Alfa Romeo's triumphant return to the US back in 2013 with the now-discontinued 4C coupe came with great expectations. Sadly, things haven't quite panned out. The 4C and its Spider sibling were always planned to be sold in small numbers, but that's the deal with halo models. Not so for mainstream offerings like the Alfa Romeo Giulia sedan and Stelvio SUV. Both share a rear-wheel-drive platform that has won deserved praised for its excellent handling characteristics.

The Ferrari-derived 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6 with over 500 horsepower found in the Giulia and Stelvio high-performance QV trims is an absolute delight. Yet, none of these three vehicles brought the sales numbers the automaker formerly known as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles hoped for.

But that's all in the past and the Stellantis era is now underway following the FCA and PSA Groupe merger. Like Chrysler, Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares sees value in Alfa Romeo, as does Chairman John Elkann. Reuters reports the Fiat scion made clear to Italian state TV that Alfa Romeo and fellow iconic Italian brand Lancia, as well as the city of Turin remained relevant to the automaker's future.

"We've seen it clearly with some brands like Alfa Romeo and Lancia, on which we could not invest or give resources as much as we wanted in recent years," he said. "In this new group, there will be much greater opportunities than in the past for these two brands, which are based in Turin."

The automaker is currently working on a detailed plan that's expected to see close cooperation between Alfa Romeo, Lancia, and premium French brand DS. The three have enough in common regarding types of customers and the desire to stand out from more mainstream brands. In total, Stellantis has 18 brands packed together under one roof. Alfa Romeo in particular stands to benefit from electrification.

FCA was lagging seriously behind its fellow Detroit automakers in this critical area but the PSA Groupe has been making steady progress. We still don't know the long-term future of Alfa Romeo's current lineup but it's great to know the brand as a whole is in good hands.