Re: AutoWeek Alfa US return article

["Alex" <alfaromeodriver@domain.elided>]

> > 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.

Alfisti,

OK, I'll certainly agree that Alfa would be making a mistake by bringing in
only the most expensive of the breed.  And by all current indicators in that
Auto article, it would appear that that would be the route they are going.
But frankly, I think that may be just confusing 'malarkey...the Euro press
and Italian car makers are know for this kind of misleading talk.  I've been
very carefully reading the press and have had the good fortune of having
been visiting Europe, Asia and Australia recently, where I have been buying
and reading a lot of Alfa news.  From my studies, I have learned:

Fact 1: The current 147 was designed to meet or exceed all the safety and
environmental testing which cars in the EU are now subjected to, and those
tests are very similar to the US tests.  The 147 is, I believe, ready to
come here very soon.
Fact 2: The re-design of the 156 model-line is underway as we speak.
Fact 3: The brand new 'Kamal' SUV concept wasn't designed for Europe.  In
fact, hardly anyone buys SUVs there.  The SUV is a North American thing.  I
won't go into the "why" here, but it has a lot to do with taxes, fuel costs,
and vehicle size issues.
Fact 4: The Brera will be 'toned-down' and built says the man in the
all-black Italian suit.  I expect it to lose about 100HP or so, be skinned
in steel instead of Carbon Fiber, and maybe be RWD only. It would then fit
into the price range and be competitive with the BMW M3, Nissan 350Z, and
the Infinity, Lexus, Mercedes and Audi Coupes.
Fact 5: The 166 series is due for an update and some Italian articles in the
home press have discussed this new Alfa luxury car sharing a platform with
Saab and maybe Lancia 'a la' 164.

As for the Spider and GTV?  The latest face-lift and the new 156-based
'Sprint' Coupe lead me to believe that a new Spider and GTV are likely to be
unveiled very soon (Geneva 2004?).

So, the question is: what is Alfa up to?  They are becoming very successful
in Europe and Asia and South America...even Australia is seeing a big
resurgence in sales.  I believe that they will come back with a vengeance by
bringing over the Kamal SUV, the 147 Hatchback, the 156 (or its successor)
and the new Spider and GTV (maybe based on the Brera?).  About a year or so
later, they will follow that up with a luxury sedan.

Where will they get the money?  Not from cash-strapped FIAT you say?  Don't
believe it!  'FIAT auto' sales are in the toilet, but Alfa is an 'up and
comer'.  I am pretty sure that whatever the 'giant FIAT' solution will be,
it will recognize the excellent potential Alfa has to bring in the coin.  If
they can get the backing, and set up an adequate marketing and dealership
plan, this could work very well indeed.  Am I dreaming?  Sure.  But, I have
seen weirder things happen!

That's my three cents (Canadian).

Cheers,
Alfalex Csank
Norfolk, VA
'69 Spider
'87 Milano Gold
'87 Milano Verde
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