[alfa] Alfa in USA, again

[L O <alfetta82@xxxxxxxx>]

 The actual economic situation of ALfa Romeo is not so
bad.... since many years (from the beginning of Fiat
era) they found also some money for the museum...so...
Talking being first of all an historic Alfa lover, and
critic against Fiat policy on Alfa Romeo, I can affirm
the situation is changing very quickly in the relation
Fiat/Alfa. Due the fact actual vice president of Alfa
is a long term member of the Registro Italiano Alfa
Romeo, who knows what the lovers need and would have
in the hands. Anyway, in my opinion, you actually can
see the technical departments running to new
solutions, new realizations, as never was since 1987
until today. But Alfa is still a part of the Fiat Auto
group, using some services in common (press office,
sales, marketing and so on). So the problems in Fiat
(large and hard) are a weight also for Alfa. How can
you explain that a car as the new GT (Alfa 147 GTA
based) was seen in the beginning of the year in
Ginevra, than in september in Frankfrut and again in
Bologna at the annual Motor Show (the only motorshow
in Italy, at the moment) without knowing when the car
will be launched, without having a brochure. Alfa
announced also the new 156 GTAm 4x4 for Bologna, than
the car there wasn't.... So we see the actual Alfa
Romeo still having the empasse of Fiat. Fiat Auto is,
at the end, using money in the new models. Alfa
obtained a lot, surely not for Alfa love by Agnelli &
co. but only because, even after Fiat policy, the name
of the brand was and is still famous and "not
touched". Only for this. Fiat way of producing and
managing its own automotive world is something very
far from the usual way to do that was in Alfa until
the '90s. So, it's real Fiat gave many money (only
after the debacle of Fiat Tipo with a mask as was the
155) but it's real Fiat lived and it's still living
also thanks to the Alfa Romeo actual profits. As you
can read in a very well done book as "la vendetta
dell'Alfa Romeo" - written by a journalist very friend
of an ex up level Alfa manager, ex Alfa-Alfa and then
Alfa-Fiat manager - you can know how bad was the idea
by Turin of Alfa Romeo and its cars. So, actually, you
have not a totally different Fiat, actually you only
have a less Fiat influence, and the result are
incoming, even if not so good as we should have. We
have daily discussions about the GM based new engines,
the premium layout, and so on.
Anyway it's sure Alfa Romeo will arrive in USA, but
what I'm telling since weeks to the Alfa manager who
writes where I also do, is to use very attention in
exstimating the US market Alfa numbers. New cars (also
the new 148, will replace 147 and perhaps named
Giulietta) will be realized with attention to the US
market laws, as it's actually in deciding if 8C will
arrive in US due the high costs of omologations and
test requested by the various laws. Alfa knows Alfa in
US means also and overall Spider, so can't arrive with
a '96 ('88) model! And, overall, with a so reduced
sales network. Anyway, will arrive, surely. Alfa knows
the prestige of the brand in US, even if here a
prestige car is considered a VW Golf (in the middle
class) and also knows most of the Audi TT production
is sold in US, especially roadster. Alfa is
implementing the Kamal, a SUV, but the actual problem
is that if, one hand, Alfa has ideas (as it had in the
recent past) on the other side still Fiat influence
is, even if reduced after Cantarella's era, still high.

=====
Leonardo Olivari
Collezionista Alfa Romeo

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