The Motor Forum

Dr. Hfuhruhurr

http://www.autocar.co.uk/News/NewsArticle/AllCars/241224/

However, this is the one sentence that caught my eye:

BeN · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 1:19 pm Post subject:

About the smartest thing since Daewoos became Chevrolets.

Stupid.

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cbeaks1 · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 1:19 pm Post subject:

Hmmm - if Marchionne thinks that Alfa and Dodge are after the same customer I fear for the merger a little.

Twelfth Monkey · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 1:23 pm Post subject:

To paraphrase:

Fiat and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne trotted out a feeble justification for actions that are at best expedient and at worst, crass and cynical.

Yep, that's the one...
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"Accident Blackspot"? These aren't accidents. They're throwing themselves into the road gladly. Throwing themselves into the road to escape all this hideousness.'

cbeaks1 · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 1:26 pm Post subject:

Alfa Avenger sounds quite cool, though its more likely to be an Alfisti going postal than a new car.

Mark · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 1:30 pm Post subject:

Brilliant !!

Dr. Hfuhruhurr · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 1:31 pm Post subject:

And an Alfa Charger would be a plug-in hybrid, presumably?

Gurney · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 1:55 pm Post subject:

Already rumours of using the 300 chassis for the 169 and indeed a Chrysler chassis for Alfas SUV - about the only thing that does make sense.

Better keep mine, found out it's one of just ten ever made in RHD. Last fast Alfa with an Alfa engine (lets ignore the Fiat chassis).

I can hear the gnashing and wailing on Alfaowner from here.
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DaveGibson · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 2:52 pm Post subject:

Am I right in thinking that the 300 chassis is from an old Merc E class?

Nice Guy Eddie · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 3:05 pm Post subject:

Oh dear god no!

What the hell does a Dodge have in common with Alfas. I feel rather ill.
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DaveGibson · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 3:07 pm Post subject:

Blarno · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 3:10 pm Post subject:

I'm not seeing a problem here. Alfa at least has a fanbase over here, whereas the only Dodges I know of from the past were the Avenger and various Dodge badged Renault lorries.

I know the Al-Fisters will be having kittens, but it's tough shit. It's not up to them.
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Mark · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 3:12 pm Post subject:

Mark · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 3:15 pm Post subject:

cbeaks1 · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 3:29 pm Post subject:

It could get worse. They could draft Binky from the Dodge Calibre adverts in to push the MiTo.

Gurney · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 3:31 pm Post subject:

Dunno, they are doing pretty well thanks to the MiTo, up 43% last month in the UK, which probably means from selling 10 cars they sold 14!

The whole range is selling well in the EU, especially in Germany where they have just come joint second in the JD Power survey.

Some Alfisti will be annoyed at the Dodge connection some delighted that it means a return to RWD.

As long as it means the brand survives I don't mind to be honest. Can't see Lancia surviving much longer.
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A Gentleman: Def: A male of the species who can play the Trombone.

But refrains from doing so.

cbeaks1 · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 3:36 pm Post subject:

To be fair it isn't like for like when you introduce a new model line like that. I don't know the breakdown for the 159 and 147 but I would guess they are pretty low.

"him" · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 3:37 pm Post subject:

Blarno · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 4:00 pm Post subject:

^^^^ I meant ones sold in the UK....

The Avenger was a Chrysler, though. D'oh!
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Arms held out, in the Jesus Christ Pose.

boc70 · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 4:04 pm Post subject:

cbeaks1 · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 4:12 pm Post subject:

Racing · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 5:18 pm Post subject:

"Alfa is the European muscle car"........you WHAT?

Since when - please, somebody name an Alfa muscle car - not even the GTAs come close to being muscle cars.
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Mark · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 6:02 pm Post subject:

The whole deal makes me think of the Alfa Romeo Arna....

TimR · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 8:08 pm Post subject:

ALF · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 8:28 pm Post subject:

Oh dear - I can't see the point of this at all, and there is precisely zero synergy between the products or the brands. Fiat are doing well financially (comparatively) - difficult to imagine how Dodge persuaded them to do this...

TimR · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 8:37 pm Post subject:

gonnabuildabuggy · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 9:54 pm Post subject:

DaveGibson · Posted: Wed Jul 01, 2009 11:15 pm Post subject:

In my youth, in the UK, Dodge (with the equivalent Karrier) was a commercials brand owned by Rootes Group. You could always hear them before you saw them because of the noise from their twin-stoke opposed piston diesel engines.

Grampa · Posted: Thu Jul 02, 2009 5:07 pm Post subject:

Could be worse - remember the Nissan (or was it Datsun then?) Cherry / Alfa thing?

Alfa looks and dynamics coupled with Nissan build and reliability could have made a good car, but the silly sods did it the other way round.
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Andrew L

Gooner · Posted: Fri Jul 03, 2009 7:44 pm Post subject:

Could be great but could be a disaster. Considering Alfa's options right now it's probably well worth them finding out. The way I see it, Alfa have better engines and better styling but Chrysler have the American dealership network Fiat have been dreaming of for years. With Americans going 'off their home brands, a fresh 'new' euro brand with a stylish car like the MiTo could be smash hit stateside. Chrysler/Dodge do not do as badly in Europe as their UK sales figures suggest and Fiats common-rail diesel engines would give them even more appeal than their current engines which appear to be from the VW seconds bin, as would their small turbos - VW would never give them a 1.4 TSI.

Marchione seems to have got nearly everything right in the last few years so I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt on this one.
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Frank Bullitt · Posted: Sat Jul 04, 2009 8:20 am Post subject:

What a shit idea.
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