ALFAGTV6.COM

nvenuto · Post by **nvenuto** » Wed Feb 23, 2005 1:56 pm

I have read back and forth on this and have not come out with any final answers by reports. First I read that Alfa was planning on a 2007 return to the USA through a Partnership with GM... Then I read that that was pushed out... Now I'm reading that there is no intention for Alfa to make their way here. Does anyone have the scoop as to what is going to happen with Alfa in USA???

Alfist-GTV6 · Post by **Alfist-GTV6** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 9:19 am

Hmm........Alfa is gonna work together with Maserati.

Maserati will also be taken away from Ferrari and put into the FIAT Group.

Alfa Romeo may return to U.S.

By Luca Ciferri
Automotive News / February 21, 2005

TURIN, Italy -- Sergio Marchionne, the Italian-Canadian finance expert who took over Fiat Auto last week, plans to bring Alfa Romeo back to the United States as soon as 2007, say suppliers and others.

Since Fiat joined with General Motors in 2000, Alfa has had three false starts toward the United States. But there are two advantages this time:

1. Marchionne has moved Maserati's ownership from Ferrari to Fiat Group so Maserati and Alfa can share platforms and the costs of federalizing cars for U.S. standards.

2. In the breakup of the GM/Fiat Group alliance, GM agreed to provide Northstar V-8 engines to Alfa and help federalize the cars.

Alfa executives plan to recruit established U.S. dealers. They believe Maserati's U.S. network is too small and too upscale.

Maserati will base its next-generation Spyder and its Kubang crossover on Alfa's Premium platform.

"The Premium platform has to be federalized, and Alfa could now share these costs," a source says.

Marchionne hopes to send Alfa to America with four models on the platform:

1. The Brera 2+2 coupe, which debuts next week at the Geneva auto show.

2. The 159 lower-premium sedan, also debuting at Geneva.

3. A Spyder derived from the Brera, expected to debut at Geneva next year.

4. The production version of the Kamal concept SUV with Northstar.

The Kamal is expected to go on sale in Europe in mid-2007. Until it left the U.S. market in 1995, Alfa Romeo had sold cars there since 1952.

So there's a chance that Alfa may definatly return to the USA.

Png · Post by **Png** » Tue Mar 15, 2005 7:19 am

The latest I read is that Alfa wants to come back but 2007 is not a firm date. Alfa needs to grow its dealerships in Europe and Asia before it takes on the US. Right now according to Karl Heinz Klabfel there are only enough dealerships in Europe to sell 12000 new Brera's. His goal is to sell 150,000 new 159's and Brera's. There appears to be a lot of work to do. Fiat is working with GM to certify the premium platform for US sale. In addition GM will give Maserati/Alfa the GM northstar engine blocks. So there is clearly a move to bring Alfa back. Being that Maserati is already here that is a natural tie in. However, there are simply not enough of these dealers to go around. Alfa will most likely use former dealers and certified repair shops as a start. The other issue will be the Dollar versus the Euro. Its much more difficult to be able to hedge against currency fluctuations when you are a small scale auto maker versus BMW,Audi,VW etc.These 3 are considering (actually BMW is already doing it)building plants in the US. So it may happen but there are many bends in the road.

hutchensgd · Post by **hutchensgd** » Wed Mar 23, 2005 4:31 pm

Well if any of you are desparate to have a new Alfa, and do not want to go to Europe and then have it shipped to the US, over the border in Monterrey Mexico is a dealer. I believe it is possible to drive it back to the US becuase the cars have been tested to US standards, and the emissions are acceptable too.

Mats · Post by **Mats** » Thu Mar 24, 2005 1:36 am

Does GM really help Fiat/Alfa after their "Melrose Place" style breakup? Sounds unlikely...

Barry · Post by **Barry** » Mon Apr 04, 2005 10:27 pm

Mats,My sentiments exactly-I dont believe GM has done anything for Alfa.Perhaps the new engines will make it easier for Alfa to enter these markets (emmisions etc) but the whole GM /Alfa debacle has not done anyone any favours.GM did walk away with Alfa`s diesel technology though-In my oppinion a very scewed deal indeed.Alfa is definately sucking hind tit here......

Barry

Mats · Post by **Mats** » Tue Apr 05, 2005 12:20 am

Well, GM paid for the new chassis that was a joint venture Fiat/Alfa and GM (Mostly Saab engineers. Actually some of it was designed right outside Gothenburg, about 10Km from my house), GM found it to be too expensive and killed it off but Fiat/Alfa finished it and that is the base of the new 159.
They also got quite a lot of money.

Alfa in USA??????????