list, it appears as though Fiat is intent on moving its products in and Chrysler’s products out.

The vehicles to be cut include the Chrysler PT Cruiser and Sebring. On the Dodge side, four models will be eliminated, including the Caliber, Nitro, Avenger and Grand Caravan. Three Jeeps will also meet their maker: the Commander, Compass and Patriot.

In place of these vehicles Fiat is ready to announce the introduction of the 500 in 2011, along with three Alfa Romeo vehicles: the MiTo (shown above), Milano (which will replace the 147) and another yet unnamed mid-sized sedan.

The rest of the plan will see the Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger redesigned in 2011, with the Grand Cherokee due out soon. And with only two Chrysler products left, the rumored decision to axe that brand’s name may just happen.

The Wall Street Journal made no mention of past reports that the Fiat Panda would see its way to the U.S. as a Jeep. There is also no word on if the Fiat 500 will be offered in just it’s standard hatchback form, or if a convertible and sporty Abarth version will also join the product lineup.

GALLERY: Alfa Romeo MiTo

[Source: WallStreetJournal via KickingTires]

While Alfa Romeo seems to have put its U.S. expansion on hold, the company has decided to deliver on its promise to bring the stunning 8C Competizione to the U.S., delivering the first of 84 vehicles destined for the States to renowned auto collector James Glickenhaus.

Glickenhaus recently made headlines when he unveiled a one-off Ferrari Enzo-based Pininfarina P4/5. After purchasing the final Ferrari Enzo, Glickenhaus had it delivered to the Italian design Studio (responsible for many past Ferrari designs) and had them re-create the Enzo, taking inspiration from the 1967 Ferrari 330 P4.

The 8C was delivered to Glickenhaus at Miller Motorcars in Greenwich, CT, after which the excited new owner promptly took it out for a spin.

Limited to just 500 units the 8C Competizione is based on the same platform as the Ferrari California and Maserati GranTurismo and is powered by a 4.7-liter V-8 that makes 444hp at 7000 rpm and 354 ft-lbs of torque at 4750 rpm.

A convertible, or Spider, version of the 8C Competizione is already in production.

8C Competizione

8C Spider

Official release after the jump:

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