marketing a car in the usa (& elsewhere) - lotus/nissan/alfa

[Keith Walker <100662.3423@domain.elided>]

>>the isuzu engine in the last elan was *not* what did it
in.  and, all the adwertizing in the world wouldn't have saved
it.  the only way the elan could have been successful (well,
at least as successful as any *other* lotus!), would have
been if it was rwd.  plain & simple.  unless, of course, it
was sold for $15k, and marketed to non-performance-oriented
customers.<<

Dubious. What really seemed to kill it was the cost. It was
developed almost like a car to be made in a major GM factory
in vast quantities. Not a specialised car with limited prodiction
number. For example, Lotus built almost 200 prototypes. That is
around 5% of production!

Lotus do well at developeing a car on a tiny budget, and
making a profit (sometimes). When they used a massive
(for them) budget they didnt have a hope of making a
profit

As to fwd and rwd, I cannot speak for the USA but the vast
majority of drivers in the UK would not even know the
difference, let alone which to prefer. Of those who do have
a preference most would go for fwd for reasons of safety
in poor conditions (most fwd cars responding well to cack
handed responses when someone over cooks it).

>>re: the alfa 147 - unless a performance wersion could be
marketed for for ~$20k or less, it would be doa in the usa.
after all, it has to compete against the (bmw) mini, the focus
svt, the golf gti, etc.  these products, rightly or wrongly, are
respected entities here.  a $40k 147 gta?  if alfa could sell
even 25 here, i'd be flabbergasted.<<

Maybe, but the 147 is a far bigger car than a Mini. Certainly
not in the same market. However, if they can build (say)
20000 a year, would you sell them in the USA at US$1000
profit each, or in Europe at US$10000 each? Alfa will only
launch the cars in the USA if they can make a decent
return. Without that profit margin there is not purpose
for them to return. With unlimited production capacity
then yes they can sell them for US$9K off the price,
if they can sell 10 times as many.

All the best

Keith
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