Not Import Alfa Sedans?!

[Douglas Munford <doug@domain.elided>]

Howard K. Warren wrote:


> <<
>  2) DC leverages the Ferrari name into the Alfa-Romeo GTV and GTV Spider
>  line.  These cars become the "entry level" Ferrari-Alfa sports cars.
>   Porsche did this pretty well with the 944 and 911 cars.  This may agitate
>  the Ferrari purists, but not many can afford a new Ferrari 360.  Moving the
>  Alfa sports cars under Ferrari would give Ferrari a larger car base to
>  spread their fixed costs across, making it easier for both lines to make a
>  profit.  And more cars means more customers, meaning more market share,
> meaning fewer of those damned Miatas <g>.>>

....and MAXLTV@domain.elided wrote:

> This would be a stunning marketing move, although with the Alfa brand well
> revived in Europe, I'm not sure if they would do it. But it sure would bring
> tonnage in showroom traffic!!

I don't think that Alfa having success in Europe would, in itself, mediate
against Fiat or (god forbid) DC attempting a return to the North American
market.  European success, I believe, would hearten whoever owns Alfa at the
time.  It would be indicative of their having learned how to build cars with
enough near-mass market appeal to be successful, and that they had found a
successful method of marketing their line.

Additionally, it would give them the cash flow needed to enter (re-enter) other
markets.



Howard also wrote:

> << 3) I would not import the Alfa Romeo sedans.  They would have a horrible
>  fight for market share against BMW, Lexus, Infiniti, not to mention
>  Mercedes and Chrysler models.  No need to bite yourself...
>   >>

.... to which MAXLTV@domain.elided responded:

> I agree. In this country, the spiders have far outsold the sedans repeatedly,
> and there is no sense in fighting the market.  Even though I own a 164,
> running up against the 3 series was suicidal for Alfa. If they had just hung
> on long enough for the new Spider and Coupe, I think they could have been
> profitable here. And I probably would have traded for a coupe myself.
> Meantime, they surrendered their market niche to others, just when the
> demographics for it took off.

It' interesting, though, that worldwide, Alfa sells more coupes and sedans than
Spiders.

I wonder: if Alfa was still selling cars here now, *would* the Spiders still
outsell coupes?  Would people want a FWD sports car?  Mazda's impressive success
with its Miata, competing even with Honda, as well as BMW's, Porsche's and
Acura's (people lined-up three-deep to pay $90,000 for the (then) 4-cylinder
NSX), would indicate that sports car enthusiasts in the U.S. still prefer RWD.

Also, it seems Alfa's sedans (and coupes) have progressed technologically at
least - perhaps more rapidly, than Spiders have.  I sometimes run into a neighbor
who has a new Mercedes coupe (don't ask me the #).  The guy simply drools over my
'94 164; he talks at some length about the 24v engine, the body changes from the
Milano, the sound only an Alfa makes.  Talks about seeing me around town; "You
can't miss that Alfa grille!"  That's one example of what I experience all the
time: people see the badges, or hear that you own an Alfa, and are envious....
often are very interested in the story behind its purchase and/or ownership.

Finally, there are the monster sales numbers SUVs are putting up these days.
Winter is a factor in much of NA.  People want crash protection and space.  Add
substantial speed, phenomenal handling and beauty, and what've you got?

The Alfa sedans.


I wholeheartedly agree that Alfa surrendered their market share to others - in
fact, surrendered the entire market.

But even putting emotion aside, I've never been able to fully accept, from a
business point of view, that the way Daimler Benz, BMW or Lexus were able to beat
the poop out of Alfa in sales volume, was inevitable.

I think the real story behind Alfa's withdrawal from NA is three-fold: marketing
that wasn't adequate; fatigue in dealing with the growing litigious nature of
American society, and the suffocating bureaucracy of the American government; and
the power structure and struggles within Fiat SPA.


~ Doug in CT

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