European customers have been eagerly anticipating the replacement for the aging Alfa Romeo 147. Tentatively referred to as the 149, the new five-door hatchback, tipped to receive a new nameplate outside the three-digit numeric designation, will be positioned slightly above the three-door MiTo hatch. As with the new MiTo, styling is expected to borrow the themes laid out by the 8C Competizione, which should translate better to the increased dimensions of the 149/Giulia over the more cartoonish looks of its smaller sibling. Expect a range of gasoline and diesel engines, which could be topped by a 265-horsepower GTA version. Sources now suggest the 149 will be unveiled in a bit over a year from now at the Frankfurt show for market roll-out anticipated in late summer 2009, and will spearhead the new "C-Evo" platform based on the underpinnings from the Fiat Bravo and Lancia Delta.
The Alfa Romeo 159 may be one of the most beautiful sedans on the market, but that hasn't been enough to make the model a sales success. As we learned after driving the new MiTo, Alfa isn't satisfied any longer to glide by on its name and looks alone, and so has started work on the replacement for the 159 even though the current model was only introduced in 2005.The main reason attributed to the 159's poor market performance has been its dynamic performance, inhibited by an overweight chassis designed by Saab during Fiat's partnership with GM. Its successor is tipped to be based on the same platform as the upcoming 149, however, which still means front-wheel-drive. With the numeric designation running out of room to grow, the 159 replacement is widely reported to revive the classic Giulia nameplate, with styling cues borrowed from the curvaceous 8C instead of the angular Brera. Sources suggest that the new sedan, anticipated for debut in 2010, is being developed specifically with the American market in mind.
Alfa Romeo's marketing people have been bouncing around the idea of ditching the current three-digit numbering system and proceeding with a nameplate nomenclature. The shift – already in place on some models and not on others – could increase the appeal of certain models even more, while helping them avoid a crossroads that will inevitably come up when models like the 159 need to be replaced.
Italian magazine Quattroruote has come up with a composite image of what it thinks that vehicle could look like. Unfortunately the results are rather cumbersome, essentially Photoshopping the nose from the MiTo onto the existing 159 body. The rear-end rendering is not much better, but intriguingly appears to carry a New York State license plate. While the existing 159 remains one of the most striking mid-size sedans on the market, we hope its successor – speculatively reviving the Giulia nameplate of old – will look a heck of a lot better than this.
