Concept cars

2004 Alfa Romeo ItalDesign Visconti Concept

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March 11, 2004

An important part of the Visconti concept is its motor. The engine is a 3.2-liter V6 with gasoline direct injection, and two turbochargers to create impressive performance while keeping fuel consumption down. The output is a spectacular 408 horsepower, which is more inline with top-tier super sedans than run of the mill luxury cars.

The Visconti's 408-hp 3.2-liter V6 engine is sourced from GM's new global V6. (Photo: Fiat Auto)

While specs are interesting, what's more important is where this V6 comes from. Despite yielding the same 3.2-liter displacement as the current top-of-the-line Alfa motor, this is a completely new unit derived from GM's new global V6. These engines include 3.2-liter displacement variants, with 3.5-liter lumps having already been used in Cadillac's CTS sedan. While the production 157 engine most likely will not be as wild as the one presented here, expect output figures to be reasonably powerful. In order to retain the unique Alfa Romeo sound, the brand will use their own heads and fancy exhaust system - so no worries that the 157 will have muted vocals.

While the 157 and the 167 are a fair ways off, as is the Alfa Romeo brand when it comes to North American enthusiasts, the Visconti shows what the Italian marque may do in the future. Of course, we shouldn't expect all of the concept's features to be carried over to production, such as the twin-turbochargers or massive 19-inch alloy wheels, but its styling and the actual chassis are expected to make the leap from concept to reality.

Hopefully the next generation of premium Alfa Romeos will be as good as the current crop, if not better. The larger Visconti may just be the ticket for Alfa's return to North America. So keep your fingers crossed.

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