Fiat Chrysler Automobiles made an emphatic statement about the future of its Alfa Romeo brand with its second-quarter TV commercial during the Super Bowl. The ad, "Riding Dragons," made it clear that, after years of frustrating delays in relaunching its Italian sports-car brand in the U.S. market, FCA is committing itself to come through on the ambitions that CEO Sergio Marchionne has been sketching for Alfa Romeo for a long time.

A second, 30-second, ad during the third quarter extended FCA's sole attention to Alfa Romeo in Super Bowl LI advertising. "Dear Predictable" put the Alfa Romeo story on the sleekly styled, powerful back of the first new model out of the chute, Giulia, which was shown negotiating hairpin turns in hair-raising style. And a third ad, near the end of the game, also was devoted to Giulia, describing it this way: "Some cars take your breath away; only one gives it back."