Why Can't You Get An Alfa Romeo 156 in the USA??

[freegeeks]

I was thinking about that when I was posting in the gas price thread

Why doesn't the Fiat group sells cars like the Alfa 147, Alfa 156 and 164 in the USA
it's a huge market where a lot of money can be made.

I'm also thinking about the Audi A3 / S3, different Lancia models, Mercedes A class

are the european car manufacters stupid for not selling these cars in the US or am I missing somewhat

I know that americans don't like small cars but an Alfa 156 is in the same category as a VW passat that is selling well in the USA.

 

[PAguy]

emissions standards.

 

[beer]

probably emission and safety standrds.

 

[ElFenix]

audi a3 = golf, we have that
fiats = sh!t
the A class is ugly

 

[freegeeks]

if VW can make a Passat and a Jetta that meets the standard, I don't see why Alfa Romeo (Fiat) can't make a 156 that meets the standard

 

[vi edit]

Because the only Italian cars that we buy here cost over 6 digits.

 

[B00ne]

Emission and safety standards?? I dont think so - do u think we have lower standards here - think again. And safety standards is rather higher here. (little anekdote: Opel a GM company needed a Van so they got the Transport or something like that - wasnt a good deal it didnt fare well because of the lousy safety (compared to competitors) and they also had to reengineer things to pass standards. Now they engineered their own Van because rebadging the US vehicle was quite an expensive endeaver.

I think it rather has something to do with not having a distribution network and/or brand recognition in the US as well as unwillingness to take the risk to enter this already crowded market.

The A class wouldn't sell - too expensive for the US market for a car of that size... Prolly the same for the A3

edit: the A3 is not the same as a Golf sure it is the same platform but the sport/luxury version. I think in the US luxury is more about size, Americans care more about cup holders and having smushy sofa seats than technology and image

 

[vi edit]

I think in the US luxury is more about size, Americans care more about cup holders and having smushy sofa seats than technology and image

Yep. And you say that like its a bad thing.

 

[yakko]

Originally posted by: vi_edit

I think in the US luxury is more about size, Americans care more about cup holders and having smushy sofa seats than technology and image

Yep. And you say that like its a bad thing.

Considering most Americans can't drive worth a sh!t it is a bad thing.

 

[Siddhartha]

Originally posted by: Elemental007
probably emission and safety standrds.

And some size and type of cars do not sell well in the US.

 

[freegeeks]

Originally posted by: vi_edit

I think in the US luxury is more about size, Americans care more about cup holders and having smushy sofa seats than technology and image

Yep. And you say that like its a bad thing.

LOL - I don't want my thread to evolve into a europe<->USA flamefest. There are already enough of these in the P&N forum.

 

[FrustratedUser]

It has nothing to do with emissions or safety standards. It's about money. It is very expensive to sent up a distribution network.
To bad because the Alfa 156 is a sweet car!

 

[freegeeks]

Originally posted by: Dr Smooth

Originally posted by: Elemental007
probably emission and safety standrds.

And some size and type of cars do not sell well in the US.

yeah I agree but look at an Alfa 156 or 164, these are by no means small cars. It's in the same league like a VW Passat. It also has that Italian design flair and I'm convinced that it would sell well in the USA.

Hell, even smaller cars start to sell in the USA (Mini Cooper). I don't see why a car like the Audi A2 or a Mercedes A wouldn't sell

 

[boyRacer]

Fiat is in financial trouble...

 

[Koing]

Also as a group Fiat are not doing too well. The cars are not selling well compared to others.

Koing

 

[freegeeks]

Originally posted by: FrustratedUser
It has nothing to do with emissions or safety standards. It's about money. It is very expensive to sent up a distribution network.
To bad because the Alfa 156 is a sweet car!

yeah, I think that is the biggest reason but still, we are talking about the biggest car market in the world.

btw: I read somewhere that Renault is planning a return to the North-American market by 2010 - 2015.
that will be interesting - French cars being sold in the USA in 10 years

 

[freegeeks]

Originally posted by: boyRacer
Fiat is in financial trouble...

that is a good reason to expand your market.
I also read that GM is exploring if they could buy the Fiat group

 

[Koing]

Originally posted by: freegeeks

Originally posted by: Dr Smooth

Originally posted by: Elemental007
probably emission and safety standrds.

And some size and type of cars do not sell well in the US.

yeah I agree but look at an Alfa 156 or 164, these are by no means small cars. It's in the same league like a VW Passat. It also has that Italian design flair and I'm convinced that it would sell well in the USA.

Hell, even smaller cars start to sell in the USA (Mini Cooper). I don't see why a car like the Audi A2 or a Mercedes A wouldn't sell

Probably because they did some research and people said they wouldn't go for it. They are scared about the expensive repairs, insurance and such. Remember they are consumers and people at AT in general are not Job Blog Consumer. We know info and the average person doesn't. They probably wouldn't even know an Alfa 156.

It would be too costly to set up distrubution and everything else with that side. Then the marketing side. And Fiat finances are not in a good state also.

Koing

 

[vi edit]

Hell, even smaller cars start to sell in the USA (Mini Cooper). I don't see why a car like the Audi A2 or a Mercedes A wouldn't sell

The mini is an anomaly. You can't really project it's success onto other similar cars. If nissan sold the Micro(a?) over here it wouldn't have a fraction of the hype, even though it's a very similar car. Same goes for the VW Polo.

They are just too small, and are asking too much money. For every echo toyota sells, it probably moves 5 camrys. I'm sure some of these cars would sell, just not enough to make the effort marketable.

 

[FrustratedUser]

Originally posted by: freegeeks

Originally posted by: FrustratedUser
It has nothing to do with emissions or safety standards. It's about money. It is very expensive to sent up a distribution network.
To bad because the Alfa 156 is a sweet car!

yeah, I think that is the biggest reason but still, we are talking about the biggest car market in the world.

btw: I read somewhere that Renault is planning a return to the North-American market by 2010 - 2015.
that will be interesting - French cars being sold in the USA in 10 years

I'd say that the european market is just as big or even bigger for that size of car. 50% of the US market is made up of Trucks and SUV. A lot of other cars are V6 equipped sedans, for some reason 6 cylinder cars sell better than a nice smaller 4 banger.

 

[Koing]

Originally posted by: freegeeks

Originally posted by: boyRacer
Fiat is in financial trouble...

that is a good reason to expand your market.
I also read that GM is exploring if they could buy the Fiat group

It also is a good reason to get your company bankcrupt. They were VERY nearly on the verge of that. They wanted the government to help out in Italy but it refused this time and that really put a spanner in the works.

I know if they risked it they could get a good turn around and make lots of money. But if it failed then they are gone.

Koing

 

[boyRacer]

Originally posted by: Koing

Originally posted by: freegeeks

Originally posted by: boyRacer
Fiat is in financial trouble...

that is a good reason to expand your market.
I also read that GM is exploring if they could buy the Fiat group

It also is a good reason to get your company bankcrupt. They were VERY nearly on the verge of that. They wanted the government to help out in Italy but it refused this time and that really put a spanner in the works.

I know if they risked it they could get a good turn around and make lots of money. But if it failed then they are gone.

Koing

True... The US is probably the biggest market for anyone... but i honestly can't see people buying Fiats instead of Hondas and Toyotas here... that's a big gamble.

 

[CaffeineAndStuff]

http://www.overheardcams.org/wwForum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5&PN=1

 

[WinkOsmosis]

Originally posted by: FrustratedUser

Originally posted by: freegeeks

Originally posted by: FrustratedUser
It has nothing to do with emissions or safety standards. It's about money. It is very expensive to sent up a distribution network.
To bad because the Alfa 156 is a sweet car!

yeah, I think that is the biggest reason but still, we are talking about the biggest car market in the world.

btw: I read somewhere that Renault is planning a return to the North-American market by 2010 - 2015.
that will be interesting - French cars being sold in the USA in 10 years

I'd say that the european market is just as big or even bigger for that size of car. 50% of the US market is made up of Trucks and SUV. A lot of other cars are V6 equipped sedans, for some reason 6 cylinder cars sell better than a nice smaller 4 banger.

Honda, Toyota, Nissan... they all sell far more 4 cylinder cars than 6.

 

[freegeeks]

Originally posted by: CaffeineAndStuff
http://www.overheardcams.org/wwForum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5&PN=1

thx for the link - that's interesting

for the people who didn't click on it

Alfa Romeo is a planning a return in the North-American market by 2007 !!!!

Alfa, the sporty unit of the financially strapped Fiat Auto S.p.A., is plotting an aggressive U.S. return with four models: a coupe, a two-seat Spider roadster; and a four-door sedan and station wagon.

linkified