New Alfa 149 to spawn SUV

This Autocar image shows how a new Alfa Romeo SUV could look when it arrives in 2010.The all-new Alfa Romeo 149, the front-drive Focus rival due for launch next year, will share its platform with the SUV, and could also underpin a bigger saloon and possibly even a new Coupé and Spider.Alfa bosses insist that the ultra-flexible platform, which will also be utilised in modified forms for Fiat and Lancia models, is starting life as a pure Alfa Romeo project. It is being used to create a “beautiful” Ford Kuga-sized SUV crossover which revives the 2003 Kamal concept. That idea was canned — it was certainly ahead of its time — but now Alfa believes that it must have a small SUV in its model line-up if its planned 2010 re-entry into the US is to get off to a flying start. The platform can also be used as a basis for a replacement for today’s 159 saloon, which will be lighter but no smaller.Meanwhile, the company is still believed to be in “super-secret” talks with Jaguar to source a rear-wheel drive platform for a bigger Alfa luxury saloon, for which it believes there would still be a demand. Fiat Group boss Sergio Marchionne invited Jaguar/Land Rover’s Ratan Tata to join the Fiat board last year, and the pair are understood still to be talking on the subject.

Steve Cropley