I know, a heap of names in the title, but that’s not because we don’t know what the new Alfa 147 is going to be called (although we don’t), it’s because Alfa Romeo don’t have a clue either. Although they did, as you can see from the name on the numberplate in the picture. But they don’t any more.
The new Alfa 147 was destined to be called the Milano. But Alfa has fallen out with its workforce over the name because the Milano is due to be launched as Alfa wind down their presence in Milan (Milano). Alfa’s workers are up in arms that the use of the Milano name is a final insult to them as all Alfa production is now going to be in Turin. So Alfa are thinking again. Rumour is the new 147 will be called Giulietta. But Alfa will have to decide by the time of the Geneva Motor Show in Spring 2010 as that’s the official launch.
So the Alfa Romeo whatever is a five door, Golf-attacking car from Alfa using Fiat’s new C-Evo platform that will find plenty of use across not just the Fiat range but that of Chrysler too. It’s a bit bigger all round than the outgoing 147 and when it arrives in 2010 it will get a choice of two pertrol and two diesel engines. The petrols will be a 1.4 litre and a 1.4 litre Multiar with 120bhp and 170bhp respectively and the diesels will be a 1.6 litre and a 2.0 litre with 105bhp and 170bhp.
Also planned is a Cloverleaf model (Quadrifoglio Verde) which will offer a 1.7 litre turbo with around 230bhp aimed at the Golf GTI and the like.