FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) finally wants Alfa Romeo->ke1386 to get back to where it once was, and the only way to do it is by launching a new model lineup, powered by new engines. Among the new powerplants there is a Ferrari-->ke252derived V-6, along with a number of high-output four-cylinder engines. FCA will invest more than 500 million euros ($539 million as of 4/6/2015) in the next six months to create the capacity to build 200,000 engines annually at Alfa Romeo's plant in Termoli, Italy.

Although the company didn't give further details on the engines, it seems that the Ferrari-derived V-6 will be based on the 3.0-liter unit that Ferrari currently builds for the Maserati Quattroporte and the Ghibli. In Alfa Romeo-spec, the twin-turbocharged powerplant is said to deliver up to 480 horsepower and it will probably debut in the upcoming Alfa midsize sedan, which is currently codenamed Giulia.

The Giulia will also receive a range of turbocharged, four-cylinder engines that include both gasoline and diesel units, meaning that the twin-turbo V-6 is likely to power a range-topping, GTA version. Both the car and its powerplants are expected to be manufactured exclusively in Italy, despite Alfa Romeo planning to sell its cars globally. The carmaker's global relaunch has already started with the 4C and 4C Spider, but it will take more than a mid-engine niche model to sway buyers away from rivals like BMW,->ke178 Audi->ke14 and Mercedes-Benz.->ke187 It is expected that some of the engines debuting on the Giulia will trickle down to other FCA models in the future.

Continue reading to learn more about Alfa Romeo's future engines.

Why it matters

Alfa Giulia's upcoming engine lineup will need to offer substantial benefits compared to what the 159 delivered. Since the model will be based on the same architecture as the not-exactly-lean Maserati Ghibli and Quattroporte, its performance and efficiency will need to come from the engines themselves, not via a drastic reduction in weight. From that perspective it will have a hard time battling with models like the lightweight Jaguar XE.

I'm pretty sure that Alfa engineers can pull off an impressive four-cylinder lineup, but I am mostly curious about the rumored V-6. I say this because Alfa Romeo V-6 engines are legendary not necessarily for their outputs, but for their sexy exhaust sounds. Considering that the new V-6's turbochargers will muffle the exhaust, some extra tuning will be needed in order to achieve that cool Alfa sound. All will be revealed this summer, though, when Giulia's launch is expected.

Alfa Romeo Giulia

Read our full review here.