Re: alfa-digest V7 #896

[Pottree@domain.elided]

In a message dated 7/21/99 11:12:06 AM Pacific Daylight Time, 
owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided writes:

<< Alfa's are very expensive cars, how many of us (even we true
 believers) can really afford one?  >>


Without getting into the speculation of if Alfa return to the USA and how it 
could sell cars here, in fact, the beautiful 156 is selling in Italy for the 
equivalent of about US $20K, which is not expensive by today's standards, 
only about average, and is in the range of something like a Honda Accord in 
the USA price-wise.  

Interestingly, there was an ill-matched and short-lasting marriage between 
Alfa and Chrysler in the US several years ago, I suppose in a vain attempt by 
the former to expand and improve its deal network and by the latter to get 
some excitement onto the showroom floor amid all the dowdiness.  I suspect 
there are still contracts and agreements from that lingering and until they 
expire it would be too much trouble for Alfa to even consider coming back to 
the USA.  

Meanwhile, less than 2 years ago they were hot and heavy to sell cars in 
Asia, before the Asian economy melted down, so supply wise I guess they felt 
they could meet demand in the countries where they are now selling and also 
in other markets.  

Last I heard they were thinking of adding a third shift at Arese for the 156 
especially. Don't know if they did, but that's a significant source of 
capacity.

Though many of us don't want to hear it, new vehicle sales in the USA are 
largely small trucks or their evil spawn, or dowdy things bought by fleets, 
or expensive (like Mercedes and BMW) cars leased with a weather eye toward 
tax deductions for business use.  How much of a market for what Alfa makes, 
family autos, is something FIAT or anybody else would look at very, very 
carefully.

Charlie

LA, CA, USA

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