Re: Alfa's return/FWD Alfas

[Nicky Avery <nicky@domain.elided>]

Thanks for the Autonews article, Ed Caribou! The article about the Brera
was linked to this one
http://europe.autonews.com/article.cms?articleId=51627 and I think this
is interesting as a pointer to where Alfa is at.

It seems there are two big reasons for the delay in relaunching: lack of
qualified mechanics in the USA and lack of money in Italy.

I'm shocked.

It looks like FIAT has finally listened to what everyone has been
complaining about for years: FIAT has noticed that the overall standard
of its dealers falls far short of what the Germans and Japanese have
gotten out of their dealer networks. FIAT has also noticed that it is
affecting sales. It seems to have occurred to someone in Italy that just
signing up a bunch of GM dealers and sending the mechanics on 15 minute
courses is not going to provide adequate support for relaunching a whole
slew of models which are even more complex than the 164s. There are very
few people with good Alfa skills in the USA, used on a daily basis,
their knowledge is 7 years out of date and they don't work at GM
dealerships. If Alfa can upgrade or purge its dealers in Europe as GM
and Ford have done here, there is some hope for continuing growth and
profits, which brings us to the other lack: money.

Style, reliability, driving qualities - pick any 2. It is healthy that
finally FIAT has concluded that a relaunch is going to take more than a
20 dealerships and a few 1/8 page ads in the Wall Street Journal. I
suspect they are considering some kind of blanket warranty along the
lines of Audi's relaunch strategy. There's no point in bringing Alfa
back to screw it up again. Let them take their time and do it when they
can get it right. I think a surprisingly large number of people will
care when Alfa returns with products like the 147 and 156 GTA backed up
with assurance about service and resale values. Not everyone is so
dogmatic about what an Alfa *should* be that he cannot get past it to
see what it is, which brings me to the 164....

I join Richard and (I think) George in defending the 164. I have to say
to people who dismiss the 164 because it is FWD that you're being silly.
If you want a RWD 2- or 2+2 seater sports car, you don't want a 4/5
passenger FWD sports sedan. If you're disappointed that you can't buy a
new Giulia or GTV, don't curse the 164. It wasn't designed to be that
kind of a car and it also doesn't sail very well. However, it is a very
good 4/5 seat sports sedan.

Nicky
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