Geneva motor show 2011: VW would 'quadruple Alfa sales'

Volkswagen’s Chairman Ferdinand Piech announced in Geneva that the company would be able to almost quadruple annual sales of Fiat’s ailing Alfa Romeo brand.

According to Piech, VW could increase Alfa sales to 400,000 units within five years.

Unfortunately for the German car maker, however, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has refused to sell the brand – “As long as I am CEO of Chrysler and Fiat, Mr. Piech will never have Alfa Romeo” – Marchionne said last month.

Instead, he added that Piech’s efforts should be more focused on fixing Seat, VW’s struggling subsidiary car brand.

And Piech’s response at the Geneva motor show? – “Volkswagen has time.”

Sales of Alfa Romeo have continued to fail to meet company targets of 300,000, selling only 112,000 units last year.