Second episode about the Automotive News Europe interview to Fiat CEO Marchionne (the first episode yesterday). Marchionne talks about using a shortened Premium platform (159, Brera) in the future 149 hatchback (in the picture, a rendering from Le Blog Auto, very Maserati-ish), of the crossover Kubang/Kamal (still doubts about the project) and about why the 147 has such low sales.

Starting from the end of the interview, Marchionne said that Alfa Romeo and Maserati “could” collaborate on a crossover (the long awaited Kamal/Kubang), and that Alfa Romeo could build a “small sportscar” (a small 2 seater coupe ? a small 2+2 ? we’re curious!).

On the possible use of a shortened Premium platform for the Alfa 149:

It’s an option we’re considering. On the one hand, the Premium platform is much costlier than that of the “156″ [which the 147 used], so it would be much harder to use it for a profitable hatchback. On the other hand, if Alfa really wants to compete in the “quality” part of the C segment, it needs a platform such as the Premium.

On why the 147 doesn’t sell as well as expected:

The “147″ suffers because the 1-Series BMW is thought to be its main rival, forgetting competitors such as the Golf. We forgot the Gof and what it was doing on the market. I think we need to respond in an effective way to the pressure from Volkswagen. We have learnt our lesson and I think we must be much more attentive and humble about expectations for Alfa. We have to fight where we must fight. It’ll be less of a problem, I think, for the new products (159 and Brera), which can by rights compete in the luxury segment..

[Via Autopareri Forum and ItaliaSpeed]

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