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Alfa owners throw a party for iconic brandAlfa Romeo turns 100 on June 24, and the Capital Chapter of the Alfa Romeo Owners Club (AROC) is celebrating the famed Milanese maker's centennial with a weeklong series of festivities called “Alfa Century 2010.” Centennial celebrations take place June 21-27 in numerous locations throughout the world including in Milan, at the Goodwood Festival of Speed and during the Monterey weekend. But the Washington, D.C.-based AROC Capital Chapter's birthday bash represents the largest Alfa-exclusive commemoration in the United States. Chapter president Harlan Hadley said he expects a terrific turnout of Alfa Romeos from all eras of “Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili” (A.L.F.A.) history. “The response to the event has been great,” Hadley says. “One of our goals is to help people who have modern Spiders and GTVs understand why Alfa is loved so universally. We want them to see the lineage.” That lineage hit the road on June 21, with a Targa Florio Tribute Tour which began at the impressive Simeone Foundation Automotive Museum in Philadelphia. A special tour of the museum, featuring the foundation's six prewar Alfas, was to be given by founder Dr. Fred Simeone. Then, Targa Tour participants were to convoy 50 minutes south to the facilities of well-known Alfa restorer David George, proprietor of David George Historic Motorcars. From there, they'll head to picturesque Frederick, Md., the headquarters site for Alfa Century 2010. The celebration officially gets under way on June 23, with national AROC meetings and the arrival of event attendees. But the ball really gets rolling on June 24 with Time Trials and parade laps at nearby Summit Point Motorsports Park (www.summitpoint-raceway.com) from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. An exhibition/rapid run of vintage Alfa racing machines follows from 4 to 5 p.m. A welcome reception and birthday celebration take place at 8 p.m. at the convention hotel in Frederick, with attendees including representatives from the Italian Embassy. June 25 kicks off with an autocross event from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Harry Grove Stadium in Frederick. In addition, there will be a TSD rally, an AROC town-hall meeting and a swap meet and cookout. In the evening, a tour of Washington, D.C., monuments will be hosted for participants. June 26 will feature the highlight of the celebrations--the Christy Craig Alfa Romeo Concorso at Stone Manor Country Club in Frederick. Hundreds of Alfas will be on hand (judged and nonjudged) on the gracious lawns of the club, from the oldest example in the country--a fabulous 1925 RL Super Sport--to the latest 8C Competiziones. Seminars and an Alfa-centered art exhibition will accompany the concours. The festivities conclude on June 27 with an awards brunch. For more information on the events, visit the Capital Chapter AROC Web site at www.alfaromeonews.com.
Read more: http://www.autoweek.com/article/20100623/CARNEWS/100629966#ixzz0riRsWrbr
The 2010 Alfa Romeo Giulietta, an AW Flash DriveWhat is it? models get a supercharged 1.4-liter turning out 120 hp; opting for what Alfa calls the Multi-Air system sees the 1.4-liter's traditional intake camshaft swapped out for hydraulically actuated tappets that provide for infinitely variable lift on every stroke, upping output to 170 hp. Diesel choice Fiat Group's upscale division, Alfa Romeo, revives a beloved nameplate with the 2010 Giulietta, a five-door, midsize hatchback boasting an abundance of Italian style along with a fair amount of sporting intent. The last time a Giulietta graced the streets was 1985, but true Alfisti will want to recall the original, which debuted in 1955, when considering this third iteration. By its looks, the Giulietta is unmistakably Alfa. Its face carries the familial triangular grille, a chrome version here floating within the center of the air intake and anchoring the V-shaped scallops carved down the center of the hood. Its bixenon headlamps look particularly cool with the optional LED running lights outlining the inner corners, while out back the taillamps light up like spirals, unwinding from high atop the car's rear haunches and trailing their LED "tails" across the hatch on either side. And the Giulietta cuts an aggressive profile, its long hood and chopped rear end topped by a greenhouse sloping gradually rearward. More elegant touches include distinctive body-side sculpting, an aggressive lower air inlet and fog lamps, body-color front door pulls and hidden rear door handles. You have to look pretty closely in the pictures to spot them, tucked in the trailing edge of the rear door glass and colored black like the trim. The Giulietta comes in two basic variants, named Progression and Distinctive, equipped with a choice of five engines, including three gasoline four-bangers and two diesels. Base models include a 1.6-liter direct-injection turbo four producing 105 hp, as well as a 2.0-liter, 170-hp four-cylinder featuring a variable geometry turbocharger. Top-of-the-line models get a unique engine, a 1.7-liter direct-injection turbo four-cylinder gasoline engine pumping out 235 hp and sporting twin variable-valve timing units. All engines except for the 235-hp motor also use a start/stop system. The bigger, if not as sexy, news, however, lies under the seats: Simply called the Compact platform, the Giulietta's underpinnings are of an all-new design, and Alfa has plans to build multiple vehicles across the Fiat Group's many brands using this platform. Chrysler engineers are currently studying the platform for use in some undisclosed future Chrysler products, though Alfa won't say at this point what those products may include. How does it drive? We had a chance to briefly drive the 235-hp top model on the track at Fiat's main proving ground in Balocco, Italy. Many of the more technically sophisticated systems showcased on the Giulietta really had a chance to shine when hustled at speed, none more so than its dual-pinion active steering system. As one might guess, the system employs a pair of pinions. The first is tied directly to the column itself and does not benefit from any nonmechanical assist. This ensures the driver always has a direct feel of the road and good feedback from the wheels. The second pinion is fitted near the other end of the steering rack and makes use of electrical assist, and when working in concert they impart a precise, linear steering action and a natural feel of the road. Every Giulietta also sports what Alfa calls a DNA selector, which allows the driver to choose between three preset driving settings--Dynamic, Normal and All-Weather. Depending on the setting, DNA modulates engine throttle response, steering rate, thresholds for vehicle stability-control intrusion as well as the amount of "slip" allowed by the electronic differential. When switched into Dynamic mode on the track, the car responds more aggressively in every category, and markedly so. Body motions, too, feel nicely controlled overall, the nose never dipping too far under hard braking, and likewise, never shooting too far in the air when attacking the gas pedal. Even through the tighter sections of the track, the steering always feels nicely sorted, with a quick, satisfying response while telegraphing plenty of info from the wheels. And the car maintains a pleasant, neutral demeanor through the turns, with a tolerable amount of understeer even when pushed hard through tighter turns. That said, at 235 horses, the best Giulietta is a bit underwhelming. The engine doles out its power across a wide sweep of the tach, but just when it felt like it wants to really open up, the needle hits 6,000 rpm and the rev limiter. We can definitely envision a more powerful version; the chassis certainly seems up to the task of managing more power. The Giulietta is slated to go on sale beginning in May; right-hand-drive markets will have to wait until July. Stickers will start at 20,300 euros ($27,700) for the base, 1.4-liter 120-hp model, and by the first full calendar year, Alfa expects to be rolling out 100,000 Giuliettas annually. Do we want it? Unfortunately, don't count the United States in that sales figure. Alfa has not yet made its long-awaited reappearance in the U.S. market, and as of today will not reveal what its plans are for returning. Alfa folks are saying, however, that the Giulietta will likely not be a part of its initial American lineup, which is too bad. Even for want of more power, we're particularly keen on vehicles combining the size, utility and style you see here in the Alfa Romeo Giulietta.
Press Release U.S. Alfa Romeo Owners Club Embraces Marchionne’s Promise of Alfa Return Washington, DC, April 21, 2010 – Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne’s April 21 announcement that the Alfa Romeo brand will return in force to the United States in a little over two years is wonderful news for the 4,000 members of the Alfa Romeo Owners Club. The 52 year-old enthusiast organization has functioned as a vintage car club since Alfa Romeo, the sporting Italian marque owned by Fiat, pulled out of the U.S. market during the 1995 model year. While Alfa’s flagship 8C Competizione supercar has been sold through Maserati dealers, no mainstream Alfas have been sold in the U.S. in 15 years. The plans that Marchionne unveiled include a full range of vehicles, including the tiny MiTo hatchback, the recently introduced compact Giulietta sedan (replacing the 147 model), and a larger Giulia sedan and station wagon (replacing the 159, which like the 147 was never sold stateside). A small SUV akin to the BMW X3, and afterward a larger SUV in a class with BMW’s X5, built on shared Chrysler platforms, are also promised as Alfa will introduce a total of seven new vehicles in the next five years. A new Spider in the plans for 2013 will be an updated version of the car that secured Alfa Romeo’s U.S. reputation in the film The Graduate, in which Dustin Hoffman drove a late 1960s Spider. The new roadster is sure to reflect the glamour of the marque’s heritage. “The partnership with Chrysler opened a new door for Fiat and Alfa to reenter the American market, and our members and all Italian car enthusiasts are truly excited,” said AROC President Brewster Thackeray of Arlington, Va. “While Maseratis, Ferraris and Lamborghinis, and recently the Alfa 8C, have been sold in six-figure cost territory, Americans have been denied access to affordable, real-world Italian cars for a decade and a half. Millions of Americans are of Italian descent, and millions more are fans of Italian culture. We’ve had to admire Alfa’s beautiful products from afar, and now we believe CEO Marchionne is making a smart call to bring Alfa back to the States. Just as cars like the VW New Beetle and the Mini tapped into enduring affection for great European classics, Alfa and Fiat have a visceral appeal that should serve them well in this market.” Alfa Romeo will celebrate its 100th anniversary this June with worldwide celebrations headquartered in Milan. The American celebration will be at AROC’s Annual Convention, being held in Frederick, Md. June 23-27. That event will feature competitive driving events, tours and a “concorso” where Alfas dating from the pre-war era through 1995 will be featured. “AROC and our members, who represent this country’s most committed fans of the marque and who have long served as brand ambassadors, look forward to renewed ties with Fiat and Alfa Romeo International as this re-launch approaches,” Thackeray said. For more information, please visit www.aroc-usa.org, or contact John Justus, j.justus@aroc-usa.org or 816/668-0399.
Chrysler and U.S. market to play key role in Alfa relaunch
Automotive News -- April 21, 2010 - 12:55 pm ET
 A five-door version of the Alfa MiTo, shown, will be sold in the U.S. and Europe.
TURIN, Italy -- Chrysler Group will play a key role in plans to revive Fiat S.p.A.'s ailing Alfa brand. The U.S. automaker will build two new Alfa crossover models for sale in North America and Europe. Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne made a strong commitment to the money-losing sporty brand, which will be 100 years old in June, during a presentation of Fiat's five-year strategy today. Marchionne announced the launch of seven new Alfa models from 2010 to 2014 and said Fiat is determined to transform the brand into a "full-line premium carmaker." Marchionne also said North America will account for 85,000 unit sales in 2014 out of 500,000 that Alfa aims to sell in that year. The Chrysler-built vehicles for Alfa will be: • A compact SUV based on the Compact architecture that underpins the Giulietta hatchback in Europe. Production will begin in 2012 • A large SUV, similar in size to the next Jeep Liberty, which is sold as the Cherokee in Europe. Production will start in 2014. The crossover models will be built in two of the three U.S. plants that Chrysler Group plans to retool for new Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep models based on Fiat-Chrysler's Compact Wide architecture. Alfa will also sell a mid-sized sedan and station wagon when in the United States starting in late 2012. These two vehicles will have the name Giulia and in Europe will replace the 159 range. They will be built in Italy. Alfa will also sell in the United States a five-door version of its MiTo minicar, which is currently sold in Europe as a three-door. The five-door MiTo will be sold in Europe and North America starting in 2013. Alfa will launch the Giulietta in North America after the car gets a face-lift in 2014. The Giulietta makes its European debut in May. Alfa will continue to build the Mito and Giulietta in Italy.
 ENLARGE The U.S. will get the Giulietta in 2014.
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Chrysler to build Alfa spider
Marchionne also said Chrysler will provide the platform for a new Alfa spider model, planned for 2013, but said the production location has not been decided.
Fiat's plan for Alfa calls for the brand to sell 500,000 cars in 2014, is five times more than Alfa sold last year.
Starved of fresh product as Fiat delayed key new models, Alfa sales have declined steeply as its lineup became older. This year's volume expected to be 120,000 units, compared with a peak of 207,000 in 2001. Alfa has lost between 200 million and 400 million euros ($288 million to $566 million) a year in the past 10 years, according to company sources.
Alfa quit the North American market in 1995 after the quality of the brand's cars was condemned in studies and its sales plummeted
Alfa Romeo Flexes Its Small-Car MusclesThe Giulietta features a supercar-inspired design that should give the Ford Focus pause. By Dan Trent of MSN Autos 
Alfa Romeo Giulietta Out to steal the new Ford Focus' thunder, the Alfa Romeo Giulietta brings a bit of Latin glamour to the C-segment, with 8C-supercar-influenced styling and the Fiat group's new MultiAir engines. Of course, Alfa Romeos have always tended to be beautiful. But can the Giulietta really hope to take on the mighty Focus, consistently one of Europe's best-selling cars and here in its swoopy new third-generation form? The proof will come when we've had the chance to drive them. But at the Geneva Motor Show, the Giulietta's looks — not the only eye candy here on the Alfa stand — certainly score well. There's substance backing up the style, too. The five Giuliettas on the stand showed the various engine options, including two of the feisty-sounding 235-horsepower Quadrifoglio Verde versions fitted with the 1750 TBi engine. Equally impressive is the 170 horsepower 1.4TB MultiAir gasoline engine, a downsized turbocharged engine that punches well above its weight while delivering 134g/km CO2 emissions and fuel economy of 61.4 mpg thanks to Stop/Start technology. Two diesel Giuliettas are also on display here in Switzerland: the flagship 170-horsepower 2.0-liter and a 105-horse 1.6. At this time Alfa Romeo has not announced any plans to bring the Giulietta to North America.
10 years after Alfa's promised return to the U.S., it's still not here
Automotive News -- February 22, 2010 - 12:01 am ET
>> Send us a Letter to the Editor It seems like only yesterday that Fiat got American Alfisti all worked up by declaring that its Alfa Romeo brand would return to the United States.
But alas, March 13 will mark the 10th anniversary of that announcement.
And it still hasn't happened, although we may be getting closer. This month, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne said: "I'm a lot more confident now that Alfa Romeo will reconstitute a product offering that is acceptable globally, and more in particular in the United States and Canada."
Still, the story of Alfa's American comeback gives new meaning to the phrase "on again, off again."
Alfa left the United States in 1995 with a reputation for poor quality. But in March 2000, then-Fiat Group CEO Paolo Cantarella said a new Alfa Spider would be sold here in 2003 as part of Fiat's alliance with General Motors.
In 2002, the Alfa plan was put back a year because of delays in developing the Spider. Then in 2003, new Fiat Group CEO Giuseppe Morchio canceled Alfa's U.S. plans outright, what with Fiat Auto near bankruptcy at the time.
Marchionne was revitalizing Fiat by 2005 and was sounding confident about Alfa's U.S. comeback. He said Alfa would return in 2008 with the 159 sedan, the Brera coupe and the Spider. But the return was later pushed back to late 2009 to allow for construction of a plant in the United States or Mexico.
There was also a change in the product plan: U.S. sales would now begin with the 149 replacement (eventually called Giulietta). The 159, Brera and current Spider no longer were slated for U.S. shores.
In November 2008, the return was delayed yet again -- until 2011 because of the weak U.S. market, uncertainty about local manufacturing and distribution, and because Fiat was trying to buy Chrysler.
But by last July, it was again a sure thing. Fiat confirmed that Alfa would return in the second half of 2011 with the Giulietta. Only the situation changed again in November when Marchionne put the idea under review.
But this month, he said: "There is a strong likelihood that the brand will be back here within the next 24 months," thus in mid-2012.
Sounds great, although you might forgive the local Alfa enthusiasts from doing somersaults just yet.
Viva Alfa Romeo Celebration, Florida November 7, 2009 Thanks to all Sponsors & Participants .JPG)
see more photos below and on VIVA 2009 page
Marchionne's latest view on Alfa's U.S. future follows last month's appointment of Harald Wester as the sports car maker's CEO. Wester, 51, is the fifth Alfa chief appointed by Marchionne during his six years at Fiat. Wester added the Alfa job to a growing list of titles, which includes chief executive of Maserati and Abarth, as well as chief technical officer at Fiat S.p.A. and Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A. In appointing Wester, Marchionne called on his enormous commitment and a proven ability to “bring strong leadership capabilities and solid technical experience and know-how” to a strategic review of Alfa. The review is due to be completed by April 21, when Fiat will unveil a plan for the group for the next four years. Chrysler platforms Sources say that Fiat is considering broadening Alfa's product portfolio using platforms from Chrysler Group, the U.S. automaker now controlled by Fiat through a 20 percent stake. Fiat bought Alfa in 1986. The plan calls for using Fiat-Chrysler “compact-wide” architecture to underpin a front-drive mid-sized sedan and station wagon to replace the Europe-only 159. The two new models, dubbed Giulia, would be built in the United States starting in mid-2012, the sources have said. Alfa's future plans also include a rear-drive, large sedan based on the Chrysler 300C platform to replace the 166. This model, set to debut in 2013, may be built in Brampton, Ontario, along with the Chrysler 300C and Dodge Charger. In Toronto, Marchionne indicated that Canada would play a major role in the future of Alfa and said production in the country was possible. Alfa's newest product, the Giulietta hatchback to debut next month at the Geneva auto show to replace the 147, is not part of the current scenario for North America. Alfa's new-car sales have declined steeply in the past decade as its range aged and new products were delayed. Last year, Alfa's global sales declined 1 percent to 102,000 units, according to Fiat. That's about half the 203,000 units sold in 2000. Marchionne spoke in advance of a Toronto charity event in support of earthquake relief for Abruzzo, Italy. Marchionne was born in Chieti, Abruzzo, and raised in Toronto.
Fiat will merge Alfa, Maserati and Abarth into single brand groupTechnical guru Wester to lead sporty trio Luca Ciferri
Automotive News Europe -- January 22, 2010 06:01 CET
Alfa, which built a limited run of the 8C Competizione (shown), will have the same boss as Maserati. TURIN, Italy -- Fiat S.p.A. has created a new brand group for its sporty Alfa Romeo, Maserati and Abarth marques.
The group will be headed by Harald J. Wester, who is currently CEO of Maserati and Abarth as well as chief technical officer at Fiat Group and Fiat Group Automobiles. Wester will keep all of his current job responsibilities.
Alfa's current CEO, Sergio Cravero, is reassigned to head of product portfolio planning and product concept at Fiat Group Automobiles.
"The purpose of bringing the Alfa Romeo, Maserati and Abarth brands under the same leadership is to emphasize and leverage the value of the shared qualities of the three brands in terms of their sporting characteristics and performance," Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne said in a statement.
"Harald Wester, who has demonstrated his enormous commitment on several fronts and achieved optimum results, will bring strong leadership capabilities and solid technical experience and know-how to this project," Marchionne added.
In his new role, Wester is expected to identify potential synergies between Maserati and money-losing Alfa Romeo, which is undergoing a strategic review of its future.
Alfa has lost between 200 million and 400 million euros a year in the past 10 years, according to sources.
Chrysler could build Alfas
There are two options under consideration for the brand, which was founded in 1910 and bought by Fiat in 1986.
One is to freeze investment in the brand after its latest model, the Giulietta, debuts at the Geneva auto show in March. The Giulietta will replace the 147.
This would mean that the Alfa 166 would not be replaced and would leave the brand with the Giulietta and the MiTo, launched in 2008, as its only fresh models. The rest of Alfa's range -- the 159, Brera coupe, Spider and GT coupe will continue to be sold for a while.
This option could result in a slow death for the brand, as sales would fall without the addition of fresh products.
The second option is to use platforms from Chrysler, of which Fiat owns 20 percent, to underpin a D-segment sedan to replace the 159 and an E-segment sedan to replace the 166. Both new models would be built in North America.
The review of Alfa is due to be completed by mid-April, which is when Fiat will unveil a strategic plan for the group for 2010 to 2014.
Alfa's new-car sales have declined steeply in the past decade as its range became older and new products were delayed.
Last year, Alfa's sales in Europe increased 8.1 percent to 110,545 units, according to ACEA, the association of European automakers, but were about half of the 203,000 units sold in 2000.
Fiat will report Alfa's global sales on January 25.
Wester quickened Fiat's time-to-market
Wester, 51, is a German engineer who joined Fiat in 2004 from Austrian contract manufacturer Magna Steyr.
In his five years at Fiat, Wester has accelerated the automaker's use of virtual engineering. This has helped slash time-to-market for vehicles based on existing platforms. It took 26 months to get the Fiat Stilo ready for its 2001 debut while it took just 15 months to launch the Alfa Romeo MiTo and Lancia Delta in 2007.
Fiat's Wester began his auto career with VW..
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Wester began his automotive career in 1991 with Volkswagen AG at its headquarters in Wolfsburg, where he was general manager of vehicle research and new concepts. He later moved to VW premium brand Audi to be program manager for the all-aluminum A2 entry-premium car.
In 2000-2001, Wester spent two years at Fiat subsidiary Ferrari as director of product development. He moved to Magna Steyr in January 2002 to be its group president of engineering and chief technical officer.
In November 2004, he rejoined Fiat as the group's chief technical officer. In August 2008, he was named Maserati CEO.
Five months later he added the role of Abarth CEO.
Cravero has been CEO of Alfa for just 12 months after replacing Luca De Meo, who was Fiat group's chief marketing officer as well as CEO of the Alfa and Abarth brands. De Meo left Fiat in January 2009 to take up a top marketing job at VW.
Fiat markets a sporty 500 under the Abarth sub-brand The Abarth sub-brand, which comprises sporty versions of the Fiat Punto and 500 cars, was relaunched at the 2007 Geneva auto show. |
You can reach Luca Ciferri at lciferri@craincom.de.
U.S. comeback tops agenda of new Alfa Romeo CEOLuca Ciferri
Automotive News -- January 22, 2010 - 12:17 pm ET
In his new role, Harald Wester is expected to identify potential synergies between Maserati and the money-losing Alfa Romeo. TURIN, Italy -- Alfa Romeo’s return to the U.S. market tops the agenda of the brand’s new chief, Harald Wester.
Fiat S.p.A. today created a new brand group for its sporty Alfa Romeo, Maserati and Abarth brands.
The group is headed by Wester, who is currently CEO of Maserati and Abarth as well as chief technical officer at Fiat S.p.A. and Fiat Group Automobiles S.p.A. Wester will keep all of his current job responsibilities.
“The purpose of bringing the Alfa Romeo, Maserati and Abarth brands under the same leadership is to emphasize and leverage the value of the shared qualities of the three brands in terms of their sporting characteristics and performance,” said Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne.
“Harald Wester, who has demonstrated his enormous commitment on several fronts and achieved optimum results, will bring strong leadership capabilities and solid technical experience and know-how to this project.”
In his new role, Wester is expected to identify potential synergies between Maserati and the money-losing Alfa Romeo, which is undergoing a strategic review of its future.
This strategic review includes an eventual return to the U.S. market for Alfa, which exited the United States in 1995. The first comeback, announced in March 2000, was set for 2004. The latest plan, announced last year, rescheduled the comeback to mid-2012.
Sources say that Fiat is considering two plans for the future of Alfa.
The first option is to use platforms from Chrysler Group, of which Fiat owns 20 percent, to underpin a front-drive mid-sized sedan to replace the 159 and a rear-drive large sedan to replace the 166. Both new models would be built in North America and are scheduled to debut in mid-2012 and 2013.
This option includes selling in North America these two Alfa models built in the United States and in Canada.
The second option is reducing Alfa to a Europe-only, two-model range.
The review of Alfa is due to be completed by mid-April, when Fiat will unveil a strategic plan for the group for 2010 to 2014.
Alfa has lost between 200 million and 400 million euros ($288 million to $566 million) a year in the past 10 years, according to sources.
Alfa’s new-car sales have declined steeply in the past decade as its range became older and new products were delayed.
Last year, Alfa’s sales in Europe bounced back 8.1 percent to 110,545 units, according to ACEA, the association of European automakers, about half of the 203,000 units sold in 2000.
Wester, 51, is a German engineer who joined Fiat in 2004 from Austrian contract manufacturer Magna Steyr.
In his five years at Fiat, Wester has accelerated the automaker’s use of virtual engineering. This has helped slash time to market for vehicles based on existing platforms. It took 26 months to get the Fiat Stilo ready for its 2001 debut while it took just 15 months to launch the Alfa Romeo MiTo and Lancia Delta in 2007.
Wester began his automotive career in 1991 with Volkswagen AG at its headquarters in Wolfsburg, where he was general manager of vehicle research and new concepts. He later moved to VW premium brand Audi to be program manager for the all-aluminum A2 entry-premium car.
In 2000 and 2001, Wester worked at Fiat subsidiary Ferrari as director of product development. He moved to Magna Steyr in January 2002 to be its group president of engineering and chief technical officer.
In November 2004, he rejoined Fiat as the group’s chief technical officer. In August 2008, he was named Maserati CEO. Five months later he added the role of Abarth CEO.
Maserati has been owned by Fiat since 1993.
The Abarth subbrand, comprising sporty versions of the Fiat Punto and 500 subcompact cars, was relaunched at the 2007 Geneva auto show.
Alfa’s former CEO, Sergio Cravero, 49, was reassigned to head of product portfolio planning and product concept at Fiat Group Automobiles.
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