Alexandre
A few months ago, we announced that FCA Italy (now Stellantis Europe) had decided to invest in a new company. had registered the Alfetta trademarka name that could designate a future model in the years to come. But this filing is not an isolated case, as early 2023, another intriguing name has also been registered by FCA Italy: Visconti. The latter could refer to a concept ofAlfa Romeo which dates back to 2004, a time when relations between the biscione brand and the Italdesign style center were flourishing.
You may have heard of Visconti, but it's probably less well known than other Alfa Romeo concepts. Yet it was nothing less than a flagship imagined to replace the 166, a sedan that was nearing the end of its career at the time. The Visconti concept was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in 2004, and although it never made it past the prototype stage, it remains an interesting vision of what a large, sporty luxury sedan could be.
Under the direction of Giorgetto Giugiaro and Italdesign, the Visconti was a blend of sportiness and dynamic luxury. With its imposing dimensions (almost five meters long, 1.90 meters wide and 1.50 meters high), it promised a spacious interior, but above all a radically modern design for its time. Its steeply raked hood and sloping stern gave it an unmistakable look.he sedan-coupe look, a silhouette that would become popular a few years later. The concept was a tribute to the Visconti family, with its emblematic coat of arms, the "biscione" snake, representing the brand's historic heritage.
But it wasn't just Visconti's appearance that made her interesting: the car was almost ready for potential series production. The Visconti shared its platform with the 159 and Brera models. Its GM-sourced, twin-turbocharged 3.2 V6 engine, coupled with all-wheel drive, boasted over 400 hp under the hood.
But after discontinuing the 166 in 2007, Alfa Romeo never again offered such a flagship. However, with the recent filing of the Visconti name, the question arises: is Alfa Romeo finally planning to resurrect this legendary concept?
We could imagine that Visconti could be the name of the brand's future E-segment SUV. Or that the name could be reserved for a new, more exclusive model, like the 33 Stradale. In any case, Alfa Romeo seems to have a few more surprises in store, with names like Alfetta and Visconti in the pipeline. It remains to be seen which models will be hidden behind these historic names.