Re: AutoWeek Alfa US return article

["Peter Marino" <alfa02189@domain.elided>]

Your are correct, SIR !  Very well said (written).

Peter Marino
79 Sports Sedan
----- Original Message ----- 
From: George Graves <gmgraves@domain.elided>
To: <alfa@domain.elided>
Sent: Monday, March 10, 2003 6:05 PM
Subject: Re: AutoWeek Alfa US return article 


> In my opinion, they are about to make the same mistake that they made  
> in the early nineties- the same mistake that had them leaving this  
> market with less than 500 cars sold in all of North America for 1995.  
> They need to come here with their ENTIRE LINE instead of just sending  
> their largest and most expensive models. Just selling a  
> stratospherically priced Brera-like coupe, a Spider and the replacement  
> for the 166 means that there will be NO Alfas for enthusiasts who can't  
> afford or can't justify a US $50,000  to $90,000 car. Having driven  
> both a 156 and a 147 extensively in Europe, I can tell you that this is  
> where Alfa would be successful. These are attractive, marvelous cars.  
> The 166, on the other hand, is huge, underpowered, and heavy. It will  
> cost more than 50 grand. The Spider will be in the same general area,  
> but the Brera-like GTV will be upwards of 70 grand - no question about  
> it. In Europe, 147's start at around $19,000 and a V-6 GTA version is  
> under 30. Likewise, 156's start in the low 20's and a fully tricked-out  
> GTA with the 250 HP 2.5 liter engine is around US$40,000. These are the  
> cars that Alfa NEEDS to be selling here in this market (Including the  
> new direct injection 2-liter 4 cylinder engined versions). These are  
> cars that working stiffs like most of us could afford. I fear that with  
> their current plan, if they do come back, their stay will be very  
> short. It will still leave most Alfisti driving 20-50 year old Alfas  
> because the new ones - even if they are any good (GM's involvement is a  
> bad omen in my opinion) will remain out of reach and they will sell far  
> fewer cars here than they could or need to sell in order to be  
> successful.
> 
> George Graves
> '86 GTV-6
--
to be removed from alfa, see /bin/digest-subs.cgi
or email "unsubscribe alfa" to majordomo@domain.elided