Just months before Alfa Romeo’s return to the U.S., the Italian brand has lost a major influence at the head of its design team. Frank Stephenson, 49, the American who helped Alfa Romeo’s styling reach the success of the 8C Competizione and the recent Mi.To hatchback, has left the company.

Stephenson confirmed his leave with AutoWeek, but did not comment on what his reasoning was.

“I have a few things I am looking at now, but I don’t want to go into them, but it’s something that I have instigated,” Stephenson said.

Rumors of Stephenson’s departure from Alfa Romeo have been circulating ever since Fiat’s CEO Sergio Marchionne asked former Pininfarina design director Lorenzo Ramaciotti to join Fiat’s styling team. Ramaciotti has been in retirement since May of 2007.

Stephenson denied the rumor. “There are no problems with Lorenzo. He is a fun guy to work with, and we worked very well together,” Stephenson said.

Stephenson replacement will be 40-year-old Austrian Christopher Reitz.

Source: AutoWeek

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