According to Autobild (print edition, Jan 25), Alfa Romeo will re-engineer almost all of its models from front wheel to rear wheel-drive (RWD). Since the FIAT conglomerate has practically no usable RWD platforms, Alfa is about to ink a deal with GM to use The General's Sigma platform, currently underpinning the Cadillac CTS, SRX and STS. Alfa plans to use Sigma for its 169 executive sedan, the 159 small sedan, the Alfa Spider convertible, the Brera Coupe and for a new generation of smaller Maseratis. Autobild speculates they might deploy Sigma for the next gen Maserati Quattroporte and the GT. From a GM bean-counter's point of view, the news sounds sensible; why not share the costs? From a branding POV, you might say hey, Cadillac could do worse– at least, they aren't sharing Sigma with Pontiac. However. HOWEVER. GM wants to re-relaunch Cadillac in Europe. And Alfa plans to re-enter the U.S. Why the heck is GM helping a competitor to undermine its own market? And let's not forget that the last time GM got in bed with FIAT, it got burnt for 1.55 billion Euros. Fool me once…
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Alfa Romeo will re-engineer almost all of its models from front wheel to rear wheel-drive (RWD)
Hurray God has answered my prayers, I have been waiting for them to ditch this FWD BS since the craptacular 164 came out. I hope they do a lot of engineering to the Sigma platform to give it Alfa’s dynamics and compactness, I’m sure they will since they are using a GM platform right now. For some reason GM doesn’t even use the great GM/Fiat Premuim platform that sits under the current 159 that looked like it was to go in a Saab. Now all they need to do is get a small NOT over priced sedan here with one of their great engines and I could quit searching for a Milano or GTV6 to hop up.
And let’s not forget that the last time GM got in bed with FIAT, it got burnt for 1.55 billion Euros.
I don’t know about FIAT but GM has been sharing stuff with Alfa since long before that ill fated deal. There were a decent amount of parts on my Spider that had GM’s logo right on it, and I found a lot of interchangable parts in the ignition system.
They need the money and cash talks.
This is a win-win for GM, for Alfa and for all those who echo Redbarchetta’s feelings that the FWD Alfas do not deserve the name Alfa Romeo. The Alfa lineup remains one of the most beautiful in the world, so if they can apply their styling sense to a competent RWD chassis, everyone’s happy. And I doubt that anyone will mistake the big Alfa sedan for a Cadillac, or vice-versa. Bravo!
I’m absolutely elated. I have no doubt Alfa will thoroughly re-engineer the Sigma platform to suit their needs and inject proper Italian character.
The other huge benefit to this plan: weight savings.
Consider this. Right now to be competitive in the European mid-range market (3-Series, expensive Mondeos, C-Class, A4), you have to be able to offer diesels and strong V6 gasoline engines for the really rich folks. And in the U.S., we absolutely love our big V6 engines.
For Alfa to put that much torque into cars right now, it has to build them as AWD cars with a FWD bias. It’s why the V6 model Alfas are all fairly slow these days.
My understanding is that GM is walking away from the Sigma platform. The 2008 CTS is the last GM product that will use it. They’ll be using the cheaper Zeta platform from now on–which is shared with Pontiac :)
Yes well I agree with you guys: from an Alfisti point of view, a competent RWD platform is excellent news.
Right now, Alfas tend to be overweight (like Justin said) and to have an atrociously large turning circle. And ever since the 164, they’ve had some degree of torque steer. If and when they get Sigma, I’ll be a potential buyer — if and when they get their lousy quality in order…
GM wants to re-relaunch Cadillac in Europe. And Alfa plans to re-enter the U.S. Why the heck is GM helping a competitor to undermine its own market?
The Alfa and Cadillac wont even be similar except for the origins of the platform. The Alfa will have a completely original skin, most likely smaller dimensions, Alfa designed suspension and engines(hopefully their great oil burners), and a quirky Italian interior(which I really like). I bet people wont even be cross shopping the two brands. I know I wont, my Alfa was 100 times more reliable than this Cadillac pile of crap I have now and way more fun than this 4 wheel sedative.
The right way to be sharing platforms, and the way GM should be doing it’s multitude of brands rather than letting the bean counters force this badge engineering product overlap mess.
That would be nice. I was thinking the other day that FIAT may have the best brand spread in Europe:
Fiat, Lancia (i.e. Buick: Fiats with nicer appointments), Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Ferrari.
makes perfect sense. Except that Maserati should not share platforms with Ferrari, but with Alfa Romeo instead. It would certainly be beneficial for both brands.
Another question is: Will Fiat use its GM settlement money to buy the Sigma platform?
It sounds good to me. Especially for a new Spider and a new Brera.
I am hoping that the chassis might find its way down to Lancia, but I suppose that’s too much to hope for.
So, what about Saab?
I remember that Saab was planning their 9-7X to be Sigma-based, but GM ditched that plan because they wouldn’t want to dilute their Cadillac brand. So, Saab would have to do with the ancient GMT360-platform, with said and sad result. Imagine a Cadillac SRX-based Saab SUV in 2004. Selling the Sigma-platform to Fiat is doing something good ten years too late.
Perhaps Saab could jump that bandwagon and develop their own version based on the Alfa underpinnings? I mean, why stop with the badge-engineering? Remember the Saab 9000/Lancia Thema/Fiat Croma/Alfa Romeo 164 from the mid-80’s?
I agree this is good news all around. Alfa and Cadillac are not competitors and I doubt they will be cross shopped anytime soon in Europe or the US.
A smart deal for both sides.
A bit of history. The 164 shared a platform with the Saab 9000 (pre-GM involvement) a Lancia and a Fiat. See:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_Four_chassis
@jthorner
A bit of history. The 164 shared a platform with the Saab 9000 (pre-GM involvement) a Lancia and a Fiat. See:
AH, the Lancia Thema… there used to be a version with a Ferrari V8. And yes, front whel drive.