Re: alfa-digest V7 #1370

[Andrew Halket <arbh@domain.elided>]

>Alfa is, unfortunately, a car
that could not cut it with consumers in what is the most competitive
automotive market in the world.

>Only in North America do Japanese, European and US manufacturers compete
head-to-head.  The competition (not import restrictions) in North America
has driven out several European manufacturers (Peugeot, Renault, the old
British Leyland marques, Fiat, Alfa, Citroen, Opel) and helped bankrupt
Nissan, Mazda, and Hyundai.

I'm sorry - you have just contradicted yourself!  The market is now far from
competitive if most of the big European players are not there.  Having driven a
number of american hire cars I am afraid i subscribe to the
alfas-are-not-to-the-american-taste theory.  With only one exception these cars were
dull, ugly and gutless.  The only interesting hire car was a Mustang, but that was
only a bit of fun in an unsubtle way - its 5+ litres were still very unremarkable.

We have an american associate who has said that no one has ever gone out of business
overestimating americans lack of taste - and we were talking cars at the time.

Of course, i am preaching to the converted here as presumably everyone drives alfas!

We do get Chryslers here in the UK - the saloon is cheap but unremarkable, but I
think that the station wagon has been slated terribly?

Andrew


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Andrew Halket
The Technology Partnership plc
Cambridge, England
+44 1763 262626 (Ph)
+44 1763 261582 (Fx)

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