Alfa Romeo’s New 1.8-Liter Turbo Four Might Come to the U.S.

In typical form, Fiat been able to raise both this writer’s eyebrows in a single day. First, it announced that Alfa Romeo will begin production of a fresh 1.8-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine in 2013. (Much more about why that’s weird within a second.) But hidden in the news became a mention that Fiat’s sporty division must be extremely popular U.S. in 2013. The modern engine is unquestionably intriguing, but given Alfa Romeo’s decade of delays in time for the U.S. marketplace, our skepticism on the latter announcement would be best referred to as “off the charts.”

The modern 1.8-liter mill features an aluminum block-likely Fiat’s Multiair variable valve-lift tech-and direct-injection put together with a turbocharger. As outlined by Alfa, the engine could produce about 300 hp. Here’s the confusion: The corporation only recently introduced a 1.7-liter turbo four with Multiair in Europe, which makes over 230 hp. (Research in regards to this engine within our article on the Alfa Romeo Giulietta.) Given Alfa’s desperate requirement for a new product, being a replacement for any Byzantine-era 159 sedan and Brera coupe, the decision to replace mostly of the fresh things from the company’s stable is questionable. We suspect the new engine, due to its aluminum block, is based on on Chrysler’s “World Gasoline Engine” family, that includes the more expensive four-cylinder engines while in the Dodge Caliber and Chrysler 200.

Alfa has described the engine poor the company’s alleged return to the U.S.-which, in addition, is slated for 2013 again after being pushed to 2014 just a couple of weeks ago. But whether Alfa Romeo comes here or otherwise not, the 1.8-liter could locate its strategy to our shores. Our spy photographers recently caught an Alfa Giulietta-based Dodge small car summer testing; the Dodge is anticipated by 2013, and this is when Alfa’s new 1.8-liter is scheduled to go into production in Italy.

A small-but-powerful turbo four such as this could find its way below the hood from a amount of vehicles, and Alfa designed its new 1.8-liter motor to adjust to both transverse and longitudinal applications, also to meet emissions regulations while in the U.S. and in Europe. American-market Alfas could be just as much vaporware as ever, but at least this new engine could land here.