NEW MASER-BASED ALFA BREWS
Exec saloon with rear-drive due in 2009
 Maserati Quattroporte: imagine it with an Alfa nose |
There's a new rear-wheel drive Alfa Romeo in the brew, according to this week's Autocar.
It'll be an executive-level machine that could become the sister car to the next-generation Maserati Quattroporte. As Maserati moves away from Ferrari, it has cuddled up to Alfa, so the collaboration makes more sense.
Original suggestions that the new Alfa, dubbed the 169, was due to be based on the 159 have been scotched, according to the story, because of the problems of fitting everything into the 159's tighter wheelbase.
The car's likely to be powered by V6 and V8 engines and could be built at Maserati's Modena plant. Expect to see it in 2009.
It'll be the first Alfa driven from the rear for almost 15 years: not since the demise of the Alfa Romeo 75, the Alfetta's replacement, which ceased production in 1992 has the once-sporty marque produced a car with the drive in the right place.
