Alfa factories outside Italy

[graham.hilder@domain.elided (Graham Hilder)]

Thanks all, for the info about Alfa factories outside Italy.=20

John H mentioned an assembly operation in South Africa, using CKD kits =
shipped from Italy.  However, he didn't mention the topic of possible =
South African-only variations on the basic Alfa design, which I have heard =
may have happened (possibly different engine or gearing options and =
suchlike).  Does anyone know if this is rumour or true, and if true, were =
these variations officially sanctioned by Alfa Romeo in Italy, and I =
wonder who would have initiated them and why (if the South African =
operation was a simple assembly-only affair as John suggested, and not =
involved in local design or development?).

Tony and Keith and Zamani (and John) all indicated that various Alfas were =
assembled in Malaysia, including some Alfa Sud. The Sud issue is most =
interesting, as I once saw a road test from a Malaysian magazine of a =
strange Sud, a 1500cc hybrid which I think had the 2-door body of a TI but =
the square-headlamps and single-carb of a sedan. Since then, I've actually =
seen a 2 or 3 of these weird and rare animals in New Zealand.  I haven't =
found any reference to them as an official Alfa product in any of the Alfa =
books I've got...... does anyone know the story behind these cars at all? =
Were they some local Malaysian-only variation (presumably Italy-sanctioned =
however, as Zamani says that Malaysian Alfas were either CKD or CBU).

In an off-digest letter, Darren of Australia mentioned to me that Alfas =
were also assembled in Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia)..... firstly 105s, and =
later Suds.   The plot thickens......

Regards,
Graham H,
New Zealand.

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