Alfa and protectionism

["Storhok, Eric (E.M.)" <estorhok@domain.elided>]

I would have to say that all this "Alfa is being kept out of the US market
because of protectionism" is a bunch of crap.

Why, let me tell you, its not that hard to get a car sold in the US.  How do
I know?  I've done it.  Remember that little DB7 I've been working on???
Well, according to our governments (CARB, EPA, DOT), Aston Martin is NOT
part of Ford.  Yet we managed to do ALL the paperwork to satisfy all the
agencies and did NOT use the Ford resources to get it done.  Aston hired a
couple of companies who specialize in certifying a car, and they did all the
work for us.  They also do work for Lambo, Ferrari, and DeTomaso(for the new
one).  

It is VERY EASY to sell a car in the US.  If you are willing to actually try
to make a car people want.  Why do we sell so many SUV's?  Because people
are buying them.  Good reason- not for the environment, nor to the guys in
little cars.  But when we are able to make almost $$500 Million in profit
selling 50,000 trucks, we would be STUPID not to.  Think its the Big 3
pushing them?  Likely.  But remember that everyone else is now building them
to sell here and abroad.  Even the dreaded BMW.  I have friends in England
who own Explorers- and those are real monsters on English roads.

Companies don't sell cars in the US because they CAN'T.  They are too stupid
to understand the average moron owner, or too lazy to figure it out.  Or
even to arrogant to think that "well if they drive trucks, then they have no
taste for our cars"...  

BTW, people don't buy trucks because they don't meet specific standards-
they just buy them.  And add to my pay check.  I hate trucks, but they sure
make us a lot of money.  And the regulations are quickly merging to a single
standard.  They were split originally because at the time trucks didn't get
used as much, and economy of scale on the cars was easier to push the new
regs on.  The EPA has caught onto this.

Oh, and brian- its 5 years, 50k miles for the warrantee, while the current
laws cover 100k for emissions, and soon will be both 120k and 150k miles
depending on the standard.

Eric Storhok
Core Emissions and Fuel Economy Team
Advanced Powertrain Engineering
(313)33x75011
MD 35, FPC-B
Ford Motor Company

------------------------------