| Author |
Message |
Paul Sloan (Sloan83qv)
| | Posted on Tuesday, September 11, 2001 - 6:44 am: | |
Now that General Motors owns 10% of FIAT (with that set to increase to 50% over 10 years and Ferrari is not included) Alfa's are soon to be in GM Dealerships next year and I believe Lancia to follow shortly thereafter.
Note: Marketing details are just starting to come out from GM so some details may change. |
'75 308 GT4 (Peter)
| | Posted on Monday, September 10, 2001 - 11:05 pm: | |
After seeing all of these neat new Alfas and Fiats and Lancias when I was in England in May... Not even close to the past! Too bad its not legal to import into Canada, or else I would've come home with a big souvenir in my suitcase (Alfa 156, a few years old for £11000). |
Leo (Speedracer)
| | Posted on Monday, September 10, 2001 - 10:36 pm: | |
I rented a 146 T-spark 1.4 liter, 4 door hatch back. a/c, 4 passengers in the car with luggage in the trunk..the car hauled ass, and I beat the piss out of it driving from Bari to the mountains of Calabria..what a car...... |
Peter Boray (Gts308qv)
| | Posted on Monday, September 10, 2001 - 10:31 pm: | |
Alfa is giving the rest of europe a run already in winning best car awards since 1999 with the 156 and the latest 146. |
BretM (Bretm)
| | Posted on Monday, September 10, 2001 - 9:22 pm: | |
Most Italian car manufacturers just don't give a damn about details, at least not like the Germans do and even the Americans for that matter. Cars like Ferrari and Lambo get away with it cause they're a whole different ball game, but an everyday car with the many of the downsides of a Ferrari is a joke in this country. |
Herbert Edward Gault (Irfgt)
| | Posted on Monday, September 10, 2001 - 8:54 pm: | |
To be perfectly honest, I was the Service Manager for a Fiat Dealership in the late 70s and Fiat was the worst car I have ever seen for durability and maintainance. The seat covers were coming apart in the showrooms, the engines and carbs were so full of cosmoline that it took forever to get the things to halfway run, Warranty would not pay for anything and when it did it was about half what it should, and the extensive maintainance schedule and service costs gave me nightmares at 5:00 when the customer came to pay the bills. While the Fiat has a cult following, and I became pretty good at making them run and developed a soft spot for them in a strange way, it ain't no wonder they pulled of the U.S. It was not good enough a car for our buying public and in the end we couldn't give them away especially to a person who had already owned one. I am sure they make better stuff now than they did then and some of the pictures I have seen look darn good, but having been there and having witnessed Fiat's corporate attitude toward the customer, unless something changes, they would never make it again in the U.S. |
Leo (Speedracer)
| | Posted on Monday, September 10, 2001 - 8:15 pm: | |
Fiat, one of the largest companies in the world yet, they dont market in the US anymore. Coming from Italian decent, seems to me the Italians just cant keep up with marketing like BMW and Mercedes. Although in my honest opinion, Alfa Romeo makes a damn good car and in 2004 they might give the germans a run for their money. This year Mazerati, 2004 Alfa romeo..let the games begin..
Leonardo |
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