Re: Alfa-a long time comin' -back, that is

[MAXLTV@domain.elided]

There was an interesting article in the Sunday New York Times business 
section yesterday, about an executive from General Electric (U.S.) working 
with FIAT to get the firm into the 21st century. But "job one" for this guy 
is to find an automotive partner to either merge with or take the automotive 
division off FIAT's hands altogether. In their words, to make the bride 
"pretty enough to bring to the altar." With everyone merging or partnering, 
it seems FIAT is very frsutrated over the fact it can't make a deal. 
  Also, FIAT's main strategy has been to expand in less developed countries, 
since they think this is where the greatest long term growth opportunities 
are. 

  While the article mentions the recent success of Alfa's new models in 
Europe, as well as some recent FIAT launches, it seems to me that FIAT would 
not be taking any grand new initiatives to penetrate the North American 
market until some sort of partnership is made.  The firm is in a "caretaker" 
mode that seeks to make the firm more attractive to sell or merge with, and 
while the article did not come out and say it, I would surmise from this that 
a crusade for North America is not in the cards, and will not be for quite 
some time. 

You heard it here first.    

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