Just What The Heck Would Volkswagen Do With Alfa Romeo If They Bought It?

Same thing they did with Bentley, Bugatti, and Lamborghini: stay true to the brand but improve the quality, reliability and infuse modern technology.

Ah, but Bugatti Bentley and Lamborghini are not mass commodity vehicles. Look at what they are already starting to do to Porsche and have already done to Audi. Platform sharing! Love it or leave it.

joe gotta point

Your dead on!! Bravo!

maybe bring it to the USA?

mini22 said it best.

VW has already been through the unintended acceleration syndrome that nearly destroyed their Audi brand back in the 80's.This at a time when they were much smaller. They have climbed out of the basement already. Also I due think it's automobile culture is a little different then Toyota's.Other differences. Some of their holdings Lamborghini,Bentley,Bugatti and now Porsche are in much higher end markets. While not immune to the economic downturn the rich still have money to buy cars. I believe VW would like to scuttle Seat because it has not made money for them. Alfa Romeo has so much more history then a Seat that VW figures it can really cash in given the proper development with proper funding and proper platforms. Fiat,who has owned Alfa since the early 80's has not had the proper funding,the proper platforms or the marketing power that VW has. So as to not dilute VW platforms VW could codevelope a smaller RWD platform with Porsche for Alfa's mid line cars(As in Brera,159,166,spider) replacements. What would Porsche get out of the deal. How about a platform to create a smaller Panamera sedan and sports coupe with a front engine. This might bring it's volume up to the 150 to 200,000 car range that VW wants for it.Sports cars can only make up so much volume but will always have a limited volume appeal as they are considered 2nd cars. That's why Porsche branched out into the Panamera and Cayenne in the 1st place. And the Panamera is currently out selling the sportscars at the moment. So imagine a more affordable smaller Panamera with Porsches 300 HP new V6 engine.It could be a win win for VW. They could use a VW platform for the Mito, Giulietta replacement. Fiat could keep it's platforms for Lancia, Fiat and Chrysler. In the long run perhaps they could flourish without having to figure out how to market the Alfa brand."

— mini22

Well I just read today that Porsche has been put in charge of "All" new platforms for all divisions. Apparently they are developing a "modular" front engined platform that will take transverse and longitudinal engine applications.Modular also means different wheelbase sizes as well.On the large side their new modular platform will handle the new Panamera,Cayenne, and Bentley Continental series models. This of course would be perfect if they owned Alfa. Because of the flexibility of this modular platform Porsche could (again as I previously stated) develop a smaller RWD platform with a longitudinal engine for Alfa and perhaps a smaller Porsche but use the transverse application for for VW and Audi products in order to differentiate between models. This would really be a benefit to Alfa. VW does not need any of Alfa C Evo platform technology because frankly anything developed by Porsche would be far superior in my opinion. Just think about it. An Alfa Romeo whose chassis is designed by Porsche and whose engines derive from smaller versions of Audi and Lamborghini.The styling would either be by Walter De Silva(who previously headed Centro Stile for Alfa) or Ital Design who has designed the most beautiful cars on the planet. You would really be talking about "Automotive Heaven". The reality is that it does not appear right now that Alfa is for sale. I think Marchionne of Fiat needs to proove that he can revitalize Alfa. However the 3 to 5 yrs projections of 500,000 cars per yr when Alfa has averaged 100,000 to 115,000 the last 4 years seems like a "pipe dream" to me.Next you have a world economy that may take 5 yrs just to come back to pre 2007 levels.Alfa is supposed to start selling the Giulia Sedan and Wagon here starting late 2012 at the 200 designated Fiat dealerships in the US. It remains to be seen if Marchionne can pull it off with Alfa. But if Alfa does not perform Marchionne would probably be more then too happy to unload it. Remember his primary interest is Fiat and Chrysler. He has a plan with the C Evo platform and RWD Chrysler platforms to revitalize Chrysler, Dodge, Lancia,and Alfa. It will be interesting to see how it plays out. Saying all this VW in my opinion could do a better job with Alfa then Fiat.

"Just What The Heck Would Volkswagen Do With Alfa Romeo If They Bought It?"

- They would Ruin it.

Wrong.

The same will probably happen when Hyundai buys Toyota/Lexus. The good news is that they won't have to create new platforms.

Looks to me like this is a strategic move by VW to buy up likely Audi competitors while they are still relatively weak and relatively cheap.

Any gain beyond that is frosting on the cake and simply makes the purchase that much easier for the VW Board to approve.

The real question is whether Marchionne has the will and the money to make something more of Alfa himself. My take is that he'd have already sold Alfa is all he wanted to do was to cash out.

Money, product direction, re-entry to US market.

Go t_bone. I agree again.

Yes I think Marchionne wants to see if he can make Alfa work. He figures that the vital US market will help Alfa.