Fiat Chrysler Automobiles once had big plans for Alfa Romeo as it saw massive potential in the once-proud Italian automaker. That may still be true today, but in light of the sales struggles of the 4C Spider and the subsequent reports that Alfa was scrapping a successor for the model, the Italian brand is once again on the verge of another major product reshuffle with the company turning its focus on the Giulia midsize sedan, the Stelvio crossover, and a larger crossover that will compete against the likes of the BMW X5 and the Audi Q7.
Lost in the new plans are successors to both the variants of the 4C, as well as a bigger roadster that was supposed to share in the Giulia’s powertrains, and a flagship sedan that was being billed as a possible rival to the BMW 5 Series and the Audi A6. A compact model to succeed the Alfa Giulietta is still under consideration but there’s been no indication on which side FCA brass is leaning on.
So for now, the company will set its sights on promoting the business out of the Giulia and all of its derivatives, including the 503-horsepower Quadriofoglio, and the Stelvio midsize crossover. The Giulia is expected to arrive in the U.S. at the tail end of the year and the Stelvio has been tapped to make its long-awaited debut at the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show in preparation for a release in the early part of 2017. A coupe version of the Giulia is also in the pipeline as is a bigger SUV, which will share its underpinnings with the Stelvio.
The new product timetable is a good sign that FCA isn’t prepared to throw in the towel with Alfa Romeo. On the flip side, it also shows that the automaker’s margin for error is getting thinner by the day.
Continue after the jump to read the full story.
from Top Speed http://ift.tt/2cmlW6k
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