Re: Future Alfas

["Ryan Fellini" <rfellini@xxxxxxxxx>]

Some of the latest gossip on this car is the following:

- The name will be "TZ3", not "Sportiva Evoluta".
- Most likely built by Zagato
- Engine will be a version of the Fiat-GM Powertrain (FGP)
"Electron" HFV6.
- Engine will use JTS
- 3.6L 24v V6 with twin-turbos.
- Front engine, RWD (incorporating Maserati's transaxle)

Apparently there will also be a Alfa Romeo TZ3 GTA "Scuderia Ferrari"
that uses a detuned Ferrari V12.

Ryan

> I guess I'd have to say that this is all speculation as Alfa has not 
> publicly announced anything except that a car very similar to the Brera 
> will be sold (announced last January at the Geneva Auto Show). The 
> nexus between the Brera and Ferrari is that the ItalDesign Brera show 
> car was built using Maserati running gear, including the current 
> Maserati coupe/Spider engine. It is not the Ferrari V-8 because the 
> Ferrari V-8 is 3.6 liters and is used in the 360 Modena. This is, of 
> course, very nit-picky, as Ferrari does actually build both engines in 
> their spanking new plant at the Maranello works (which I had the honor 
> of touring in late April). But since it is not used in any Ferrari, 
> it's not, technically, a Ferrari engine.
> 
> Anyway, It's doubtful that Alfa would use that engine and drive train 
> in the Brera-derived production car. The reason? Cost. Alfa Romeo 
> want's to price the "Sportiva Evoluta" (the current name for the 
> production Brera) in the US$60-70K range not in the US$80-90K range 
> where the Maserati underpinnings would surely put it. The "Sportiva 
> Evoluta" (or whatever Alfa ultimately calls the production version of 
> the Brera which Alfa hopes will be ready for unveiling at the Frankfurt 
> Motor Show in September) will likely use the upcoming 3.5 liter version 
> of the current 3.2 liter GTA DOHC V-6 or an Alfa reworked version of 
> either the Australian General Motors Holden 24-valve 3.8 V-6 or perhaps 
> the slightly larger Holden V-8 (the GM engine connection is still up in 
> the air).
> 
> Look for the "Sportiva Evoluta" to be an AWD car based upon the current 
> FWD layout (regardless of engine), I.E. transversely mounted V engine 
> in unit with the tranny driving the front wheels through and add-on 
> transfer case to split the drive between front and rear wheels as 
> necessary,
> 
> The Link with Giugiaro is to be strong throughout the new Alfa line 
> from the "Sportiva Evoluta"  at the top through the new Sprint, to the 
> newly redesigned 166 sedan.
> 
> Sources:
> My discussion in May, in Italy, with Alfa Romeo PR personnel.
> 
> George Graves
> '86 GTV-6 3.0S
> 
> 
> On Saturday, June 28, 2003, at 02:43 PM, alfa-digest wrote:
> 
> > Date: Fri, 27 Jun 2003 17:42:10 -0400
> > From: Joe Elliott <jee@domain.elided>
> > Subject: re: Future Alfas
> >
> > At 8:43 PM +0000 6/27/03, alfa-digest wrote:
> >> Date: Fri, 27 Jun 2003 09:22:11 -0700
> >> From: Will Owen <nashwill912@domain.elided>
> >> Subject: Future Alfas
> >>
> >> David Serafini wrote:
> >>
> >>>  Also of note: the new spider GTA is scheduled to get the 4.2L 
> >>> Ferrari V8
> >>>  (@425hp) and 4wd.
> >>>  This strikes me as making it very similar to the Maser spider, and 
> >>> I don't
> >>>  understand why they want to do that.
> >>
> >> I was not privy to the decision-making process, but my guess is their
> >> reasoning was along the same lines as Ford's decision to sell the
> >> all-but-identical Aston-Martin and Jaguar XK at hyper-astronomical and
> >> merely-astronomical prices respectively: because they CAN, and because
> >> it's a good way to sell more cars. "Badge engineering" it's called in
> >> the UK, and most of the multi-marque conglomerates have been doing it 
> >> as
> >> a matter of course for the last 50-some years. At its least inventive
> >> and most boring it amounts to changing logos and trim, but now that so
> >> much real engineering can be done on the fly it's fairly easy to 
> >> tailor
> >> not only appearance but dynamic characteristics to each market 
> >> segment.
> >
> > I'd be more inclined to suggest that the media speculation David
> > cites is bogus.  I'd love to think that the Brera will see production
> > (with 4.2L V8 and rear transaxle), and other future Alfas will be RWD
> > as well, and I'm almost prepared to believe rumors along those lines
> > that have gotten published by various sources recently.  But for the
> > Ferrari V8 to see widespread use throughout the Alfa product line
> > just doesn't strike me as realistic, and not just because such a
> > Spider would compete the Maserati's.
> >
> > - -Joe
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