Fiat and Chrysler co-operate for SUVs

The new SUV will be built at Fiat’s Mirafiori plant in Turin, Italy, which will be modified to produce what is a first for Alfa to overlap with the production of a Jeep model to change the Compass and Patriot in that line-up. The Alfa SUV will be designed at the Audi Q5 and BMW X3, a company spokesman is reported to have said.

Part of the SUV production will be sold in Europe; the other part will be shipped to North America said.

The Alfa Romeo Mito, together with two minivans (Fiat and Lancia) are currently built at Mirafiori. The plant has been in use since 1939.

And in another sign of the Alfa brand’s ambitious expansion plans, it is reported that a rear-engined, rear-wheel drive sports coupe is on the cards. The car will be smaller than the 8C Competitizione produced in a limited run from 2007 to 2008 and is likely to be called 4C GTA. Chances are it may be revealed at the Geneva auto show in March, 2011.

The car will be a joint project with Italy’s Dallara Automobili and will supposedly be constructed mainly of aluminium and carbon fibre.

The new car is crucial in CEO Sergio Marchionne’s quest to get the ailing Alfa to the 500 000 sales per year mark by 2014. According to experts, 112 000 cars bearing the Alfa insignia were sold in 2010.