Alfa reveals ambitious plans for eight new models by 2018

It seems that Alfa Romeo has been lying low after unveiling the 4C supercar, which kept most of us eagerly waiting. Now, the Italian automaker has revealed something big for the future - a total of eight new models by 2018.

To achieve the ambitious plan, the marque will triple the manpower in its engineering team within the next 18 months to reach 600 people.

The new model lineup will cover from the C segment (compact family cars such as the Ford Focus and Toyota Corolla) to the E segment (mid-sized executive sedans like the BMW 5 Series). This will contribute to the annual sales target of 400,000 units by 2018 - up from 74,000 in 2013. 

If all goes well with the plan, we can expect the 5 Series rival to launch late next year. The bulk of the new products, however, will be unveiled between 2016 and 2018, including two compact SUVs, a second mid-sized sedan, a full-sized sedan and a 'Specialty product' - which is widely speculated as Alfa's version of the co-developed Mazda MX-5.