Alfa VW rumour

[conaero]

It just does not seem to want to lay down and die this one, its been rumbling on for a couple of years now that VW want to buy Alfa and use Porsche components.

For me, I would rather they close down Alfa than it be taken over by VW. Ok the build would improve as would the residuals, but the essence of AR would be lost, and just become another soulless Eurobox.

Initially I thought would be a smart move for Alfa, but the more I think about it, the more I come to the conclusion its a bad thing.....just imagine, all the Audi/BWM drivers in Alfas, God no!

Your thoughts....

 

[GransportFan1]

Dont want Alfa to join the VW group, like you say Matt quality would be improved but AR would lose it's soul.

 

[DaveT]

Yes Matt, this one doesn't want to go away.

I'm a big Alfa fan historically having owned 11 of them however let's look at the current situation:

1. Sales stagnating
2. NO obvious clear brand strategy
3. The soul in my opinion has largely already gone- we have slightly improved but not German build quality and yet relatively cars like the Spider, Brera and 159 are relatively soulless compared with what's gone before
4. No159/166/Spider/Brera replacements definitely on the horizon. As lovely a car as the 4C is (as far as we know thus far), you can't run a volume franchise on that alone if there is nothing else there for the guy who comes in to see a 4C who can't afford one (ie the majority)
5. Only competitve cars are the Mito and particularly the Giulietta.

If nothing changes over the next year or two it pains me to say that Alfa will be bought by someone with a plan (maybe VW) or it will fade away.

I'm with you Matt about VW but would I rather have Alfa disappear altogether?
Not so sure.

 

[conaero]

It is a tough one. I do believe though the Italians/FIAT are being stubborn and do not want Z'Germans to take over another Italian brand, as per Lambo, so good on them.

Alfa is between a rock and a hard place at the moment, as FIAT - Maserati have squeezed Alfa from its natural position between them both.

Lets wait and see, FIAT have worked wonders with Maserati and Ferrari and the FIAT will always sell well to the low end user.

Alfa and Lancia are both in the same boat IMHO, and remember we have Arbath making a strong come back so they are working hard to re position.

 

[ENZ525]

Kind of agree with what has been said, but...I think there is a plan...
In April 2010, Marchionne (current CEO of Fiat), laid out a 5 year plan for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep,
Lancia, Ferrari / Maserati, Fiat and Alfa Romeo...
I guess the devil is in the detail, and there will be a big push in the USA...the rough plan is stated below...
I have highlighted the bit I found intersting!

Alfa Romeo will add a number of new/redesigned vehicles, including the new Giulietta, a new MiTo subcompact, crossover and SUV models, a sedan, and a Spider convertible.
By 2014, Marchionne expects Alfa to account for 500,000 annual sales worldwide. That's up from about 100,000 in 2009. The U.S.-market launch is planned for late 2012, with the first models being a mid-size sedan and sport wagon—they may wear the Giulia name—plus a crossover model based on the Giulietta platform. An all-new Alfa Spider and a five-door variation of the MiTo follows in 2013, while the Giulietta model (we smell an America-friendly sedan) comes in 2014 after it receives its first face lift. 2014 also sees a larger Alfa crossover reaching our shores. Sales are likely to be through Chrysler dealerships...

 

[conaero]

Nice find Enz, lovin your signature, do you want a job on my creative team?

 

[ENZ525]

Nice find Enz, lovin your signature, do you want a job on my creative team?

Yes please Matt

 

[DaveT]

Kind of agree with what has been said, but...I think there is a plan...
In April 2010, Marchionne (current CEO of Fiat), laid out a 5 year plan for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep,
Lancia, Ferrari / Maserati, Fiat and Alfa Romeo...
I guess the devil is in the detail, and there will be a big push in the USA...the rough plan is stated below...
I have highlighted the bit I found intersting!

Alfa Romeo will add a number of new/redesigned vehicles, including the new Giulietta, a new MiTo subcompact, crossover and SUV models, a sedan, and a Spider convertible.
By 2014, Marchionne expects Alfa to account for 500,000 annual sales worldwide. That's up from about 100,000 in 2009. The U.S.-market launch is planned for late 2012, with the first models being a mid-size sedan and sport wagon—they may wear the Giulia name—plus a crossover model based on the Giulietta platform. An all-new Alfa Spider and a five-door variation of the MiTo follows in 2013, while the Giulietta model (we smell an America-friendly sedan) comes in 2014 after it receives its first face lift. 2014 also sees a larger Alfa crossover reaching our shores. Sales are likely to be through Chrysler dealerships...

Good find Enz!

I genuinely hope the plan comes to fruition as outlined.

Sadly however, I remember a similar plan taking Alfa back to the US in 2007 including a new 166 etc etc etc.
It was just having been on the Alfa stand in Geneva a couple of weeks back I was just struck by the lack of new stuff (4C excepted) and the general low key feel about the stand.

Anyway, let's hope for the best!

 

[dem maser]

The current spyder was to be launched in the USA as the 1st car in a long time but nothing happened

 

[marcos]

VW didn't do Lambo any harm, I think they kept the soul, just ironed out the quality failings. Some people mistake bad quality for personality, but it's not, it's just bad quality. Personality is the noise, the experience, the looks, the ridiculously unnecessary ride height, the oddly placed controls, the fuel filler release in a stupid place, that kind of thing. Bad quaility does not equal personality.

It would depend on who at VW runs Alfa. A car fan who repects the brand ideals, but of which era? The 60, the 70, the 80s, the 90s or the 00s? Alfa has been a very different company with different core values that change all the time. Would they revert to rwd cars? Or keep FWD saloons as the core business? Makes sense to have as few platforms as possible.

I'd like to see Alfa making baby Ferraris with lovely V6s for a quarter of the cost of a 458. Hopefully the 4C could be the start of that whoever owns them.

 

[dem maser]

i have a feeling alfa are going back to their roots....the 4c is a car for the enthusiast and rumour has it after 2 years of the 4c the 6c will be coming out which is a bigger version with 6 cylinders.....

 

[conaero]

Oh Dem don't tell me about the 6c or that will be another £1k out the window. I get the impressionthat the 6c will suit me down to the ground as it will be bigger than the 4c which is my only gripe.

 

[Andyk]

Mixed feelings about thsi ... I think I agree that I wouldn't want Alfa under VW...Just doen't feel or sit right .... But then they haven't done a bad job with Lambo.

 

[GransportFan1]

Mixed feelings about thsi ... I think I agree that I wouldn't want Alfa under VW...Just doen't feel or sit right .... But then they haven't done a bad job with Lambo.

They have turned Lamborghini round and Bugatti. I am not sure what to think about VW taking over Alfa, the cars would certainly benefit from better build quality.

 

[BennyD]

I kind of agree. Just imagine; Italian style and flair with german build quality and reliability. As long as they leave the (Italian) character intact, what's not to like?

 

[GransportFan1]

Hope they do that Benny.

 

[Andyk]

I believe they left some of the Italian in Lambo ... Didn't they...?

 

[GransportFan1]

I believe they left some of the Italian in Lambo ... Didn't they...?

not much, only italian i think they left in were the choice of colors.

 

[ENZ525]

Isn't the engine (V12 at least), designed and built by Lambo?
I know the V10 was designed after the Audi takeover/merger...

 

[GransportFan1]

Yep the V12 is designed by lambo, V10 is Audi