Alfa romeo to dump small cars?

[conaero]

Alfa Romeo could dump its small, front-wheel-drive models and instead focus exclusively on rear-driven cars and SUVs, according to the latest story on the perennially ailing brand.

Good looking and RWD? It's an ideaThe German car title Autobild (via Reuters) says the Fiat-owned brand won't replace the MiTo supermini and bigger Giulietta as it drives to push the brand more upmarket.
Alfa Romeo will instead focus on 3-series and 5-series rivals called Giulia and Alfetta respectively, according to the story, both underpinned by a new rear-drive platform that has apparently been dubbed Giorgio.

In this latest plan, the Spider arrives in 2016 followed by saloon and estate versions of first the Giulia in 2017 and then the Alfetta the following year. A couple of SUVs on all-drive versions of the same platform will arrive at the same time as the rear-drive pair.

Despite the lack of official confirmation it sounds a believable plan, and one that puts more focus on the US and possibly China than Europe given the larger models. But will it ever happen?


The original plan...It feels like forever that we've been promised a renewed and healthy Alfa and it shocked us slightly to be reminded that the 8C halo supercar, conceived to proudly lead the brand back into battle, was first shown as a concept back in 2003.
Now we finally have the 8C's younger brother the 4C and with some reservations, we reckon it's a fine standard-bearer for Alfa. But as for the rest of the promised range, we're like rush-hour train passengers gloomily watching the information board painfully extend the predicted arrival time.

Back in 2010 Fiat was confidently predicting we'd have the Guilia saloon and estate in 2012. As shown in a natty chart explaining the timetable, the new Spider would have been here in 2013 and there'd be a choice of two SUVs already. American flags showed they'd all be sold in the States.


More like the 4C please Alfa. And soonBut Fiat got distracted by the need to fold its brands into the successful Chrysler merger, while its key southern European markets tanked, meaning Alfa got put on the back burner. Even the Mazda MX-5/Alfa Spider collaboration isn't set in stone, with new rumourssuggesting that it could be badged a Fiat or Abarth instead.
We'd be interested to hear what your take on this latest apparent push is. Is Alfa stronger selling rear-drive saloons with a couple of sports cars on the side for tone? Or should it be working on improving the smaller front-drive cars to become a maker of seductive little sporty coupes and hatchbacks? Or is it time to turn the whole operation over to VW and let the German behemoth achieve its oft-stated wish to give the brand the revival it deserves?

Source: http://www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=29674

 

[Jillyflower]

As much as I'd sell my soul and anything else to have my old spiders back on my drive and although the MiTo isn't technically mine I wouldn't part with it for anything; how can they seriously think that introducing rear wheeled drive cars is going to attract new and old customers. I love laughing at the German car drivers in the snow, my little spider could tow a row of them down the road!

The sad thing is that every car brand has a finger in every other car brand's pie anyway so nothing is strictly 'Alfa' anyway.

 

[conaero]

I hear what your saying Jilly, and its very true.

Alfa just need a good boot-up-the-bum and sort their product line out. Maserati lost half a billion Euros last year so Alfa need to pull their fingers out or they will be for the chop.

Look back at the late 90's, we had a GTV, a 147, 156 and a 166 (did I miss anything) and that range worked really well with the exception of the 166.

Alfa should do the same now, but better and more premium.

 

[Maser Sod]

The trick is to pick off the best examples of the marques and enjoy them for what they are. Owning a GTV and a GranSport have been highlights for me. I would have liked to have had a V6 156 but never got to scratch that itch.

 

[Mista Smiff]

A huge mistake to ignore the bread and butter market in my opinion, They should consolidate the lower end model range, and then think about what might be nice for the rich boys toys. Let me put it this way, Ferrari don't build small hatchbacks, neither do Maserati................maybe they should??

Alfa should look at what carried them through previous decades, what people actually wanted to buy, building cars that only the rich can afford is already being done. If they want to compete in the world market place they will have to build what the world wants to buy, also what the world can afford to buy.