Re: Alfa's return to America???

[James Bratek <james_bratek@xxxxxxx>]

If Americans equate anything Italian with style, and they do, there is no
reason that a smart marketing plan could take any Fiat model(s) imported
into the US and make it a high-volume seller in and around metropolitan
markets. Vespas are selling briskly, a scooter for heaven's sake!

The Mini, while not Italian, carries its English charm and wit, but I
believe its success is due mostly to the not-so-secret engineering and
manufacturing by BMW ... a fun-to-drive BMW for $20,000-$25,000. And don't
forget the product placement with one of this summer's blockbuster movies,
the re-make of "The Italian Job."

As for Alfa, the 166 is a mid-size model that compares best with the BMW
5-Series, and is smaller than the Jag XJ, as suggested by George.
Considering the 5-Series is a popular benchmark for the all-conquering
sports sedan title, the redesigned 166 should be dimensionally competitive,
but have the performance numbers as well. A new 156, already a spirited
model that favors well with the BMW 3-Series, needs to evolve the
performance-and-luxury persona to compete with the new 3-Series due in a
year or two. But it is still a compact sedan in a land of large cars, many
of which are offering more power for less money. Alfa needs to be there,
too, with this market trend.

A new Spider should set its sights on the BMW Z4 (both are front-engined
roadsters, although the Alfa could stand to beat the Z4 in price), and
anything designed by Pininfarina should easily be more beautiful to look at
than the Z4's bodywork by Chris Bangle. But beyond the sheetmetal, the Z4
offers impressive performance and driver experience, fitting for a BMW, but
Alfa needs to be competitive here, too, with a seriously-intoxicating
engine/exhaust note (how about a high-revving V6 that screams like a Ferrari
360 in the upper bands?) and razor-sharp steering response. The current
Spider sold by Alfa is a sporty convertible in my mind ... a new Spider
needs to be a real sports car, if you want to attract the attention of
potential Z4/Boxster/SLK/TT buyers.


Jim


> Date: Mon, 26 May 2003 10:12:32 -0700
> From: George Graves <gmgraves@domain.elided>
> Subject: Re: Alfa's return to America???
> 
> I think that this is probably the wise attitude to take toward this
> subject. OTOH, The Alfa Press Liaison in Torino, told me, not two weeks
> ago that as far as he knows. it's still the 2007 model year. But it was
> originally supposed to be 2003, then 2004, then 2005, now its 2007. Who
> knows how many more times this target will slip before it actually
> happens? My main worry is not as much when but what. What are they
> going to offer for sale in North America? The Official announcement at
> the Geneva auto show earlier this year stated that they would be
> selling ONLY the V-6 Spider, Coupe, and the 166 replacement here. These
> are very expensive cars and the 166 is a large Jaguar XJ-sized sedan,
> not exactly what US Alfisti are clamoring for. I told the PR guy that
> what American Alfa enthusiasts want is the 156, the 156 GTA, the 156
> wagon, and the 147, especially the 147 2.0 and the 147 GTA. I told him
> that these low and medium price vehicles with their stunning good looks
> and great Alfa performance would sell like hotcakes, some on looks
> alone. I went on to explain that the 166 and the Spider/Coupe would
> appeal to a much narrower audience, probably not representative of the
> US Alfa enthusiasts, and that they were putting themselves in exactly
> the same position that they were in when they lefty in 1995 - with no
> appealing product to sell to this market. He said that he would, of
> course, pass my comments along to the marketing people, but that he had
> no real power or influence in that department.
> 
> The irony in all of this, is that Fiat is in trouble due to shrinking
> market share yet they ignore the world's largest car market, North
> America, completely. Alfa Romeo is the only real bright spot in their
> otherwise grim sales performance and there is little question that the
> appealing cars made by Alfa now would sell tremendously well here.
> Sure, Fiat has quality issues from the old days to overcome, but so did
> the Mini. Fact is, Americans don't have that long of a memory when it
> comes to things like that. Fiat NEEDS The US market. Perhaps its just
> bad luck that their precarious financial situation -the one that will
> not allow them the resources to restart a US dealer network- happens
> during the largest world depression since the 1930's, but they need to
> bite the bullet and do so. Nothing restores confidence in a brand and a
> company faster than doubling or tripling last years sales numbers -
> depression or no depression.
> 
> George Graves
> '86 GTV-6 3.0S
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