Alfa UK Sales-Not good news really

["Tim Hancock" <timhancock@domain.elided>]

The following figures appear in the latest AROC (UK) magazine.

UK Alfa Registrations for 2001 were a record for Alfa at 16,867 units sold,
and the talk was of seeing Alfa break the 20,000 mark in 2002. Something went
badly wrong. After an excellent start sales stalled as people delayed 156
purchases awaiting the revised JTS  engine and upgraded JTD models. Even when
these became available in theory, in practice, supply was inadequate and many
sales went eleswhere. The end of year registrations for 2002 were a
disappointing 11,713.

To put this is some kind of competitor perspective, BMW registered about
79,000 cars,and Mercedes about 86,000 cars in the UK. Both these figures were
down, with the day being saved for BMW by the new Mini which has really taken
off better than they had anticipated.

I also suspect that many Alfa sales in the last few years were 'once only'
switch sales from BMW owners, who may have wanted the latest sexy car on the
street (156), but have now switched back to BMW for customer service/product
quality reasons.

Incidentally, and someone may have flagged this already...156 is now being
assembled in Thailand with an anticipated Asian content of 40% within a year.
The plant is the GM plant in Rayong. How long before build quality is better
than the Italian grown version? They are RHD as well, so the odd one may
filter through to the UK as a personal import...interesting!

Finally....Pushrods?..well I like pushrods and can cite the Peugeot 404 and
Renault 16 as having had delightfully sweet pushrod 1600cc engines. Our
current Skoda is all alloy pushrod of ancient design, and is a trooper of a
little engine without being remotely exciting. Pushrods in an Alfa
however.....NEVER! My only regret about OHC (apart from timing the damned
things) is that it allowed that fifth columnist the Cam Belt to infiltrate and
really foul things up.

Tim Hancock   Boston UK

164 TS
164 Super  (My colleagues have started to call this the the most expensive
garden gnome in Lincolnshire, but I think I am close to finding a workshop to
move it to and start work proper)
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