Re: Italian car day at WSJ

[James Bratek <james_bratek@domain.elided>]

> In Friday's edition of the Wall Street Journal, there was:
> 1. An article about Alfa Romeo taking a new advertising tack in Europe and
> Japan to make the line of cars seem more "woman friendly." The story seemed
> to be saying that the object of the new strategy was not so much to get more
> women to buy Alfas as to get them to drop their objections when their
> husbands do.

I read that article, too, and it should also be noted that the ad campaign's
goal is to also bolster the image of quality, reliability, and safety ...
traits Alfa Romeo is not currently associated with, but its competing brands
(BMW, Audi, Mercedes, Lexus, Infiniti) are. This is exactly the kind of
advertising Alfa needs to do in the US, whenever they get their products
here.

> 2. A "trend" piece, reporting gearheads are trying to sell their rollers
> because of the poor economy. People who bought "project" cars are coming to
> the realization that they'll never be able to afford to finish the
> restoration, the story says. Alfa isn't mentioned in the text, but an
> accompanying graphic shows a Duetto, gives the current market value as
> $15,000 and gives strength (great engine) and weakness (weak 2nd-gear
> synchros).

A great time to buy classic European cars, if you've got the extra cash to
fix them up properly, or you're a mechanic or mechanically-talented type of
owner.

> 3. There's a full-page ad for the Maserati GT coupe, headed "Living Well Is
> the Best Revenge." It lists the cost in the tiny print at the bottom of the
> page (about $87,000) but gives the lease payments in the big type. These
> guys know their market: Journal readers are more apt to lease 'em than buy
> 'em.

I'd say its more a national trend than Journal market-specific. From the
manufacturer's point of view, there are more customers with a certain
monthly budget for leasing luxury cars than customers with the cash to buy
them outright. From all the griping on this list about new car prices, I
would have thought leasing would be an agreeable way to afford new Alfas
when we see them here in the US again.


Jim
'03 Mercedes C240 4Matic (black/java, lease)
'99 Miata (black/tan, own)
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