The 2011 Alfa Romeo Milano is the redesigned replacement for the European-market Alfa Romeo 147 hatchback, shown here. See pictures of the 2010 Audi A3.

Consumer Guide's Impressions of the 2011 Alfa Romeo Milano

A stylish new Italian premium compact car is near the top of the to-do list for the Fiat-Chrysler alliance. The Alfa Romeo Milano might even be built in the U.S. But plans haven't been finalized, and many details still need to be worked out.

What We Know About the 2011 Alfa Romeo Milano

It's hard to be sure of anything in today's dire global economy, especially in the car business. Take Chrysler. America's weakest automaker went through bankruptcy and came out in partnership with an Italian automaker. Without the restructuring, Chrysler said it wouldn't have lasted through 2009, which meant it wouldn't have been able to take advantage of the life-saving "strategic alliance" with Italy's Fiat Auto.

The alliance will depend on Fiat for new small-car platforms and high-mpg powertrains to plug gaping holes in Chrysler's product portfolio, a repair job seen as essential for reviving Chrysler sales and restoring profitability. Fiat stands to benefit mainly from Chrysler's U.S. sales and manufacturing facilities. It also gets a piece of the American company for no money down. Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne proposed the linkup in the belief that only those automakers with at least 5.5 million yearly sales will be able to weather today's economic storms. As it happens, Fiat and Chrysler tallied about that many sales between them in 2008.

Chrysler and Fiat officially joined forces in June 2009, and have already started working on their ambitious plans, some of which are already known. Topping the agenda are a radical remake of the Chrysler lineup and returning the Fiat and Alfa Romeo brands to the U.S. market after absences of more than 20 years. If all goes well, Americans will eventually see a raft of new Chrysler-badged Fiat-designed cars and a few U.S.-built Fiat and Alfa models.

The first of the alliance's scheduled Italian-brand products are the retro-cute Fiat 500 minicar, the recently launched BMW Mini Cooper-fighting Alfa Romeo MiTo premium subcompact car, and our subject here, the 2011 Alfa Romeo Milano compact. Developed as Project 940, the front-wheel-drive Milano had been rumored as the Alfa Romeo 149.

No matter. The Milano is the redesigned replacement for the European-market Alfa 147 hatchback that's been around since late 2000 as a rival to the likes of the mainstream Ford Focus and premium compact cars like the BMW 1-Series. The Milano is slated to bow in Europe in late 2009, and Fiat hints that it could be in U.S. showrooms as early as mid-2010, albeit as a limited-availability import. But there's a good chance that Chrysler will end up building U.S.-market Milanos, perhaps sooner rather than later. For now, the parties will only say they're studying the possibility.

For more inside information on hundreds of new cars of today and tomorrow, check out:

• C­o­nsumer Guide New Car Reviews and Prices: Road test results, photos, specifications, and prices for hundreds of new cars, trucks, minivans, and SUVs from the Auto Editors of Consumer Guide.
• Fuel Economy Leaders: The EPA admits its fuel economy numbers are estimates. Ours are real. Here are the fuel-economy leaders as determined in Consumer Guide tests.
• Premium Compact Cars: The 2011 Alfa Romeo Milano will compete in the premium compact car class. Here's Consumer Guide's roundup of all the premium compact cars on sale today.
• 2009 Consumer Guide Best Buy and Recommended Award Winners: Check out which cars won our Best Buy and Recommended awards for 2009.
• Future Cars: Step into the automotive showroom of tomorrow with reviews, analysis, pictures, prices, and preliminary specifications on scores of vehicles that will be appearing next year and beyond.