Alfa Romeo confirm that Italdesign will be responsible for the 156 replacement ( and give a rare recognition for their involvement in the current 156 ) while emphasising that 4x4 will become integral to the marque's range. The next 156 will include four models: saloon, coupe, open-top and sportwagon.

The 27th Bologna Motor Show drew 1,125,000 visitors, 3% up on last year, while attracting 2100 reporters and more than 28,000 motortrade operators. 

Alfa Romeo has triumphed at the 27th Bologna Motor Show The International Motor Show closed last Sunday after a record number of visitors: first estimates put the number at 1,125,000 (3% up on last year) while the show attracted 2100 reporters and more than 28,000 motortrade operators. 

We owe our success to a youthful and innovative exhibition area produced by 'BonD' that featured curvy, high-tech aluminium and glass chambers designed to house a range of activities: from Radio Montecarlo interviews to Sony Playstation® 2 consoles and a De Adamich Safe Driving Centre simulator. 

The true heart of the stand was a large theatre surrounded by steps where visitors could site Here they could admire the cars and take part in all the events that took place during the Show. A theatrical venue and emotional involvement where standard models rubbed shoulders with racing cars. The area also hosted entertainment and meetings with famous personalities such as Jean Todit and Giorgetto Giugiaro. In both cases, Daniele Bandiera, chairman of the Alfa Rome Business Unit was present to do the honours. 

The Ferrari Stable motorsport manager, officially designated a particularly demanding Alfa Romeo customer, was given the keys of his new Alfa 147 GTA. Together with the 156 and 147 equipped with the innovative 1.9 JTD 16v Multijet engine, the new arrival represents the first steps towards our new development plan - explained Bandiera - and will pave the way for a completely new range by 2007. During this period, we will launch 16 new products including 10 all-new models. This will enable us to enter market segments that are very important for our brand that we currently do not cover. One example will suffice: 4x4 versions: 

The meeting with Giorgio Giugiaro was another highlight of the show on the Alfa Romeo stand. The Designer of the Century (thus elected in 1999 by more than 120 international journalists) told of his long relationship with the brand and showed visitors the Brera, the Alfa Romeo concept car previewed in Geneva that has walked off with numerous international prizes since its first appearance. The prototype is an ideal blend of sportiness and grace, performance and formal balance. 'These very aspects', confirmed Daniele Bandiera, 'combined with distinctive styling, are among Alfa Romeo's core values. For this reason, we have decided to entrust Giorgetto Giugiaro with the extremely tricky job of designing the car that will replace the Alfa 156 in 2005. In actual fact, Giugiaro contributed to the 156 during the initial stage of the project. The car due to replace the Alfa 156 will also be the forerunner of a very diverse model family that will include a coupé and an open-topped sports car in addition to a saloon and sportwagon'. Daniele Bandiera also revealed that the Brera styling will be used on the new coupé. 

This year, famous personalities contributed to the success of the Alfa Romeo stand at the 27th Bologna Motor Show. And we also played a part in the 'La bellezza necessaria' show. The travelling show has now reached its seventh destination - after Barcelona, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Dublin, Yokohama and London - and will be seen for the first time in Italy. The exhibition offers visitors an opportunity to take a close look at seventeen cars produced between 1910 and the present day, all from the Alfa Romeo Museum, together with drawings, engine documents, posters and style models. 

28.11.2002  27TH BOLOGNA MOTOR SHOW: FULL PREVIEW