Re: alfa-digest V9 #614

[George Graves <gmgraves@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

On Wednesday, July 2, 2003, at 06:42 PM, alfa-digest wrote:

> Date: Tue, 1 Jul 2003 20:00:21 -0400
> From: "Barrett, Jim" <JiBarrett@domain.elided>
> Subject: Alfa Museum in Arese; Rental Bliss
>
> Esteemed Digestibles:
>
> Shaun asked:
> >  Does any body have the address and or any contact information on the
> >  Alfa Factory+Museum?
> The previous replies, especially George Graves', were perfect. They 
> also
> triggered my feeble memory to finally send a post to the Digest 
> describing
> our good fortune to be there last month.
>
> The museum is nothing less than wonderful (and bigger, better and 
> filled
> with more exciting machinery than the Ferrari counterpart),\
No argument there. It is the best auto museum I've been in - and not 
just because I'm an Alfisto either.



>  and, if you
> believe what we were told while there, should be seen soon. Although I 
> hope
> this is only an Italian version of an urban myth, we were advised that 
> the
> office buildings and museum were going to be torn down, and another 
> museum
> built elsewhere. This new museum would have fewer cars on display, and 
> place
> a greater emphasis on education and accessibility to children. There 
> was
> also mention that the site would become a commercial office park. 
> Obviously,
> I reeeeaaaallllly hope this isn't true.
That rumor has been floating around for several years. The last time I 
was there, 2001, the plan was to relocate the museum to downtown Milan 
by 2003, and the Arese plant was to be torn down in 2002. The 
production facility at Arese isn't used for assembly of Alfas any more, 
but I think some final fitting-out of several Lancias is still done 
there. Obviously, they haven't torn down the Arese plant yet, so who 
knows?

> I also must mention our extreme good fortune and/or alignment of the 
> planets
> while there: with a bit of coaxing at the Avis counter at Malpensa 
> airport,
> we drove off in a light metallic green (verde borealis) 156 wagon. 
> This car
> was a blast to drive! With four adults and their luggage, and while 
> cruising
> on the Autostrada effortlessly between 165-170 kph, the 1.9 L JTD 
> (turbo
> diesel) never got less than 30 mpg, and mostly while using the air
> conditioning. Like everyone else from the US of A that has driven one, 
> we,
> too, would love to have one here (including the JTD motor, which 
> lacked our
> familiar rocks-in-a-soda-can sounds).
I agree that the 156 wagon is GORGEOUS, and even though I've never 
driven a 1.9 JTD, I have driven the 2.4 JTD in a 156 sedan in 2000. 
Marvelous car. Great gas milage while effortlessly cruising at 115-120 
MPH on the Autostrade. Decent acceleration too, which I could not say 
for the 1.6 liter gasoline powered 147 I had on my 2001 Italian jaunt.


> Cheers!
>
> Jim Barrett
> Huntington Beach, CA USA
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