re: Re: Alfa return... and basic spelling tips

["brad artigue" <brad_artigue@domain.elided>]

Despite nearly going cross-eyed over all of the "ewe" and "yurps", my thoughts
on your question:

<<why should they [fiat] bother [to import alfas into the us]?>>

I maintain that the definition of who "they" are is very different than most
remember.  It's been six years since we could buy a new Alfa and sixteen since
we could buy a FIAT (well, eighteen if you don't count the pininfarina Spider
as a FIAT).  At that time "they" were both pretty screwed up companies, the
merger did not help much.  The FIAT product line (included Lancia) did little
to make Italian cars have a good name.

A complete bonehead can figure out that Alfa's major mistakes were in
marketing.  They had very good products, equal or superior to the competition.
In many cases they even had good dealers (something FIAT generally lacked).
But they couldn't seem to figure out (or didn't care) how to sell in the U.S.
market.

The U.S. market is lucrative.  People who live here start spending money (real
money, not KIA money) on cars at a very young age relative to other markets.
Where someone in Europe might be happy to merely get a driver's license as a
teenager, an American teenager might end up with a $25k car for his or her
18th birthday.  That same teenager will turn around at 30 and possibly spend
$30k or $40k on a car.

I'm not saying that I am suddenly optimistic about Alfa being serviced through
GM dealerships.  These (GM) were the same guys who pinstriped DOHC on their
cars in the mid 80's as if twin cams were some kind of revolutionary new
component.  However, GM lacks a lot in terms of offerings.  Oldsmobile is
gone, I think Buick will hit the skids eventually.  Cadillac is really an
over-50 car.  I believe Chevy makes cars exclusively for the rental car
companies.  GM lacks any presence in the very profitable roadster market
(don't mention the Corvette or Camaro or Trans AM, I'm talking about quality
here).  They offer nothing to the people who buy Z3's and Miatas and S2000's.

That's my .02 on the matter, I hope to see Alfas sold here new once again,
they will offer people who want style and performance the chance to actually
buy something.  I've owned and driven new Alfas in the last four years (I
lived in Europe) and can comment that they are wonderful cars, as well built
as any German car on the road.

B

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