The next-generation Fiat Stilo's
'Compact' platform, has now
been chosen for the new 2008-due Alfa 149, reports
Automotive News
Europe,
who add that Fiat Auto CEO Sergio
Marchionne is talking to other car manufacturers
about sharing the platform's technology.
The highly versatile new 'Compact' architecture is an
evolution of the existing Fiat
Stilo model's C-frame platform and has been
developed specifically for the Fiat's next C-segment car
which will replace the current
Stilo model range next year. Already confirmed to
be used by the new Lancia
Delta model (due in 2007) the 'Compact' platform has now
reportedly been given the green light to form the basis
of the vital new 'Premium C-segment' Alfa 149, which
will succeed the Alfa 147 late next year.
Alfa Romeo had recently been considering two
architecture options by either using the 'Compact'
platform or building their next-generation C-segment
model on a shortened version of their in-production
'Premium' platform. With the Alfa Romeo 159 sedan, 159
Sportwagon,
Brera and Spider all being
based on the 'Premium' floorpan
obvious economies of scale and harmonisation
opportunities presented themselves
although the Premium architecture's biggest
deficiencies, such as its inherent weight disadvantage,
would have been difficult to overcome for a C-segment
application.
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The highly versatile new 'Compact' architecture is
an evolution of the existing Fiat Stilo model's C-frame
platform and has been developed specifically for the
Fiat's next C-segment car which will replace the
current Stilo model
range (above) next year. |
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The 'Compact' platform has now reportedly been given
the green light to form the basis of the new
'Premium-C' Alfa 149, which will succeed the
Alfa 147 (above) late next year. |
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Bringing the Alfa 149 onto the 'Compact' architecture
alongside the proposed new Lancia
Delta will allow Fiat to more cost-effectively improve the
platform's all-round dynamic capabilities, including
incorporating much more advanced front and rear suspension
arrangements than will be required by the next-generation
Stilo, as well as embedding four
wheel drive, which will be an option on both the
Lancia Delta and Alfa 149.
ANE also quote
Fiat Auto's Head of Product Giuseppe
Bonollo as saying that the platform's front end has
been completely redesigned to ensure the next
Stilo gets a five-star rating in
EuroNCAP's crash test. The
current Stilo has an already
respectful 4-star safety rating.
The newspaper also reports that Fiat CEO Sergio
Marchionne is now in talks with
other carmakers about sharing the 'Compact' architecture and
thus helping to reduce it development and production costs
further. Marchionne has made
'targeted industrial alliances' a key strategy for Fiat
Auto, most recently announcing that the new Fiat 500 and
Ford's next-generation Ka model range would be jointly
developed and produced at the Fiat factory in
Tychy, Poland, and will be built
on a revised version of the Fiat Panda platform.
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