The late Sergio Marchionne had two big dreams at the helm of the giant FCA, two illusions that he had no opportunity to fulfill given the financial difficulties of the group he chaired. The Portuguese Carlos Tavares has made sure that both come true, one of them almost 20 years later.
Sergio Marchionne passed away almost four years ago. The Italian went out of his way for the survival of the FCA group, returning some of its brands to the path of profit, even though this meant practically erasing some of the American and the most luxurious Italian brands from the map. Some of his great projects never came truetwo dreams that Carlos Tavares, the Portuguese at the head of Stellantis, has achieved: the tone and the Grecale.
The Italian leader always had the illusion of seeing orn Compact SUV in the Biscione brand, but never got beyond internal developments. In 2003, the manufacturer surprised at the Geneva Motor Show with the presentation of the Alfa Romeo Kamala concept based on the FIAT platform that supported the 159, Brera and Spider, but which pointed to an SUV of intermediate dimensions with the 147. Italian brands have always been very jealous of their projects, revealing what they wanted and when they considered it -that is to say, almost never- and although many will not remember mules from the Kamal, it existed.
Two unfulfilled dreams, two very important SUVs
Six years after the conceptual breakthrough, a first mule appeared at the Elasis facilities, an engineering specialist then owned by the Italian group, which was commissioned to develop it. Without camouflage but with an unprecedented front, while the rear followed the main lines of the 147. It was never heard from again, whose internal code was “CXover”so they took it seriously, even though it did not materialize.
Tavares has managed to this unfulfilled dream for 19 years has come true with the new Alfa Romeo Tonale. But there’s one more on Marchionne’s wish list. Yet another SUV and also from an Italian sports brand, the Maserati Grecale. The former manager knew of the need to add a new model to the Trident range since 2014, a shock to the brand’s sales and accounts. He knows that the Porsche Macan, announced that same year, would turn the German competitor upside downa prophecy that was more than fulfilled..
But, despite carrying it in different plans for new releases, he was not lucky enough to see it come to pass. The emaciated cows, more than skinny, were a constant that made the disbursement size unfeasible that was needed to counter Porsche. And once again Tavares has been responsible for making the model a reality, a world presentation that will take place in the coming days. Two models that have the mission that Alfa Romeo and Maserati are competitive in volume and profitability.