In Volkswagen’s relentless quest to become the world’s largest automaker by 2018, the company has set its sights on a new conquest:
Alfa Romeo.
But current Alfa owner Fiat has shown no interest in selling the brand, which it hopes to re-introduce into the American market, possibly with the super-sexy 4C.
Past experience, though, has shown that what VW wants, VW gets. And honestly, this sounds like an acquisition that can truly benefit the struggling Italian brand.
At the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, Volkswagen’s Chairman Ferdinand Piech said that he can quadruple sales of Alfa Romeo vehicles, moving 400,000 units annually within 5 years. We know VW has the cash, the production capacity and even a little experience in producing and marketing Italian cars.
There’s also news that if Volkswagen gets its way, Alfa Romeo could get a supercharged dose of assistance from Porsche. The German automaker is working on a flat-four cylinder engine for use in an entry-level car to sit below the Boxster. That engine could also be used to power Alfas, potentially creating some Porsche-powered Italian-designed dream machines. Sounds like a match made in automotive heaven, doesn’t it?
Of course there is the whole hitch that Alfa isn’t actually for sale, a position Fiat seems pretty firm about:
A Fiat Group spokesman has told AutoCar that the company has “drawn a line” under any sell-off. “We shut the door in their faces and now they’re trying to get in the window,” he said.
That’s the thing about the Volkswagen Group, though. It will get in through the windows, bring a pile of cash and simply wait there until the Fiat execs come to their senses and sell.
Would a Porsche-powered Alfa Romeo be more attractive than one packing Fiat power?