New ones....

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

Well, time for more opinions...  I normally don't pipe in on the subject very much, but for whatever reason.

First of all, would we buy one- yes.  It may be heresy to some purists (just like the 750/101 cars were in the 50's), but the person who would drive the car every day LOVES the 164LS that we are trying to sell.  For that matter, we are trying to sell it to start saving money FOR a NEW one.

I know a lot of people hate FWD Alfas, especially some who are members of my chapter of AROC.  But the car does have something more than other cars that are currently made.  And the 155 we had 7 years ago in Italy did as well.  As did the 156 we had in Spain 2 years ago.  Was it like driving a '73 GTV?  Of course not.  But nothing is, and we look at the car in a relative sense.  Relative to a BMW, Volvo, Merc, Audi or any other European luxury sports sedan, the Alfa's have something that is in-describable which attracts us to the marque in the first place.  Look at it in another way- is a current 3 series the same a 2002ti?  Not even close.  But the 156 is to a 3 series as a GTV is to a 2002tii (more so when you look at a Volvo or a Jag X-type which are cars I get at a discount).  So we would spend the money on the Alfa.

As for the driving interaction- you can't find any luxury sports sedan that you can actually interact with.  Heck, there are very few sports cars that don't have some type of auto this or that you have to get.  I can think of one that is possible to get- a Miata- one can find one with roll up windows, no ABS, auto heater control, etc.  I'm sure the current Elise fits as well, but they are not available in the US.  And I predict that you'll never get a sports sedan without all the do-dads, as we make tons of profits on them.  Its one reason they are there.

Anyway, that is my opinion.  

Eric Storhok
Powertrain System Development
Powertrain Research and Development
(313)33x75011
MD 35, FPC-B
Ford Motor Company
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