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Perhaps I didn't understand well what Dana Loomis was
telling, but if I'm in right thinking he said the
actual Alfas have a "name" and their value is the same
of recent BMW, beh, I disagree.

I know the name of Dana Loomis because I read a script
about "defense of recente Alfas", so I'm respectful.

I don't affirm BMW are the "best cars in the world"
but I see admirated their strategy: evolution, not
revolution.

Alfa Romeo followed this strategy (of course, cause
money) in the past, building cars surely poor in
quality respect some other makers, but cars still
running and still watched with admiration. And, of
course, I can speak about the domestic market and
situation, knowing abroad the situation is a bit
different. 

The latest cars exported in US were "genuine Alfa
projects" (even if 164 is front wheel drive), the
actual not. And surely I can imagine US citizens'
requests from a car are different from the italians'
requests. We have road full of turns, we also can run
with speed around the 200 Km/h on motorways, so we
need car with safety, handling and powerful.

I drove all the Alfa models built since 1970 (only
exception the Montreal). And I drove also BMWs
including recent BMWs.
Without doubt, oldest Alfas could be compared with the
oldest BMW, or, better, are longer better than the BMW
models built in the same time. 
But you can't comprare, actually, the image that had a
75 compared with a "3". This difference was clear with
the 155: he "3" was another planet as image. 
Driving BMW (if you own a 116 or a 162) you surely
think germans have yet to learn something about how a
car must be on the road. Driving BMW if you have a 155
(and a 156) you can think germans know how to built
cars. This is evidence. I can accept a car built with
no much quality in interior only if it has something
more in the mechanical layout. But I can't accept a
Fiat Tipo with another badge as it was the 155. 
In this "panorama" I can't accept the flagship 166 is
built were was built the Fiat 131 instead than in its
country, in Milan, only because so was decided by
Fiat, which received as gift Alfa Romeo brand,
factories and so on.
Perhaps we in Italy (and I, too) need too much? I
think no. We need, only, an actual Alfa Romeo. An
actual Alfa Romeo means a car which resume all the old
tradition and acknowledgment, not a car similar to
many other that forgot all the tradition and the
passion on building cars. Years ago, entering in an
Alfa dealer, you was in a passion site. Actually the
Fiat's policy want to create some "megastores" where
you can buy a Fiat, or a Lancia or an Alfa as in a
discount. 
I don't know the situation in other countries, but
here to enter in a Mercedes, an Audi, a BMW dealer is
all another story. 
Fiat announced the return in US (Alfa brand) in 2004.
After that date, we could return on this discussion,
after you have driven the actual "technology" with no
more V6, no more alloy engines, no more rear wheel
driven and so on. 
I would like to know your opinion if Chevrolet will
decide not to built anymore the Corvette because "it's
expensive".


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