Alfa Confirmed for US in 2007

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<==Wouldn't buy any Volkswagen, nor would I be caught dead in a Golf, and Audi's really don't do much for me. FWD Converted to AWD isn't my thing.

The Brera is FWD/AWD I'm pretty certain.

There is nothing new in the Alfa lineup that has excited me, and there would be if there was a pure RWD car.

I'd get my girlfriend a Volvo, and the only Acura I've ever cared for was the NSX.

In my opinion, the NSX is the only good thing Honda ever did.
 
I know the Brera is available with AWD, but I also think the 159 has it as an option...

According to Car and Driver Magazine, March 2006:
The 159 sedan replaced the popular 156 a year ago, but the lack of a wagon in the range hurt sales. Alfa hopes the pert 159 Sportwagon will reinvigorate the line. Like the sedans, the Sportwagon will be available with a 185-horsepower inline four, a 260-horsepower 3.2-liter V-6 with all-wheel drive, and no fewer than three turbo-diesel variants. Six-speed manual transmissions are available across the range, with automatics and the Selespeed automated-manual 'box available on some models. Designed in a collaborative effort between Italdesign-Giugiaro and the Alfa-Romeo Style Center, the Sportwagon's appearance is intended to minimize wagon visual cues while retaining utility and extra cargo space. A wide selection of extras is available for the Sportwagon, and the car boasts a pretty complete list of contemporary safety features.
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More than likely my local Shelby/Suzuki/Used Car dealer will pick up Alfas once the footing has been established.
 
...Because it isnt a Corvette?

...Because its an Alfa Romeo?
 
Different taste for different people. I don't think Alfa Romeos are considered cheap in the States.

Edit:
Infact, only Alfa dealer that I knew of locally were Ron Tonkin "Gran Turismo" dealer. They specialize in exotics.
 
They were in US before? cool. Anyways, Alfa is a strong car maker thoughit tends to make ugly car headlights, tailights, grilles, etc... Though the body shape is quite good. Does anyone think theres a chance it will come to South America?
 
A couple miles down the highway from me theres Ramsey Renault. Well, that's been closed for the past 15 years and sells only used cars. Maybe Alfa could perhaps buy it?! Yeah I know . . . french now italian, but the theory of once sold in the US then abandoned.

But for those of us who don't have Maserati & Ferrari dealers nearby, I wonder how the real estate will play out for new dealerships that are Alfa only.
 
STLbarcelona5
But for those of us who don't have Maserati & Ferrari dealers nearby, I wonder how the real estate will play out for new dealerships that are Alfa only.
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It can't be too cheap to set up an Alfa Romeo Dealer. I would bet almost all of them will be a new additional branch of existing dealership's network. Ron Tonkin I mentioned earlier sells several lines of cars, with "Gran Turismo(how fitting)" selling the Ferraris, etc.
 
Well, I think only intially Alfa will be selling their cars through Ferrari and Maserati dealers (both owned by FIAT, owner of Alfa Romeo). Give it a few months, and a few previews of the product to the people and the press, and we will probably see dealers begining to spring up across the country.

To my knowlege, there was only one Alfa dealer here in Grand Rapids a long, long time ago, but I think it ended up becoming a Nissan/Mitsubishi/Volkswagen dealer, but I'm not completely sure on that one. The Fox Motor Group would probably be eager to open an Alfa dealer, but as far as real estate goes around here, it is a tough call.

Hopefully Alfa wont make the mistake that Mini did with a small dealer network, as I generally believe that it has hurt their sales in the US.
 
But.....come to think of it, who would expect an Alfa on Ferrari soil other than enthusiasts who know the news? I think there will be general uneasiness at going to a Ferrari/Maserati dealer and buying an Alfa there, I don't think it will get into people's mind quite easily that there are Alfas there. Anyhow, Alfa will need to set up dealers quickly and efficiently.
 
it'd be a no go, here, nayway...when you have to go something like 30 miles south of where I'm at to find the SUBARU dealership. you have to go 50 miles east to find a luxury eralership. even Chrysler dealers are few and far between around here...it's all fords here :P
 
I'd expect for them to set up shops in the big cities like New York, Miami, Atlanta, Philidelphia, Detroit, Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Houston, Denver, Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Los Angeles... More cities would be added later, presumeably of the smaller but still popular size like my town, but the car dealers will probably steer clear of mostly middle-class areas, and target only those of the higher ends of the middle class for buyers.
 
YSSMAN
I'd expect for them to set up shops in the big cities like New York, Miami, Atlanta, Philidelphia, Detroit, Chicago, Dallas/Ft. Worth, Houston, Denver, Las Vegas, San Francisco, and Los Angeles...
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wewt! I'd love to see some Alfa's roaming around. I think they will sell enough here to be deemed a success. The Brera is super sexy...and if a V6 AWD model is indeed gracing this country it will be an improvement in motoring right there. This country without European influence lacks SOUL and SPIRIT. I'm sorry but if the most spirited and soulful car born here is the Corvette that's not saying much (not an insult to Corvette but an insult to the entire US auto industry). Granted being Nissan and German biased I doubt I'd buy a new Alfa--unless there was such a deal on the Brera V6 AWD that I couldn't resist. And actually the 159 looks fantastic too...I just hope for a saloon version. I couldn't imagine driving an Italian car--that would absolutely rock. Period. The only people here that drive Italian cars are the super rich...and you have 3 choices between Lamborghini, Ferrari, and Maserati. Since Americans are all about image--hence the reason why Acura, Infiniti, and Lexus exsist who's to say that Alfa wouldn't prosper here. It's bloody Italian for christ sakes!!
 
...The 159 is sold as a Sedan, and will presumeable the the bread-and-butter model sold to the most people in the US...

15_b.jpg

14_b.jpg


Here are some images of the regular-grade Brera:
17_b.jpg

15_b.jpg

08_b.jpg

(I love the interior!)

...If the press is good, I'm sure people other than us gearheads will be out there buying these cars...
 
Hold up the front of that 159 is exactly like the front of the berera. I myself never really caught onto the brera craze. The 159 is definetly hot, sexier than what the germans have to offer, in a metro-sexua/celebrityl kind of way.

Hell that car belongs to the celebs its too beautiful for us and the price tag is too low.
 
If they can start the 159 out in the mid-high $20K range, and not go too north of $40K for fully loaded models, they will peak quite a bit of interest here in the US.

...Or atleast, thats what I think...
 
Wolfe2x7
That 159 sedan is hot hot hot...... :drool: 👍
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+1 Indeed! Now that I see one on the flesh...I want one. And that interior...fantstic! Lesse...cockpit interior, very good looks, it's Italian, and it won't be too terribly expensive. If they hit a $30k price range for a base 159 saloon with a manual transmission it will IMMEDIATELY be on the top of my want list. Ford who? Nissan what? 159 fo' life *****es! Seriously, the 159 rocks. 👍
 
Sniffs
...that friggin Yugo.
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Why does everyone hate on the Yugo? There is nothing inherently wrong with the car. At all.
GT_4 Rule
The cheap-ass rip-offs who stole $2 billion from GM
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Actually, I would say GM shot themselves in the foot on that one.
Anyways, Alfa will sell about 75% of there cars on looks alone. Reliability be damned (regardless of how good it may be now).
 
Toronado
Actually, I would say GM shot themselves in the foot on that one.
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What exactly happned, all I heard was that GM had to pay Fiat $2 billion because GM backed out of some sort of a deal with Fiat...never got the grasp of it.

Anyway, I never liked the interior or the rear of Alfas. The front of somewhat okay for me, but again, I'm not an Alfa fan so thats why.
 
GT4_Rule
What exactly happned, all I heard was that GM had to pay Fiat $2 billion because GM backed out of some sort of a deal with Fiat...never got the grasp of it.
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GM signed a technology sharing deal when they purchased 20% of Fiat in 2000 (Fiat bought 5% of GM). Among the tech shared was the premium platform (which carries the Alfa 159 and Saab 9-5) and engines (the global 3.8L V6 built by Holden [not the 3800 commonly found in Buicks and Pontiacs] and Fiat Multijet turbodiesel). One of the stipulations was a "put" option, stating that if Fiat's condition worsened, the Italian company could force GM to buy the rest of the company. Fiat worsened, so they tried to use it. GM had enough trouble as it was with the bankrupty of Delphi, so they paid Fiat $2 Billion to get out of the "put" option. Fiat also got the ability to use the Northstar V8. So it's really GM's fault, because all signs pointed to Fiat worsening at the time. They still share all of the tech co-developed within that 4 years time and some other stuff.
 
Toronado: an AMERICAN that can't see the lemon for the Orange grove? c'mon...what I read (and I believe it was you that wrote it) was that a Yugo was a VERY high mainenence machine that had to be treated like a half-million dollar ferarri with 24 Karat gold paint on it. C'mon. america doesn't FIX cars...we just DRIVE them. a Yugo needed BABIED. it costs a fortune to buy a damn tie rod over here, so we just replace the whole car instead.
 
You're all being so arrogant about this FWD crap. You should cut it out and look at the other 80% of the world vehicle market.

Sniffs
Toronado: an AMERICAN that can't see the lemon for the Orange grove? c'mon...what I read (and I believe it was you that wrote it) was that a Yugo was a VERY high mainenence machine that had to be treated like a half-million dollar ferarri with 24 Karat gold paint on it. C'mon. america doesn't FIX cars...we just DRIVE them. a Yugo needed BABIED. it costs a fortune to buy a damn tie rod over here, so we just replace the whole car instead.
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*ahem*

Wikipedia
Another emphasized positive factor for Yugo owners in ex-Yugoslavia is a ready supply of inexpensive spare parts and mechanics' labour due to the lack of a significant model redesign in years of Yugo's presence on the market, even though American Yugo owners can still generally find parts, and the cars are very easy to repair, needing just minor repair skills to repair one. American Yugo owners access to parts and service is assisted by the parts commonality with Fiat 128s.
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Amblin
You're all being so arrogant about this FWD crap. You should cut it out and look at the other 80% of the world vehicle market.
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It's true that there are FWD cars that can perform well, but really, once you drive a good RWD car, it's kinda hard to go back...

JCE3000GT
This country without European influence lacks SOUL and SPIRIT. I'm sorry but if the most spirited and soulful car born here is the Corvette that's not saying much (not an insult to Corvette but an insult to the entire US auto industry).
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As happy as I am to see Alfa back, please excuse me for vehemently disagreeing with this statement.
 
Amblin
You're all being so arrogant about this FWD crap. You should cut it out and look at the other 80% of the world vehicle market.
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I fail to see how region/country differences or customer demographics (whichever one you're referring to here) are so important that some of us aren't allowed to prefer RWD cars. :rolleyes:
 
Wolfe2x7
I fail to see how region/country differences or customer demographics (whichever one you're referring to here) are so important that some of us aren't allowed to prefer RWD cars. :rolleyes:
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Sounded to me like he's referring to the much greater number of FWD vehicles there are. Could be wrong; I don't know the specifics.
 
Every version of drive has it's advantages and disadvantages, and each company has it's lines drawn in the sand over how they feel about each. Alfa will still sell plenty of cars with the FWD setup, just as GM will sell plenty of cars after the switch to the RWD setup... And guess what? Audi will still sell plenty of cars with their AWD setups...

It is a difference of tastes and preferences, so we will see what happens...
 

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