"The concept of beauty and the role it plays in people's lives has changed significantly over the last few years", explains Alfa Romeo's Vice President for Marketing, Alessandro Furfaro. "Beauty today is a broad and profound concept. Successful products and brands are the ones able to match together the importance of substance, with a renewed beauty and a harmonic expression of form and content. At Alfa Romeo, we are known for our beauty, but this is not enough. Our product is leader for technology and performance, yet during the last few years there has been a perception gap in consumers' minds. Re-addressing this has become a key driver for us."

The current, long serving GTV and Spider are due for a final cosmetic facelift, which will appear at March's Geneva Motor Show, with the front grille becoming larger and more prominently positioned. The next generation 156 ( 157 ) saloon, will according to designer Guigaro, receive the Brera concept's front and rear styling, while the flanks will draw on the current model. Lastly the flagship 166 saloon, receiving a mid-life facelift this summer, will also receive the "family" styling, including a more prominent grille.

Audi earlier this month unveiled their 7-seater 'Pikes Peak' off-road concept at the Detroit Motor Show, an impressive upmarket concept based on VW's new Touareg. This will form the basis of a Lamborghini SUV, which will, like Maserati's Kubang, emphasis a sporty nature above off road application.

The Lamborghini SUV will use the Gallardo's new 500bhp 5.0-litre V10 engine with a sequential gearbox, in a floorpan based on the Pikes Peak concept and make use of an Audi developed four wheel drive system, its German owner being an acknowledged world leader in 4x4 technology.

Company boss, Horatio Pagani had always planned to introduce a Spyder version. One of the earliest pre-production Zonda prototypes was open-topped, but the car was written off in tests to help the Zonda achieve European crash test regulations.

The Zonda C12S Roadster is expected to weigh in at around 1,250kg, thanks to its carbon-fibre body, allowing it to achieve 0-60mph in about 3.4 seconds and offer a top end in excess of 200mph. Each super-luxury version will be individually tailored to the owner's specification, and will cost around €365,000, considerably high than Lamborghini's forthcoming Murcielago Roadster, which is expected to be priced slightly above the closed top model. 

In creating the GTAm, changes were made to the power unit: The cylinder displacement was increased from 3200 to 3548cc, while the bore is 97 mm and the stroke is 78 mm. Compared to the 3.2 litre engine on the conventional GTA, the 3.5 V6 24v unit fitted to the Alfa 156 GTAm has power raised by 50bhp to300 bhp @ 6800 rpm and is combined with a 6-speed gearbox and a self-locking viscous differential. 

Externally, the prototype is distinguished by its black colouring while the 156GTA SuperTouring's big rear racing spoiler has been replaced by a more discreet outlet lip that nevertheless still improves the 156's aerodynamic flow. The wings and bonnet are made out of composites that help lighten the car by 30kg compared to the racing version. The light alloy wheels are 8 x 19" while the tyres are 235/35ZR19. The sports ride set-up is also new and has been developed with a view to the lighter body and on-road application. Hence height-adjustable oleopneumatic shock absorbers by Bilstein with Eibach springs. Compared to the 156GTA, the front brakes on the 156 GTAm come with bigger Brembo callipers and discs with a diameter of 330 millimetres. 

Two new products, whose launch is scheduled in 2006, will be manufactured at Sevel plant in Val di Sangro (South of Italy), and at Sevel facility in Valenciennes (France) respectively. In the former the replacements of current Fiat Ducato, Peugeot Boxer, and Citroen Jumper will be manufactured, while the latter will host the production of current Fiat Scudo, Peugeot Expert, Citroen Jumpy. 

The two companies plan to invest a total of around 1.7 billion euro of which more than 1 billion will be allocated to the project which will be launched in the Italian plant in Val di Sangro, whose annual production level is planned to be some 260,000 units. At the Valenciennes facility, around 130,000 units/year are forecasted to be produced.