Alfa Romeo boss keen to bring back GTV and Spider

The cancelled successor to the Alfa Romeo GT, slated to have revived the iconic GTV moniker, has reportedly been put back into spotlight along with a modern day version of the equally mythic Spider.

Scrapped two years ago along with a seven-seat version of the Stelvio as well as the successor to the 8C, Australia’s motoring.com.au reports that Alfa boss Jean-Philippe Imparato has expressed interest in giving the GTV and Spider another go after Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares’ recent announcement that all of the division’s marques will be given ten years to prove themselves.

“We love them all. You do not kill what you love.  How many brand CEOs in the world have visibility of a 10-year funding for technology and product to organise the growth? That is what we are giving them so they have a chance. If they win, we will applaud. If they lose, then we will see what we do,” Automotive News Europe quoted Tavares as saying.

The former CEO of the PSA Group, which merged with Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) to create Stellantis in January, also added that the 14 nameplates that make up the automaker will have to “plan for the different product launches and different technologies to make the brand grow, or the brand rebound, and create value for the company so they have a chance.”

RELATED: PSA-FCA merger brings the axe down on Alfa Romeo GTV and 8C successors

Giving his personal feeling on the matter, Imparato stated that an official announcement on the GTV and Spider is unconfirmed despite adding, “I am very interested”.

“There is no statement or announcement at this stage, but I’m just giving you a personal feeling. I also love the Duetto (Spider). Allow me to bring Alfa Romeo to a certain level of economic performance, and then we speak,” the former Peugeot CEO said.

“Again, I emphasise that there is no announcement at this stage, but the GTV, I’m very interested in this concept.”

Before its axing in 2019, a series of details, along with a sketch drawing, claimed that the GTV would ride on the same Giorgio platform as the Giulia, Stelvio and Jeep Grand Cherokee L and derive motivation form an electrified version of the former pair’s 2.9-litre bi-turbo V6 rated at 441 kW with drive going to all four wheels.

A timeline drawn up in 2018 of Alfa Romeo’s product onslaught, some of which are no longer happening.

Alfa’s announcement last month though at the Giorgio architecture would be scrapped as a result of its inability to accommodate an electrical system has however resulted in severe criticism against Stellantis in spite of Imparato blasting the accusations as untrue.

“Do not make confusion between rumour and information. We did not at Alfa Romeo state anything [regarding the canning of Giorgio] for the moment. I will not answer questions about Giorgio, but we only said we would have a large platform [the EV-focused STLA architecture] at Stellantis,” he said.

“Obviously, Alfa Romeo will have to electrify … because, if not, you’re dead. Alfa Romeo must remain sustainable in terms of economic performance, and it must electrify itself. We must work towards this progressively, while remaining true to the history of Alfa Romeo”.

At the time, it was reported that the GTV had been earmarked for introduction in 2022, but if approved, and following Alfa’s delay of the crucial Tonale SUV again till next year, expect it and the Spider to follow only after or in 2023.