Alfa's Return with cars we can afford!!

It is tempting to believe that they can / will follow through on the plan but there have been so many false starts.

Anyway, you can read about the new 2ettottanta at
http://www.insideline.com/alfa-romeo/spider/alfa-romeo-spider-concept-by-pininfarina.html

 

Not sure about the overall styling, but this car has some elements that are just stunning.

 

Somehow I believe that I could force myself to live with it.

 

Wow....far nicer than any Z4......

 

that car is STUNNING !

 

Oh yes, so could I, not withstanding my uncertainty.

 

I think that Alfa will be dead as a brand soon, and that Alfa will not make it back to the USA.

Understand, I've been an Alfa fan since birth (and we've had Alfa's in our family since 1958). i hope to be proven wrong...but I see Alfa and Lancia as dead brands walking.

Sad.

 

Doesn't look like a very viable real world car. But it sure is pretty. Carbon fiber brakes? Really? Those wheel bolts are small but what a PITA. Seems like pure show stuff to me and very, very nice.

Bob S.

 

I agree that Alfa will never have a large presence in the US, but I do not think the brand will die. I know alot of the vintage Alfa lovers would love that to happen for some reason, but it would only hurt you in the long run.

Alfa has become an upscale FIAT product, with very little of the old "Alfa" or baby Ferrari left, other than styling and a badge. I hope FIAT knows they will have come up with a real "Alfa" drivetrain soon, or the brand will be bland(other than styling).

Tom Tanner/Scale Designs/Ferrari Expo 2011-Chicago April 2011

 

Alfa has the capability of selling a lot of cars in the US if they can bring a decent spider to the table. This is a challenge because they will need a good modern chassis.

I think what worries Fiat is the fear of American lawsuits, that is the main reason Maserati left, so now they are forced back with the Chrysler deal. Probably end up with a Chrysler chassis bodied by Pinninfarina Oh ...yea Maserati already tried that.

 

I thought the dreadful Biturbo was what put Maserati in the grave here.

 

Don't get me started on De Tomaso, probably one of the biggest hacks in the auto world. I am sure the Biturbo didn't help , but if I recall the threat of multi million dollar lawsuits, and many were being filed against other companies at the time, was the final straw.

 

Lancia is dead many years ago, Alfa too.
What I hope is they will give them life back but I'm not optimistic.

Marchionne said he wants to bring them back to the US but also said he would shut Alfa down if it doesn't get productive.

I wonder how he expects it to be productive if they keep selling Alfa badged Fiats.
The new Giulietta is definitely a good car, not an Alfa though.

I hope they'll come up with something good, hopefully a rear wheels drive car which a lot of people are waiting since the 75.

 

Yeah I think hack is appropriate. The Biturbo itself wasn't dreadful. It's actually a delightful car but the way DeTomaso implemented it was horrid, especially in the USA. In Europe and elsewhere they've been better received. They rightfully deserved to go out of business here. He may have been a shrewd and clever busionessman but it's hard to admire the businesses he created. The products were all half baked even if some of them were attractive concepts.

Bob S.

 

Original owner here...87 Biturbo bought brand new in 90. No real issues to mention at all, 28k miles now. In fact just passed my inspection today, two years to go befor the catalytic converter comes off...woo hoo.

How can you not like that face
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I always liked the earlier spider interiros more than the later cars. The seats were more comfortable and they held up much better. Nice example.

Why not bring it up to the Pocono show in a couple of weeks.

Bob S.

 

Actually not true, DeTomaso had sold 49% of OA Maserati to Fiat in 1989 (a great story). They were in negotiations for the sale of remaining shares when DeTomaso had a stroke. When they finished the sale, Maserati Baltimore closed up its operations in North America. At the time Fiat was also beginning to consider the withdrawal of Alfa Romeo from the US.

It was Fiat that pulled the plug. DeTomaso would have continued US operations if he was in good health and still in control of the company. The biggest problem Maserati faced was not lawsuits, but compliance with the passive restraint laws. They were considering selling both the Shamal and Barchetta here before the final sale.

 

See that...I Jinxed myself damit.

Took her out for a cruise today with my daughter, about 5 miles from home she starts running like she wants to die, tach reads totally zero...never saw that before, no cellphone no nothing, I say to my daughter looks like we are walking home. I keep driving for maybe another mile or so hoping that she will come back to life and also scanning for a place I can park her (I have just passed Ralph Lauren's estate). Just before I hit a stop sign the tach comes back to life and I have power. Get her home, open the garage door and she wants to die again and the tach goes back to zero.

Look like I've got a flatbed in my future.

 

Very Saturn Sky / Pontiac Solstice

 

Take heart Matt,

It's an old car and low mileage. It's probably time for some preventative or not so preventative maintenance. I doubt it's a big deal. In spite of what some people say, properly maintained these are NOT fragile or unreliable cars. If you need any help come on over to Biturbozentrum on Yahoo groups. There are a lot people who can help out. But not Ralf Lauren ...

Now back to the thread topic.

Bob S.

 

Thx Bob,
went over to Biturbozentrum last night...a lot of information there. In fact same day the car acted up my power window started acting up. An inch from all the way down I hear this grinding noise (like a gear or something) but pull it up a little and she's fine, think I saw a fix for that. Also noticed I have a differential oil leak that just seems to have developed, probably a seal that has dried up. Getting her flatbeded tomorrow am for the possible coil and seal issues.

thx again...

 

You're welcomed. Let's continue the discussion over there or in the Maserati section here.

Bob S.