Alfa Romeo denies rumors of V8 engine development

Senior sources at Alfa Romeo have denied rumors that the company is working on a V8 engine for use in its next-generation of sedans. It said that with today’s poor economic climate, a V8 engine would not make commercial sense for its cars.

“No front-wheel drive or four-wheel drive Alfa Romeo will use a engine larger than a V6,” a senior Alfa source told AutoCar.

Fiat, which owns Alfa Romeo, has access to Chrysler Group LLC’s upcoming 3.6L Pentastar V6 engine, which could be equipped with the Italian automakers Multi-air valve train to improve fuel-economy. Chrysler’s powertrain division is now ran by Fiat’s Paolo Ferrero, who is also Fiat’s product engineering head.

The Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione features a 4.7L V8 making 450-hp. The engine is borrowed from Maserati. Sources say that Fiat’s Multi-air technology could also be fitted to V8 Maserati vehicles to improve fuel-efficiency.

– By: Kap Shah

Source: AutoCar