In his first interview since becoming joint CEO of Alfa Romeo and Maserati, Karl-Heinz Kalbfell has targeted sales of 300,000 units per year for the Alfa brand.

The highly rated German automotive executive, who has spent virtually his entire career with the BMW Group, including most recently a stint as their Rolls-Royce luxury division, was commenting while being interviewed for today's edition of the mass-selling German daily newspaper, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

Kalbfell expressed his 'shock' that the marque's five model line-up only accounted for 185,000 sales last year, and immediately targeted 300,000 sales as being an 'achievable' aim, stating that 'Alfa Romeo can improve'. Colleagues, who have experience of working with him in the past, describe him as tough and focused, and express confidence that he is the right man to lead ongoing efforts to turn Fiat Auto's struggling 'sporty' brand's sales decline around.

Confirming that he had put a "freeze on all non profitable projects", since taking up the job officially on 1st January 2005, Kalbfell however did elaborate on this point, although the FAZ newspaper concluded that he was referring to planned high-performance GTA versions of the Alfa 147 and 159 models.
 

Kalbfell discussed the pressing requirement to improve the retail sales network as being a priority. Although he professed himself reasonably satisfied with current sales operations in France and the Benelux countries, he believed that Germany (where Alfa Romeo have a 0.5 percent market share) is 'yet to be fully exploited'.

While on the subject of the global markets he talked of 'promoting Alfa Romeo's glorious name' on the 'United States and Asian markets', the first direct reference from any senior Fiat Group manager relating to the impending North American return.

Kalbfell also discussed the need for a 'cultural shakeup' within the marque from top to bottom, and the need for a stronger sense of responsibility and drive from both the management and workforce.

Commenting on the Alfa Romeo-Maserati tie-up he said that "Alfa Romeo will remain Alfa Romeo and Maserati will remain Maserati", although adding that the Trident brand, just like Alfa Romeo, should be seeking new growth, adding that Maserati 'should aspire to grow'. Drawing on a famous BMW adage, he concluded "that 2 plus 2 sometimes makes five, and so we have two very high range brand names which together can become a unique force in the auto industry".