Re: Alfa return

[James Bratek <jbratek@domain.elided>]

> Personally I like the mysterious quality of Alfa ownership - the average
> person on the street doesn't know if it's a Fiat or a Ferrari.  When I
> describe a problem I'm having with my 93 164L to a Camry owner, I simply say,
> "Well, the production guy was working on that part, then took a three hour
> lunch, drank a little wine, and when he returned he went on to something
> else.  Like most people, the car has character, not perfection.  It's my
> partner, not my servant."

If that's the level of quality that you expect, then Alfa will continue to
sell cars in the US as a niche market player. And thats simply not
acceptable in today's auto marketplace. Even Ferrari, the mythical niche
automaker, is increasing its production output every year -- the 308-328 and
Testarossa of the 1980s used to be known for their high volume production
runs, but now the 355 line surpassed it, and the 360 will probably set a new
record by the end of its run.

Alfa can have character and uniqueness in its products without sacrificing
quality of workmanship and mechanical reliability. Its already doing it in
Europe now. And with each new generation of product, it will continue to get
better and better. (Its just that Americans are stuck on the olde image of
Alfa from the '70s and '80s).


Jim

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