Alfa's in Italy

["Ian Preece" <ian_preece@domain.elided>]

Jorge wrote:

>Something funny if not ugly happens when I visit Italy (I swear this is the
>only ugly thing):  I see a lot of Alfas, yes, but very few are really
>exciting.  Taxi cabs like 33's and 75's, old, very old Suds
>and an occasional Alfetta, in the sorest state, and lots of blue Polizia
and
>Carabinieri 75's and 155's now.  You don't see very many "unique" Alfas.
>They are just common, commuting cars.  The exception being the 164's and
the
>new crop of 156 and Spider/GTV of which I saw only 3 in 2 weeks in 98.
>Very strange feeling.  I would like to hear from digesters in Italy.  Are
>you guys tuned in?  Is Alfa a true cult there?  Or must it cross the
borders
>to become one?

Speaking from my own recent experiences, I can back up Jorge's observations.
'Classic' Alfa's are very rare on the streets in Italy. I think this is
because car usage and therefore culture, is quite different in Italy, and
has evolved in this way (IMHO) due to a number of influences.

Firstly, the teenage population is not car oriented. They nearly all ride a
scooter or small capacity motor bike, boys and girls alike, and lets face
it, a pretty girl on a scooter, skirt in the wind, who wouldn't be
entranced?. This usage extends upwards in the age range as well. Italian
kids do not aspire initially to cars, but bikes and scooters, and the market
reflects this in lots of choice and variation. So, young kids don't buy old
cars and heat them up. They also don't indulge in automotive sex......so,
there is no market for old cars.

Secondly, the average Italian car has a dent, scratch or gouge for each day
of the week. This is not just due to the famous Latin temperament and
enthusiastic driving. The vast majority of streets in towns and cities are
incredibly narrow, many hardly wider than the cars themselves (this also
accounts for the scooter usage). Therefore dings and dents are commonplace,
and often not worth spending money on as they will only recur. I'll bet
Jorge didn't see any bodyshops either, correct? This accounts for the huge
sales of small cars like the Fiat 500/600/Panda and so on. So, the cars
appearance and general demeanour is often tatty. No classics there then.

Thirdly, apart from the affluent North, most of Italy is relatively poor,
and
owning a car, just for the sake of it, is out of the question. They have
riches in other ways we in the UK can only dream about, like sunshine, great
food and family values!


There ARE classic Alfa's in Italy, quite a few, but they are not generally
seen in every day use, and tend not to be from the modern era. You can get
some idea by going to
http://website.lineone.net/~ian_preece/page-40.htm

This is part of my unfinished website (please, note unfinished!)

So, Jorge, I think Italians are just as crazy about Alfa's as the rest of
us, they just don't advertise the fact. It's interesting to see the lack of
Italian subscribers to the digest, but this is probably more to do with the
English language than anything else (you'll notice the Dutch are regulars,
where English is often spoken) It is also about the domestic/commercial
availability of internet access is guess.

It is quite understandable though, to be disappointed that the streets are
not littered with old Alfa's. Never mind.......have another Campari!

Ciao,

Ian

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