We won’t blame you if you say you’ve heard this one before and are extremely skeptical, but at the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles investor day presentation, the heads of the group said the company plans to invest €5 billion (around US$7 billion at today’s rates) in Alfa Romeo for the introduction of seven new models.

The cars mentioned in the five-year product plan include a mid-size model in the fourth quarter of 2015, plus two new compacts (Giulietta), a full-size sedan, two SUVs and a specialty sports car, all during 2016-2018. On the list, there’s no replacement for the MiTo subcompact.

We still haven’t heard which of these models will be rear-wheel drive-based.

Alfa Romeo’s brochure also mentioned that the company would reinvent itself by going back to its roots and “benchmark itself against the best that German automotive industry has to offer”.

Alfa said it wants to increase sales from 74,000 units in 2013, to 400,000 by 2018.

By John Halas

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