In September Luca di Montezemolo received in Madrid the prestigious Marca Leyenda award that the famous Spanish daily sports newspaper presents to athletes and personalities from the world of sport.

In an interview this week Fiat Group Chairman Luca di Montezemolo has categorically stated that the Alfa Romeo brand isn't for sale and that they aren't looking for a new Asian partner while adding that the Jeep brand is destined for China.

Speculation about Alfa Romeo's future has abounded since Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne said a couple of weeks ago that the brand's future product plans weren't assured as they stood and stated that all model plans in the pipeline could be frozen once the new C-segment Giulietta is launched next spring. This led to an old rumour, that VW could be interested being circulated, firstly by analysts at Bernstein, that said in a note that: "Alfa may not be expensive and its cars would fit on VW's platforms," and then, more surprisingly, in a piece written in the normally reliable Financial Times.

Montezemolo was quick to dismiss these rumours, saying on Monday that Alfa Romeo wasn't for sale under any circumstances, and added: "We will present the new Alfa, that substitutes the 147, and we think there are also very important opportunities for Alfa Romeo in the United States."

He also went on to say that Fiat wasn't seeking a new Asian partner, dismissing talk that has spread ever since VW Group took a 19.9 percent stake in Suzuki last week for a price of US$2.5 billion. The often stated belief of senior Fiat Group management over the past couple of years that global automotive industry consolidation is necessary has often made Fiat appear in the media like a desperate jilted bride and leads to continual speculation linking Fiat to a raft of prospective mergers. In Asia Fiat already has an on-going joint-venture alliance with India's Tata Motors and has recently signed up to a partnership agreement to build a new factory with China's Guangzhou Auto.

"The others are doing what we have done," Montezemolo commented, adding, that after Fiat's deal to take an 20 percent initial percent stake in Chrysler Group, "this is a time when we have to be careful not to get indigestion" by trying to swallow too much. Chrysler Group, he continued "is also aimed at Eastern markets," adding "we will go into China with the Jeep."