Alfa SUV's a Fiat accompli

[colcol]

Italian car giant Fiat is aiming to secure the future of its Alfa Romeo brand with two new SUV's,
The soft roader duo will spear head Alfa's crucial return to the US market in 2013, Fiat is hoping the models will bring success to its troubled subsidiary and stave off unwelcome advances from an eager Volkswagon.
Insiders have told Drive both SUV's will be 5 seaters, but different in size, the smallest version  will arrive late next year as a mid size challenge to rivals such as the BMW X3, it will sit on a extended version of  the Guillietta hatchback platform, which is also being used for the 159 replacement Giullia.
The larger, BMW X5 fighting Alfa SUV is expected in 2013 and shares its underpinnings with Jeep Grand Cherokee and new Mercedes Benz ML, as part of Fiat's Chrysler group takeover.
Key engines for the Alfa Romeo soft roader will be diesel, including Fiat's new turbo diesel V6 that was recently installed in the Grand Cherokee.
  It would be an understatement to say Alfa Romeo has taken its time to produce an SUV, a concept was called the Alfa Romeo Kamal, was shown at the 2003 Geneva motor show, this text was reprinted from the age drive 20-8-2011, Colin.

[Paul Gulliver]

Like a lot of proposed " new " Alfa models, seeing will be believing

[Davidm1600]

I don't know guys but perhaps it is me, personally I hate softroader SUVs.  To me they are so crass. 

What is bloody wrong with having a sedan, a wagon and a sportscar.  Bugger it is what we have, and no need for a horrid SUV, albeit that the other half has been making threatening noises about getting a Ute.  Yuk.  That is what the wagon is for.

[colcol]

I personally hate SUV's or 4 wheel drives as they are, who would have thought a Porsche Cayenne or BMW X5-3 could be so successfull  coming from sporty car makers, but i think Alfa Romeo has missed the the boat, they should have had them 10 years ago, Fiat should concentrate on building sporty cars with Italian motors, made in Italy, not the current G.M. and future Chrysler motors, that are good but they are not true Alfa Romeo's, Colin.

[Paul Gulliver]

they should have had them 10 years ago,

Spot On

[Duk]

It's such a shame that FIAT would even consider using the Alfa Romeo name so they can pander to the fad driven market!
What's next, cheaper to build front wheel drive Ferrari's  .
It's marketing at its worst!

Alfa Romeo are dead and have been for a long time 

[dehne]

dont see the point of a 5 seat 4wd, have a normal sedan, the market they shoult be at is 7 or 8 seater, not to many good sports 4wd's out there.

[David Mills]

On the question of what to use where, best to suit your horses for courses.  I have owned 9 or 10 Alfas over the years and despite AR wandering from the script from time to time they remain my first preference in many fields.

However around the paddocks here at home I use a 23 yo diesel Landcruiser flat tray which I have owned for 20 years and for going to town I have a 1 yo VW Tiguan because of its utility, load carrying capacity and I live at the end of a 17k stretch of rough dirt road.  Oh and it is well built and not bad to drive.  (Maybe I should have it chipped to 170kw?) If Alfa made vehicles that would do the job these two do, maybe I would have them instead.

Dave