Alfa Romeo News

WORLD champion Jenson Button is now officially a member of the McLaren- Mercedes team. He clocked off at Brawn GP on December 31 and made his first public appearance in TeamVodafone colours on January 1, although he is currently holidaying in Hawaii before his first McLaren test drive in February.THE stillborn Honda NSX supercar will be used as a race base in this year's Super GT series in Japan. Honda killed the car before putting it into production but the born-again NSX survives - at least as a body shape - in Japan's domestic touring car series.AUSTRALIAN drivers Damien Harris and Ricky Steffens hold the advantage over American raider Jack Wyatt after the first leg of the Australia- versus-USA nitro funny car challenge at Willowbank Raceway in Queensland. Harris was the standout with a quickest quarter-mile run in 4.968 seconds, also clocking the first 300-miles-an-hour run at the track, but Wyatt plans to turn the tables in the deciding races on January 16 as he tunes his car to the local track and weather conditions.DANIEL Erickson is pressing ahead with plans to race the Star Mazda series in the USA despite losing his CAMS Rising Star backing for 2010. He has also formed a supporters club - details at www.danielerickson.com.au - to try and raise funding for the 13-race series.KIWI veteran Craig Baird picked up a prize in this year's New Year's honours list in New Zealand. The 39-year-old was honoured for services to motorsport after claiming his 21st championship in 2009, and has already re-signed with the Holden Racing Team for the V8 Supercar endurance events later this year.ALFA Romeo will be the featured carmaker at the 21st running of the Phillip Island Classic on March 19-21. The Italian brand celebrates its 100th anniversary in 2010 and many classic cars will be at the event, as well as Aussie Alfa racers Alan Jones, Colin Bond, Tim Schenken, Bryan Thomson, Jim McKeon and Frank Porter. Kevin Bartlett, who won two Australian drivers championships in Alfa-powered open- wheelers in 1968 and 1969, will be the patron of the Phillip Island event.

Plenty when you're a legendary brand like Alfa Romeo and naming a new car is as important as the car itself.  So the Italian carmaker has gone back to the future to finally give its 147 replacement a name.  And the Milano is out, Giulietta is back in.The Giulietta is expected to make its first public airing at the Geneva Motor Show in March.  Intially four engines are likely, two 1.4-litre turbos and a 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre turbo-diesel.Of course Alfa would never be Alfa without a high-performance GTA version, rumoured to get around 175kW.  In Europe, the Giulietta will be pitched into the hot small hatch segment against the VW Golf, Opel Astra and Peugeot 3008.As the photos show the interior gets a twin-glass roof, sports leather seats and plenty of equipment.  Among the standard kit will be Alfa's three-mode DNA system from the MiTo with dynamic, normal and all weather settings.Other highlight features include LED daytime running lights front and back and concealed rear door handles similar to the 156.  The Giulietta is clearly a stylish hatch with cues from the just-launched locally MiTo, including a striking take on the Alfa family grille.There are also hints of the 8C Competizione in the car's profile.  As the rear shot shows, the tail-lights extend into the hatch and the reversing lights are integrated into the reflectors.  Few other details are known, except the hatch is expected to be bigger in length and width, close to the previous-generation 156.The Milano will be available as a five-door hatch initially, but a three-door will follow.  The Giulietta nameplate was last sold in Australia back in the 1980s.

I realised this while finalising the judging of this year's Carsguide Car of the Year contest, which you can read about in today's liftout.  Yes, there are still bad things in cars. I think the damping of the Maserati Quattroporte is awful, cannot stand the seats in the Fiat 500, find a lot of Japanese headlamps lacklustre, and worry about the long-term quality of Alfa Romeo.But these are little things compared to some of the howlers I have driven in the past.  The Fiat Argento was supposed to be an executive express but it was so bad that it was canned after the first press preview drive. The evaluation cars were dropped onto executives and the plan died.The Holden Piazza was, for me, nasty and dangerous. I only drove it once and was glad when the over-powered Gemini coupe was binned.  On the Holden front, the Gemini diesel was also awful. Ahead of its time in efficiency but behind the times in every other way.And I could go on. And on.  But the cars of 2009 are brilliant. It truly is a golden age in motoring.  We had a lot of trouble culling the COTY field to just 10 cars and the finalists are so, so close in so many ways. Great value, too.Things will only get better in coming years and I am expecting better efficiency, better performance, more safety and so much more before the day when environmental pressures and a lack of oil turns cars into transport modules and nothing more.We should all enjoy things today because it, truly, has never been better.Follow Paul Gover on Twitter!

I have known him for more than 20 years and I am still staggered by everything from his towering intellect to his ability to run 20 kilometres each morning despite devouring red wine at a rate that makes a V8 engine look like a fuel miser. His history with cars is almost beyond belief and he confesses to owning more than 120 at some time, including swapping one Alfa 90 - not my favourite car by a long way - for an identical car in a slightly different colour. Wright is a contradiction wrapped inside a question that is rolled up in inside a ball of doubts and worries and challenges. But he can write. His latest effort is titled, in the style I have come to expect from him, "My other wife is a car". Not bad for a bloke who has had plenty of both. It is a rambling, generous, encouraging, questioning and humorous story from a man who refuses to take life easily. "I wrote the book because my wife often says to me that life is not all about cars," Wright says. "And being in love with cars is not all about cars. It's about what else was happening in your life." Apart from cars, the novel is about John Wright and his life. I know because I was there or close by for many of the stories and cars he covers. "I tried to write a novel. But . . .," he says. "It's all about the way you look at something. The difference between fiction and non-fiction is often not as much as people think." Is that confusing? No, that's John Wright and his book is worth a read. It's light and fluffy but also deep and insightful. And definitely worth spending .... at the bookshop. "It's about cars and much more than cars. And an attempt to describe what the passion of cars is all about. "It took about three months. I started out thinking I could re-use pieces I'd already written, but it didn't work out that way. I started thinking it would be 20,000 words but it turned out to be 60,000. Oh well." Follow Paul Gover on Twitter!

A Fiat 500 with teeth and the Alfa Romeo Mito with new, greener engines.

...caused such a stir at the 1997 Tokyo motor show that the big Bavarian marque had no choice but to make a production version. The concept was called Z07, and the car it spawned – in limited numbers – was the BMW Z8, which was produced between 2000 and 2003 and given the E52 model code. 5703 Z8s were made and about half of them made their way to the United States. Penned by Henrik Fisker at BMW’s Designworks, very few changes were needed for the Z07 to go into production as the Z8. The windscreen was extended upwards and bigger front air dams were fitted. To keep it as faithful to the concept as possible, the designers incorporated clever features such as multi-function instruments, integrated side indicators that were invisible until needed, and modern equipment that was hidden behind interior retractable panels to preserve the simple, vintage-inspired look. The all-alloy chassis car cost $128,000 and was pulled by a 4.9 litre V8 engine that produced 294kW and 500Nm.The engine was shared by the M5 of the time. The Z8’s 0-100km/h time was officially 4.7 seconds but quicker times (to 4.2 seconds) have been recorded by various testers. The top speed, as per BMW regulations, was locked off at 249km/h, although when unbridled the feisty little Bimmer could reach 300 clicks. To make the Z8 more attractive to collectors, all elements of the car were constructed or finished by hand, and a number of custom options were available including non-standard paint and interior treatments. In 2003, a softer, less sporty version of the Z8 was introduced. It was called the Alpina V8 Roadster and it came with a smaller 4.8 litre V8 engine. Only a five-speed automatic transmission was available in the Alpina, and the car featured softer suspension and softer leather trim than its rawer, race-ready brother. Slightly bigger wheels were fitted and special Alpina gauges and steering wheel were also added. The Alpina outputs were 280kW and 519Nm but interestingly the top speed was 10km north of the original Z8, at 259km/h. Only 555 Alpinas were built. Images courtesy of www.bmwz8.us.  

The Frankfurt Motor Show literally roared to life this morning when a classic BMW 507 roadster ran laps of a custom-built oval track inside the German carmaker's $30 million stand.

Earlier this week it revealed holiday snaps and personal details of the new head of the British intelligence service MI6, Sir John Sawer. Now it's Alfa Romeo's turn.An enterprising soul has posted what appears to be early production models of the new 147 replacement, the Alfa Romeo Milano, taken with a phone camera. The white cars are minus name badges, but the Alfa Romeo logo is clearly evident as the cars are grouped together in one of Alfa's factories.The Milano is clearly a stylish hatch with cues from the just-launched locally MiTo and even sharing some curves from the 8C Competizione. Some MiTo touches, like the headlights and grille, as well as the round LED tail-lights will appear on the Milano when it is launched early next year.As the rear shot shows though, the tail-lights are extended across with rear, with the reversing lights integrated into the reflectors. Like the 147, the Milano's rear doors have the handles set high into the C-pillar, creating an almost-coupe look.The hatch is expected to have grown in length and width, with insiders saying it is close in size to the previous generation 156. The Milano will be available as a five-door hatch initially but a three-door, as well as performance GTA models are tipped to follow.Petrol power is expected to come from a range of both 1.4 and 1.7-litre turbocharged engines, delivering between 90kW and 120kW depending on specification. A high performance 198kW V6 engine is expected to be slotted into the range-topping GTA. A range of turbo-diesels will also be available.When the giant Fiat group — which owns Alfa Romeo — assumed control of Chrysler recently, details of Alfa's future naming strategies emerged in plans Fiat presented to the Chrysler board.It showed that the 147 replacement could be called the Milano and the 159 replacement the Guilia.

The arrival of the stylish MiTo and 8C Competizione started the ball rolling and now Alfa is close to finishing off its 147 replacement, which is expected to borrow heavily from its stylish relatives.The MiTo's design has been a hit in Europe and Alfa is keen to capitalise on this success.Under the heavy black cladding the new 147, which could be known as either the 149 or Milano, gets the MiTo and 8C Competizione treatment.Some MiTo touches, like the headlights and grille, as well as the round LED tail-lights will appear on the Milano production car when it is launched early next year.However, despite the heavily disguised rear door, it may also carry over the 149's high-set rear door handles.The five-door prototype was caught testing at the famous and challenging Nurburgring, where carmakers go to finesse ride and handling.With an overall-length of 4300mm, the hatch has grown longer and wider but is lower and very close in size to the previous Alfa 156.The Milano is expected to be available as a five-door hatch initially but a three-door, as well as performance models are tipped to follow.Petrol power is expected to come from a range of both 1.4 and 1.7-litre turbocharged engines, delivering about 90kW and 120kW with a high performance 198kW V6 engine expected for the range-topping GTA.Alfa's 1.9-litre turbo diesel is also expected to be available, .Like the MiTo, the new 149 will receive a six-speed manual gearbox with an automatic available as an option for some engines.Prices are expected to be close to the current car, starting around $35,000 and rising to more than $40,000 for the GTA.The hatch will be based on the same platform as the Fiat Bravo, called the Ritmo here.Alfa Romeo is known to be toying with the Milano name for its Volkswagen Golf competitor as the company starts to move away from numerical model names.Details of Alfa's future name changes were outlined in the Chrysler restructuring plan earlier this year.It showed that the 147 replacement could be called the Milano and the 159 replacement the Guilia.The newcomer will be aimed right at the hearts of the typical Alfisti, statistically aged between 27 and 40.

Where will it all end? Australian automotive manufacturers and importers are hoping the answer is: right here, right now.For the first time in months, there's a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel that may not be another oncoming train.The Federal Government's cash handouts have helped the Australian economy dodge a recession on a technicality, consumers are spending again and car showrooms are beginning to fill with a whole lot of shiny new offerings.With a fresh financial year dawning, something in the order of 60 all-new or refreshed models are waiting in the wings before the end of 2009.Ranging from the first of the Chinese invaders to a couple of machines from the supercar stratosphere, these are the recession-busters the automotive industry is relying on.Here are a handful of the key players in this revival.Great Wall Motors AFTER what seems an age of yes-we-are, no-we-aren't games, the first of the Chinese-made brigade will be in showrooms next month.A pair of workhorse utes — the 4x4 V240 (known as the Wingle in China) and the 4x2 SA220 — will come as single-specification models with prices expected to be "around two-thirds of their logical competitors".That could mean a starting figure of $17,000 to $19,000.Alfa Romeo MiToTHE classic Italian marque's new baby, which arrives next month, has the task of taking on BMW's iconic Mini in the quest for buyers with more cash than responsibilities."It's a growing market as people downsize their cars to achieve better fuel economy but don't want to give up performance or style," Alfa Romeo Australia's Edward Rowe says."Our aim is to beat the Mini on both price and equipment."To that end, Rowe says the newcomer — which sits on a Fiat Punto platform — will launch as two models: the 88kW MiTo and a sparkier, 114kW MiTo Sport.Both have turbocharged, 1.4-litre petrol engines with six-speed manual gearboxes. Expect a starting price in the low $30,000 range.Hyundai i20AFTER the success of the i30 hatch and wagon, Hyundai has high hopes for its German-designed, Indian- made small car.Expected to hit showrooms towards the end of this year, the three-door and five-door i20s will sit at the higher end of the light-car segment, beginning at $16,000 to $17,000.This will leave the popular Getz as Hyundai's entry-level model, but will likely spell the end of the Accent.VW Golf GTITHE sixth-generation Golf GTI arrives in October with all the shiny new technology seen on its more mundane stablemates but lots more go.With 155kW driving through a new limited-slip differential, it promises all the attitude of its predecessors wrapped into a more refined package."It has all the safety and enhancements of the Golf VI and more power than the outgoing GTI, yet it's quieter and more efficient," VW Australia's Karl Gehling says.Pricing isn't yet set, but should be close to the outgoing model's $39,990.Holden VE CommodoreTHE first mid-life makeover for GM-Holden's "billion-dollar baby" is likelyto be remarkable for what ishappening under the skin rather than for any cosmetic body changes.A founding member of the Large Family Car segment — the hardest- hit sector of the industry over the past couple of years — the Commodore will celebrate GM's survival with a much more focused and fuel-efficient engine package.Although a four-cylinder option isn't on the cards, a smaller V6 is. That could be a three-litre or even a version of the 2.8-litre that has recently been shipped to Mexico for the Cadillac SRX.Expect to see it around October.