If reports out of Europe are to be believed Alfa Romeo are about planning to completely change their model line up and revert back to a traditional rear wheel drive layout across the range.

A recent article by highly respected (we’ve been reading him for years) motoring journalist Georg Kacher on the Car Magazine website states that the current Mito and Giulietta models will be dropped by 2015. All new models, including the much-delayed new Giulia sedan will be rear wheel drive or all wheel drive. This sensational news actually makes a lot of sense to us at ItalianCar. We’ve been wondering why the Giulia, originally slated to be FWD and released in 2013, has been held back for so long and a fundamental change in its platform would explain the delay.

Of course this is also excellent news for all those Alfa traditionalists that never accepted a car being pulled along by its front wheels as worthy of the Biscione. It also symbolises Alfa’s long held desire to go toe-to-toe with BMW – imagine the new Giulia as a 3 Series rival.

Also in the mix are SUVs and a 5 Series challenger that might resurrect the classic Alfetta name. All in all this looks like a very bold move by Fiat-Chrysler boss Sergio Marchionne which we applaud.

For the full Car Magazine article go to http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/News/Search-Results/Industry-News/Alfa-Romeo-to-dump-front-drive-hatches-for-rear-drive-saloons/