Alfa Romeo's return to North America has been delayed at least a half year partly because Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne is not satisfied with the design of the cars that will lead the brand's comeback in the crucial market, people with direct knowledge of the matter told Automotive News Europe.

The delay also is a serious blow to Alfa in Europe because without the Giulia mid-sized sedan and station wagon the automaker will have one of the weakest premium brand lineups in Europe.

Alfa parent Fiat S.p.A. has pushed back the arrival of the Giulia models to mid-2013 from late 2012, the sources said. They blamed the delay on manufacturing and styling issues with the cars, adding that Marchionne was not pleased with proposals he has seen from Alfa's creative team in Turin.

2012 Mazda 3 made its U.S. debut in 2011 at New York International Auto Show. Face-lift with a more refined exterior and interior, the 2012 Mazda 3 is also the first application in North America Mazda SKYACTIV fuel performance and innovative technology-driven, achieving 40 mpg on the highway. The Mazda 3 models of Mazda’s best-selling worldwide and accounted for nearly half of all Mazda sales in the U.S., which makes the vehicle a prime candidate for introducing SKYACTIV consumers seeking dynamic performance combined with high fuel efficiency.

The 2012 Honda Crosstour® approaches the crossover SUV formula from a distinctively sleek, sporty and fuel-efficient perspective while also maximizing the interior's cargo capacity, versatility and premium feel.

The Malibu sedan marked Chevrolet’s strengthened focus on the midsize passenger car segment, and the honors it has collected since its 2008 model year launch – including North American Car of the Year, Consumer’s Digest Best Buy and IIHS Top Safety Pick – confirm it’s a worthy competitor. The Malibu’s continued popularity among consumers is the real prize, however, as Malibu sales continue to rise by double digits.

2012 Chevrolet Malibu LTZ photo

The breakthrough Mitsubishi i is the most affordable 100% electric-powered mass-market production vehicle available in North America. Its net MSRP* after federal tax credit is a very affordable $20,490 for the standard ES model and only $22,490 for the upgrade SE version, making the starting price for the all-new Mitsubishi i several thousand less than other mass produced electric vehicles available in the market.

2012 Mitsubishi i photo

Already powerful, the 5.7-liter has been tuned to extract the maximum amount of torque from the engine with the inclusion of a specially calibrated engine controller. The controller matches maximum engine power and transmission shifting to the differential for the 2011 Dodge Charger Mopar.