03.03.2004 STRIKING ITALDESIGN VISCONTI CONCEPT PRESENTED IN GENEVA GIVES POINTERS TO FUTURE ALFA ROMEO FLAGSHIP SALOON

ItalDesign have presented two new striking concept cars at the Geneva Motor Show. The hybrid 'green' Toyota themed Volta is joined by the Alfa Romeo based Visconti, a proposal for a future Alfa Romeo flagship.

The Visconti concept closely draws on styling themes first seen on the firm's Brera concept as well as incorporating traditional Alfa Romeo cues. The now corporate-look large front grille thrusts outwards and tapers into a thin aluminium strip up a front bonnet, which is deeply swaged in current Alfa-style.

The headlights are pure Brera, while the front bumper offers cut out sections finished similar to the 147. The whole profile of the car arches up rearwards and the curves down into a compact bootlid. Neat door handles, tapering rear lights, carefully positioned aluminium finishers and an almost horizontally positioned fuel flap complete the well thought out design.

It is expected eventually to evolve into the large 166 saloon's replacement and finally take Alfa Romeo into BMW and Mercedes territory. The Visconti's purposeful curves, flowing rearwards, certainly give it the appearance of a thrusting top-of-the-range executive saloon itching to take the fight to the German prestige marques.

The Giugiaro styled concept is very forward looking as it incorporates four wheel steering, an area that Alfa Romeo is known to be presently developing, while under the deeply swaged bonnet sits the next generation GM/Alfa developed 3.2-litre V6, here fitted with twin turbos to pump out 408bhp.