Alfa 8C Spider, pebble beach and U.S. return...

Alfa 8C Spider

Derived from the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione, the 8C Spider is purely and essentially a thoroughbred sports car in the traditional Alfa Romeo spirit; it offers sophisticated engineering, a sporty yet elegant shape, and strictly two-seat accommodation.
Created at the Centro Stile Alfa Romeo, the 8C Spider expresses all that is most precious in the company’s heritage.
The low and aggressive front or the face of the car is characterised by the classical Alfa Romeo triptych—the central triangular “scudetto” flanked by horizontal “moustaches.” The lateral view of the car underscores its compactness and its classical mechanical layout, with longitudinally, front-mounted engine and rear-wheel-drive. The car is sure-footed on its prominent wheels, placed in the four corners. The “coda tronca” short tail with generous round taillights, typical for an Italian sports car, adds to the purposeful, dynamic image of the 8C Spider.
The interior design reflects the same philosophy; the cockpit’s non-compromised ergonomics, style, and choice of materials concentrate on one goal only: the ultimate driving pleasure.

62 ALFA ROMEOS TO BE SHOWCASED AT AUG. 21 PEBBLE BEACH CONCOURS

Twenty-seven historic Alfa Romeos from outside the U.S. will make the trip to California’s Monterey Coastline

When Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance
organizers announced last year that Alfa Romeo would be a featured marque at their 2005 show, they hoped to attract a sizable assortment of vehicles from the 95-year history of the Italian automaker. Their expectations have been greatly exceeded.
The Sunday, Aug. 21 Concours will feature “the most significant display of classic Alfa Romeos ever assembled--anywhere,” says Concours Co-Chairman Glenn Mounger.
“Among the 62 Alfa Romeos coming to Pebble Beach, there’ll be seven cars from the Alfa Romeo Museum (outside Milan, Italy) as well as three of the ultra-imaginative BAT (Berlinetta Aerodinamica Tecnica) concept cars from the ‘50s.”
Overall, 27 of the 62 Alfa Romeos participating at the Concours are being shipped from foreign countries, including the BAT 5, BAT 7 and BAT 9, which now reside in London,England.
“The first BAT (5) was built in 1953, when most other carmakers had never even imagined tailfins and long before there was a Batmobile on television,” says Mounger.“The BAT 7, built in 1954, was even more radical in design with huge curved tailfins.And the final BAT – the BAT 9 – was built in 1955 with reduced wings and a design that was closer to a production sports car.
“We’re looking forward to an historic reunion of these incredible cars. The last time they appeared together anywhere in the U.S. was the 1989 Pebble Beach Concours.”

From last week the corporate alfa romeo site alfaromeo.com answers in the f.a.q section the question ''Will Alfa Romeo ever sells cars in the United States again?'' with the following answer ''The long awaited return of Alfa Romeo to the United States market should take place by 2007, with a range of new models.''
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don't be so sure...after the news are that even the future 159 and Brera GTA versions will use the 4,2 V8 probably with the multiar electronic valve control mounted and 440hp 40hp more than current Maseratis(that will pass to an enlarged 4,8lt version of the current 4,2lt V8..) as seen at fiat research center concept sportiva latina.....production 8c's will use the same enlarged version with multiair evc and at least 500hp to differ from the '2007 159 and Brera GTA's...8c positioning differ from that of maserati both for cost exclusivity and sportiness...maserati is more of a gt with an elegant interior more usuable less exclusive less expensive than the 8c pair...so there are not much problems about positioning...as for the small maserati spyder developed by pinin in brera base with V8 and not V6 engine as some said...surely as the GTWagon crossover that will share much with the alfa crossover we will not see them before 2008...and the premium based sportcar is only a study...they have not decide to give the green light and surely if would take that would be an exterior production probably by pinin...in modena they will produce quattroporte the 2006(europe) spyder and the 2007(europe) GT that were in hold in order to share more components with alfa models but will maintain quattroporte derived platform...
8C is priced towards F430 but is a much different product more exclusive with other architecture and surely cannit create problems to ferrari and it's waiting lists...even cause they are not going to produce it in more than 1000/1500 units a year...a limitation that comes from the choice to use carbon fiber body...

price positioning(Italy)
Brera(2005)/Brera GTA(2007)/Spider(2005)/Spider GTA(2007) 38.000-72.000 euro
(?not sure yet if they will aproove it but Kalbfell seems to want less expensive models to face porsche carrera and cayenne, pininfarina will present the project to maserati next october)Premium based smaller maserati Spyder(2008/9) 84.000 euro
new Maserati Coupe 2007 120.000 euro
new Maserati Spyder 2006 126.000 euro
8C Competizione/8C Spider(2007) 144.000-156.000 euro

 

Late 2006 or early 2007, use an enlarged 4,8lt version of the current V8 with more than 450hp, has folding top like SL, is around 4,5m long, 1,9m wide with a height of approx. 1,3m.Will have in the states a base price of around 110.000$.
They consider even a second less expensive spyder shorter but with folding top like the new spyder based on the Brera's swb premium floorpan with the current 4.2lt V8 and a cost of 75.000$ to undercut the 911 but even if they decide to go forward with this product i don't consider possible to see it in north america before 2009..
Fundamental for the brand in the USA is the 2008 GTWagon crossover based in a lwb version of alfa's premium floorpan with a cost around 85.000$..From 2007 year of the long awaited return of the Alfa in the USA we will see alfa-maserati dealers so..maserati with a greater dealer network could lanch new models like the gtwagon and probably a smaller sportcar to compete with carrera...

 

usually all european cars cost less in US than europe and that's not only for maserati but even for porsche or jaguar...take the example of quattroporte cost something less than 108.000 euro in Italy...that's over 130.000$....but the USA base price for quattroporte is of 95.500$...you see that pricing in USA is far more agressive...that depends both from the most agressive pricing and the high VAT of 20% in Italy.