Ladies and Gentlemen, good morning. I am delighted to be here at the Geneva International Motor Show to present many of the new products which Alfa Romeo will be offering the market in the coming months. Product novelties that testify to the consistency and continuity supporting our strategic plans. Our plans produced their first results in 2002, a difficult but, in overall terms, a positive year. 

In the first year of activity of its new organization, people at Alfa Romeo have worked intensely, in a cohesive way. We have been sharing the vision of what Alfa Romeo is to become as a brand, and focused all resources and efforts to grow its value in a consistent direction. The work carried out has made it possible for us to close 2002 in line with our programmes, within a difficult scenario, where we nevertheless managed to improve both sales quality and product competitivity. The market has rewarded our efforts, especially in the compact cars segment, where the Alfa 147 has seen its share of segment growing. 

In Europe the rise versus 2001 has been from 2.3% to 2.6% - with significant increases in the major markets, such as Belgium, where segment share has risen from 2.3% to 3.4%, Spain, where segment share increased, a third more. Alfa Romeo also achieved good results in prestigious high profitability markets like Japan and Australia, where car registrations grew by 49% and 25% respectively. 

In addition, in Italy, the Alfa 147, closed the year with a 10.6% share of segment, representing a 22% increase. In line with our development plans, 2002 was also a year of important new model launches, with immediate positive results. To date, 2,400 vehicles have been delivered worldwide for the Alfa 156 GTA, in line with our objectives. As for the latest Alfa 147 GTA - the most powerful car in its category, with its 250 horsepower - results achieved to date make us confident we can exceed our target of 3,500 car sales in 2003. The GTA family best embody our values of sportiness, performance driving pleasure. 

I would like to mention our Multijet technology, adopted for the first time by Alfa Romeo. The 1.9 JTD 16v engine, presented at Balocco last October, is now equipping the Alfa 147, 156 and Sportwagon together with a sporty 6 speed manual gearbox. Thanks to the availability of this new exciting powerplant, Alfa 156 share of segment in Europe increased by 20% in January, to 2,9% from 2,4% in December. 

In recent months we have dedicated commitment and resources to further developing the range and improving product competitivity. But that is not all. 
Just as much energy has also been dedicated to developing the European sales network - a process we started in a strong partnership with our dealers and reinforcing Alfa Romeo's image. We have initiated our showroom renewal programme and launched a new communication strategy based on emphasising the dimension of technical excellence. 

"Beauty is not enough" is the central theme of the new Alfa Romeo advertising campaign… and the products on this stand are a clear demonstration of just what we mean. This balance of style and substance has also given rise to three important new developments, which I am delighted to present to you in this preview, the new Alfa Spider and Alfa GTV, the Alfa GT Coupé and Alfa Romeo's new concept car - Kamal. These cars are characterised - in the best of Alfa Romeo tradition - by inimitable Italian design. The importance of style as a distinctive element in our vehicles is restated and underlined not just by our "Centro Stile" creativity and experience but also by the close collaboration Alfa Romeo enjoys with top designers like Bertone, who designed the GT Coupé and Pininfarina, who redesigned the Spider & GTV. 

Let's start with the new Alfa Spider and Alfa GTV which will be available on the market starting next May, with a totally renewed range of trims and engines. Important stylistic modifications maintain the charm and allure of these models. They continue to combine sportiness with elegance - simply updated and fully in line with current Alfa Romeo styling cues. There are also lots of new features. Lower H-point, enhanced driving comfort, right through to the adoption of new engines. In addition to the much appreciated 2.0 Twin Spark 150 bhp, the GTV and Spider will also be fitted with our new direct injection petrol engine - the 2.0 JTS 165 bhp and the brilliant 3.2 V6 24v 240 bhp, allowing the GTV to reach 255 Km/h - making it the fastest road car in Alfa Romeo's history. Today I am also delighted to offer a preview of the Alfa GT Coupé - our new model which we will be launching at the end of this year on the Italian market, with release in other countries thereafter. The Alfa GT Coupé expresses a unique conception of sportiness. It offers original styling, brilliant performance and the sheer pleasure of driving a Coupé without any compromising in terms of space and comfort. The large boot capacity and generous rear accommodation speak for themselves. 

For example: with its 320 litres trunk, Alfa GT Coupé offers one of the largest load capacity in the category. The GT Coupé, derived from the Alfa 156 platform, has inherited all its mechanical strengths, including the engine line-up, 1.8 T Spark 140 bhp, 2.0 JTS 165 bhp and 1.9 JTD Multijet 140 bhp. Moreover, to offer maximum performance and sportiness, a GTA version fitted with the powerful 3.2 V6 24v 250 bhp will soon be roaring off the production lines. 

Let's now turn our attention, to Kamal the new Alfa Romeo concept car, which we are presenting for the first time here in Geneva. Alfa Romeo Kamal is an absolutely innovative product, born of a fruitful concept: the hybridisation and cross-fertilisation of ideas and models. The name is a perfect synthesis of all this: the result of a careful selection process, it carries a number of meanings in various ancient and modern languages. Kamal means 'perfection', it means 'red', it indicates a particular 'state of grace'. The word "Kamal" can also express the synthesis of opposites. Which is just what this concept achieves. Fruit of the energy and passion of Alfa Romeo's entire team, it satisfies needs which until now were irreconcilable, sports car performance and off road versatily coupé driving and MPV functionality, 
internal space and, sports elegance. Kamal is quite simply a unique vehicle, conceived to deal with any kind of driving situation - as enjoyable to drive on traffic packed metropolitan streets as it is negotiating hot dusty desert trails. 

It boasts the very best of our technology 3.2 V6 24V 250 bhp engine, 4x4 electronic control traction, front and rear doubile wishbone suspension. Kamal marks a conceptual and stylistic step forward in the car world and encapsulates the dominant elements in Alfa Romeo's next generation of cars. 

2003 will also be awash with modifications to the range already on the market, including the introduction of the automated Selespeed on the 156 GTA - which you can see here on the stand. And the love affair between Alfa Romeo and sports performance continues, as witnessed by vehicles displaying the TI initials. These models are transformed into "sports thoroughbreds for our everyday roads" - with the warranty that not just modifications to their styling and mechanics are designed by Alfa Romeo, but that they are also carried out in Alfa Romeo factories.