Sidebar: Coming to an Alfa Romeo Dealer Near You

With styling inspired by its gorgeous 8C supercar but aimed squarely at BMW's MINI, this premium compact is destined for U.S. dealerships. Don't look for it before 2013 though. It needs a complete makeover and two additional doors so as to compete better in the U.S. subcompact car segment against comers like Ford's recently introduced Fiesta and Chevy's upcoming Sonic. With gas heading to $4 a gallon, will it be the right Alfa Romeo at the right time?

After officially importing cars to the United States for more than 40 years, Alfa Romeo picked up stakes and retreated to Italy in 1995. Its last car was the stylish 164, a luxury sedan that was unable to compete with the BMW 5 Series and Mercedes-Benz E Class. Since then, Alfa Romeo has announced and then postponed plans to return to the North American market. Save for the hyper-expensive 8C supercar, Alfa Romeo has remained absent.

All that is about to change in 2012, when Alfa Romeo returns with a mainstream sedan, the mid-sized Giulia. It is expected to be joined by a station wagon version, which was announced this past April. At the time, Fiat presented its five-year plan for Alfa Romeo's return to North America, a move that will include two U.S.-built crossovers built