Alfas in US

[adoherty@domain.elided (Adam Doherty)]

I forget which Agnelli it was that said (roughly): I can think of easier 
ways to lose money than selling cars in the USA.

Now I think that that statement might at first be somewhat funny/cute, 
but I should think it really would only apply to an entity that was/is 
either bumbling or uncaring in their US operations. People have put 
forward many exemplum gratia of different auto makers etc that do 
business in the US--at a profit, and I certainly think that FIAT Spa 
could do the same. If the USA were such an onerous endeavor, why don't 
they pack up New Holland etc to a third world locale? I suspect they 
don't know what they are really up to with respect to the US auto market, 
partly due to their horrid estimation and miscalculation when they (FIAT 
and there subsi. auto makes) did have operations here. Moreover, the 
various analyses that people have posted each have merit, and to some 
degree I think they all are correct (despite the back and forth....), but 
there really hasn't been a total story listing cause, effect and the 
various bits together. And, I shant provide one here--to avoid the risk 
of exposing me to a famous A. Linclon saying. When all is said and done, 
I am young and if Alfa were to be sold new again in the US, I would look 
for either a new GTV, SPider or 156--and not much else. Moreover, we on 
the digest do not represent a good cross section of the American buyer 
for Alfas, think of all those that folks driving various Alfas that  
don't respond when a query to the Digest (Is the person in the red...on 
this list?) goes unanswered. 

Now see, I really didn't want to post my thoughts.....

Regards,

Adam

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