If Alfa Romeo is serious about competing with Germany’s premium labels it will eventually have to drop its core FWD lineup or at least offer more affordable rear-drive models. However, the carmaker’s low volume status makes developing a brand new premium RWD platform unfeasible. One solution is to license an existing design from another carmaker, and latest reports claim that’s exactly what’s going to happen over the next couple of years as Alfa updates its lineup and prepares for its return to North America.

Alfa Romeo was previously rumored to be in talks with both Mercedes-Benz and Cadillac over possible platform sharing deals but the most likely carmaker to work with Alfa in the future is now shaping up to be Jaguar.

Jaguar was recently bought by India’s Tata, a company with close ties with Alfa Romeo’s parent Fiat. In 2006 Tata boss Ratan Tata joined Fiat’s board after being recommended by the Agnelli family, the owners of the controlling stake of Fiat, and Fiat and Tata are already tied up over an engine supply deal.

This collaboration will likely ensure access to Jaguar’s RWD technology is given to Alfa Romeo’s engineers. Speaking with our partners Auto Motor und Sport, Fiat development boss Harald Wester confirmed there were ongoing talks between the two carmakers over new RWD powertrains. He revealed the new rear-drive architecture could be used not only for Alfa Romeo but for Lancia and Maserati as well, although nothing is final yet.