Rossen Gargolov Alfa Romeo develops new engines
10.04.2015
Z In 2015 and 2018, Alfa Romeo wants eight new models at the start that rely exclusively on rear-wheel or all-wheel drive and are all to be manufactured in Italy. On the drive side, Alfa Romeo wants to rely on four- and six-cylinder diesel and gasoline engines. The performance spectrum should range from just over 100 to just over 500 hp - diesel from just over 100 to around 350 hp. Fiat boss Sergio Marchionne announced these plans in May.
Alfa engines with Ferrari genes
According to information from Automotive News Europe, the corresponding units are already very well developed. A 2.9-liter V6 biturbo gasoline engine is to be used as the top petrol engine, which is currently traded with around 480 hp. The six-cylinder was derived from the three-liter engine from the Maserati models, which in turn was developed by Ferrari.
For the performance range below, the Italians rely on a two-liter four-cylinder with turbocharging and MultiAir technology. Depending on the configuration, the turbo gasoline engine should deliver between 180 and 330 hp.
The new Alfa engines will be manufactured in the Termoli plant on the Italian Adriatic coast. Design, research, development and production at the Termoli plant are being modernized with a total investment of around half a billion euros. Around 200,000 copies of the two new engines are to be produced annually.
The new Alfas are also to be equipped with diesel engines. The basic engine here is a 2.2-liter four-cylinder that should deliver between 135 and 210 hp. For more demanding requirements, VM Motori is developing a three-liter V6 that is derived from the current V6 diesel engine from the Jeep and Maserati models. The performance spectrum of the diesel should range from 275 to 340 hp.
The future Alfa model range will include two new compact models as successors to the Giulietta, two new mid-range models, one model in the upper mid-range, two crossover /SUV Models and a sports car.
