Meanwhile the Premium platform based replacement for the Lybra, due in September 2005 is to be called the "Medea", and will spawn SportWagon and Intergrale versions, while next year's Lancia Y is to break with tradition and received an Italian/Greek inspired name, most likely to be "Venus".

The Fiat Panda/Seicento replacing "New Small", although widely trailed, shows more clearly its Stilo-style "step" below the side windows and the family-look front bumper and rubbing strips. The front grille and door handles have been revised.

Next year's Alfa Romeo 156-based Coupe, commonly referred to as the "Sprint" in this image offers a front bumper and spoiler styled closely to that of the new 147 GTA with GTA-style front grille air-intakes obvious. Insiders, however believe front will be "much more agressive looking".

"Sports Utility Vehicle" ( SUV ) - Given the go-ahead. The vehicle, which will emphasise a sporting nature, will, according to Alfa Romeo "not be designed for offroad use". Expected in late 2005, the SUV will be targeted at the US market as one of the key products when Alfa re-launch there in 2007. It will be based on the GM Saturn VUE platform and a Lancia version targeted for offroad use also emerge. The Alfa/Lancia SUV's will compete the Fiat Group SUV line-up following on from the 2004 debut of Fiat's smaller Suzuki GranVitara-platform based SUV. 

156-based "Sprint" Coupe - The 156-based "Sprint" Coupe which draws styling cues from the current 147 is ahead of schedule and will be unveiled at next September's Frankfurt Motor Show. Production targeted at 25,000 units in 2004.

GTV/Spider - The next generation GTV and Spider projects has now officially gone back to to the drawing board, with senior management including Fiat Auto CEO Giancarlo Boschetti and Alfa boss Daniele Bandiera unhappy with the current proposals. Next years "Sprint" coupe will fill the gap to the next GTV if the launch date falls back further. Pininfarina design "too close to Dardo" for Alfa Romeo, Italdesign expected to take over project.

The Brera has formed the basis of a new design which has seen the prototype concept reworked by Alfa Centro Style and Italdesign. Known in-house as the "Evoluta" it was to be unveiled as a concept car at the Paris Motor Show. When the project received the green light in mid September the Evoluta was quickly pulled from the show.

No decision has been made on a powerplant for this new sportscar which sets its sights high, by aiming to eclipse the Porsche 911. The Italdesign prototype was based around Maserati's new Coupe, and its all-new Ferrari-developed 4.2-litre powerplant is under consideration. However, Alfa are also looking at a bored-out version of their current 3.2-litre V6 GTA unit, increased to 3.5-litres and fitted with a twin turbo set-up.

It is undecided whether the Evoluta will be rear or four wheel drive, but it will be Alfa's first coupe to have drive to the rear wheels since the SZ/RZ. A unique platform will be developed which will feature double wishbone suspension all round.

The 1,000 Evoluta's will come in a single specification with the Selespeed transmission will be the only gearbox option. It is expected to be launched in October 2004.

Luca di Montezemolo, 54, has spent the last 11 years as Chairman of Ferrari, overseeing the marques revival and taking them back to the top in Formula 1. In the last few years, Maserati has been added to Ferrari's operations and a successful relaunch has been carried out. Montezemolo is a career Fiat employee, he began at Ferrari in 1973 as team manager. He went on to lead Fiat's public relations division before heading up the groups publishing arm. He left to lead Italy's first America's Cup bid before going to organise Italy's 1990 Football World Cup.

He returned as boss of Ferrari in 1991, remaining in the post since then. Regarded as a protege of Gianni Agnelli, he is close to Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, and was offered the post of Foreign Minister last year, an offer he turned down.

Paolo Fresco has been Chairman of Fiat Spa for the last four years and has not been able to shake off involvement in the group's disasterous recent performance. The move would also put pressure on Fiat Auto boss Giancarlo Boschetti. His restructuring plan has generally been well received, but his leadership performances have been characterised as weak and ineffecitve and he has struggled to impose a clear leadership.

Meanwhile a new director of marketing for Fiat and Lancia has been appointed. Filiberto Barbero takes up the post immediately, switching from other duties within the auto division, while present incumbent, Ayoul Grouvel, will move to a new post.

The Supercar Rally 2002 saw 35 contemporary sportscars running in a non-competitive event, the field including, as well as the Maseratis, the Italdesign Maserati-based Alfa Romeo-badged Brera. The event started on the streets of Paris before heading to Clermont-Ferrand where several laps of the Charade circuit were undertaken. After 530 kms the first leg ended at the spa town of Vichy. Day two saw the competitors head to Aix-les-Bains, over 450 km of twisty mountain roads. The third leg took the field out of France and to Stressa in Italy, through the Mont Blanc tunnel and via Biella, 450 km over many roads used in the Monte Carlo Rally. The final day brought the competitors to Monaco with a closing parade through the principality's famous Casino Square. 

The Trofeo ran faultlessly, although on-the-spot modifications were made in the mountains of southern France to the front spoiler which was hitting the ground. Other cars of interest entered were Italdesign's Maserati Coupe-based Brera and Stola's 1998 Fiat Barchetta-based Abarth Monotipo.