Alfa Romeo's newly appointed CEO, Antonio Baravalle, introduced their sporty collection in Bologna yesterday, the cars presented on a vast, stylish stand. Having taken over from Karl-Heinz Kalbfell just over two months ago in the Alfa Romeo top job, it was the first opportunity Baravalle has had to speak to the wider media, and to introduce Alfa Romeo on home soil.

The stand makes a bold statement of Alfa Romeo's intentions, breaking with recent motor show tradition and being much more open feeling, although the uncustomary large size of the plot helps to present a stylish air to the proceedings. The exciting new Alfa 159 and Brera are making their Italian motor show debuts here (although the Alfa 159 went on sale across Italy in September and the Brera follows suite later this month) and they take centre stage. The main portion of the spacious light grey finished stand rises gently upwards, with an Alfa 159 2.4 JTDM turbodiesel and a Brera 3.2 V6 Q4 flanking each other positioned as they are on stepped, round platforms that jut horizontally upwards from the flowing slope. The outer stand areas are populated by the Alfa 147 and GT Coupé, both of which are being presented with the new 'Black Line' trim finish for the first time.

The raised area drops very sharply onto a second section in which sit another example of the Alfa 159 and Brera, the pair flanked by the four-wheel-drive Crosswagon Q4 and an Alfa 166 sedan. A third Brera, mounted high on the wall - in front of a giant TV screen - completes Alfa Romeo's line-up in Bologna. The whole collection and layout screams that Alfa Romeo is firmly back in action, with powerful, new models, that exude all the values of style, panache, performance and drivability, that the Milanese brand regards as its own. This message was one that Baravalle was very keen to emphasise.
 

Baravalle commented after the press conference yesterday that this year for Alfa Romeo has been all about about product, getting the Alfa 159 and Brera into production, building two new models - with very strong images - that they could be proud of, and then further build upon. Next year will be about marketing them, as the Alfa 159 and Brera are rolled out across mainland Europe in ever rising numbers, flying the flag for Alfa Romeo.

Clearly, Baravalle is relishing the task of reviving the historic brand, the former Lancia CEO full of obvious enthusiasm for the mission he now has in hand. In fact, the quiet-but-determined appearance he gave off at Lancia, seems to haven given way to a much more vibrant image. He told me that he regards the new job as being something of a "homecoming" (he was previously Alfa Romeo's marketing boss) and his very obvious affinity with Alfa Romeo's philosophies will reassure enthusiasts of the brand.

by Edd Ellison in Bologna