Alfa 8C Competizione leads Alfa's US return

[Flybrian]

Alfa 8C Competizione at Meadow Brook Concours
And Going on Sale in America

Link to Original Article @ Edmunds | Date posted: 08-01-2007

DETROIT — The Alfa Romeo brand is coming back to the United States in 2008. The 8C Competizione, a supercar that will be priced at $200,000 or above, will be sold in limited quantities here starting next year at Maserati dealerships, according to Maserati North America President James Selwa.

The announcement was made during a preview of the Meadow Brook Concours d'Elegance in suburban Detroit, where the Alfa brand will be featured. The event takes place this weekend at Meadow Brook Hall in Rochester Hills, Michigan, and the Alfa Romeo Owners Club will hold its national convention there at the same time. In addition to the 8C Competizione, the Alfa B.A.T. (Berlina Aerodinamica Technica) concepts of the 1950s will be among the Alfas on display.

The Alfa brand left the U.S. in 1995 and has been rumored many times to be close to a return. More recently, the company had said it will bring a lineup of Alfa Romeos, including the Brera and Spider, here in 2009.

What this means to you: America the Beautiful is about to get a whole lot more beautiful with this Alfa on its shores.

[Cory Wolfe]

*Starts playing the lottery more often*

[AxelTheRed]

Ya know, I've never really cared much for Alfa Romeo...though the one shown is alright.

Edited August 3, 2007 by AxelTheRed

[Paolino]

Benvenuti Alfa :AH-HA_wink:

[CSpec]

Very sexy, but I can't see it being better than a Ferrari.

[pow]

I'd rather have the new Maserati grand tourer (forgot what it's called). The 8C's looks, while curvaceous and sporty, are a bit dated, even next to a $40K Brera.

[balthazar]

An alfa... at 200 grand? It's failure is almost going to be boring to watch, it's so predictable.

Car does look somewhat dated, but it also looks better than a lot of others in this 'segment'. Some proportions remind me of the Cheetah. But a big no way at 200K.

[pow]

An alfa... at 200 grand? It's failure is almost going to be boring to watch, it's so predictable.

Car does look somewhat dated, but it also looks better than a lot of others in this 'segment'. Some proportions remind me of the Cheetah. But a big no way at 200K.

They're only making 500, and it's sold-out in most countries. It's really an overpriced "coach-built" four-year-old concept car on an existing chassis.

[balthazar]

OK- I can see $50K, maybe, (alfa has only a rep of light failure here), but 4 times that ??

[Z-06]

I guess Alfa wants a second hard landing on its hiney even before it has reached US shores.

I think it will not work. They need more "Bread and Butter" machine to start with.

[CSpec]

They should have charged more if it's already sold out...

[Cory Wolfe]

I bet they sell every one they sell here, even at $200k. It's simply a gorgeous car.

[Sixty8panther]

I loved the consept. LOVED IT!!!!!

I was also one of those people who was hoping it would get produced.

Seemed to be a moke upscale version of a Solstice coupe... even

looked like it was built on a similar wheelbase and using the same

proportions, I thought to myslef for $40K this would be a hell of a car

to hit the USA market with as a return for A.R.

At $200,000 it's absurdly laughable. What a joke.

I'll buy a Solstice GXP and a HOUSE!

Edited August 4, 2007 by Sixty8panther

[Intrepidation]

I bet they sell every one they sell here, even at $200k. It's simply a gorgeous car.

[Sixty8panther]

.....sure they'll sell to stupid loosers who can't do basic math.

I'm 100% sure the Corvette will be a 500% better value and

I'm about 99% sure that it will keep op w/ this pseudo-Ferrari

around a race track.

Pathatic, I think at this point after hearing this thing will cost

$200K I do NOT think anymore that they should come back to

the USA. Stay at home, what's next some compact FWD

4-cylinder sedan for $70,000....?

[Sixty8panther]

.... and to think GM says they can not build the SIXTEEN and make it profitable.

:angry: :angry: :angry: :angry:

christ if this little Kit car lookalike is worth $200,000 than the Sixteen is worth $7,000,000!

[MyerShift]

Being a little harsh, are we? Alfa Romeo isn't Italy's Chevrolet. That'd be FIAT.

Alfa-Romeos to me are supposed to represent the people's semi-exotic sport brand just barely within reach.

I say that this will sell. I say it'll be amazing... for a couple months till issues arise.

Enough crap. This is gorgeous. This is what the fans have been waiting for...the return! This will sell. It's more than a kit car. Shame on you. It's made by the company that created it. This marks the return of cars I like such as the 159/Brera. This...Is ALFA ROMEO.

[balthazar]

OK... but what does that mean ?? 'Fans' of A-R ? 'Semi-exotic sports brand' ?? What... who... and that's a new one by me.

I just saw the car last week that built up all these fans in the U.S.; the GTV, or whatever it was called. Nothing even remotely exotic about it, and at the time there were an awful lot of Nelsons on the curb pointing and yelling 'HA-HA!'.

Car may actually be great, but the price is absolutely ridiculous.

Let's see if it's 25% more car than the Ford GT...

[Intrepidation]

.....sure they'll sell to stupid loosers who can't do basic math.

I'm 100% sure the Corvette will be a 500% better value and

I'm about 99% sure that it will keep op w/ this pseudo-Ferrari

around a race track.

Pathatic, I think at this point after hearing this thing will cost

$200K I do NOT think anymore that they should come back to

the USA. Stay at home, what's next some compact FWD

4-cylinder sedan for $70,000....?

Well first, its battery will probably not die if it's not left in reverse.

Second, as pointed out, Alfa Romeo isn't Italy's Chevrolet, it's higher up the food chain.

Third, why are bitching about it? It's a limited production high-end flagship model. It's not a kit-car. It'll also probably have performance and an interior to reflect the price tag.

Is it stupidly expensive? Yes, but so are Ferrais and people will buy them even if they are ugly. This thing is gorgeous...and since so few will be sold people will buy them for collector's value alone, not counting the fact that it is an Alfa Romeo.

Only sucky thing is that, if it's like other Alfa Romeos, it'll depreciate faster than a Crown Vic.

[Aura XR]

I would love to see AR brought back to our shores.

I wonder if they will bring over the car that's on the GM's Epsilon platform, along with the High Feature GM V6. This way it can compete with the 9-3, G6, Malibu, and Aura

[Drew Dowdell]

Wake me up when the 159 or 166 arrive.

[Sixty8panther]

Being a little harsh, are we? Alfa Romeo isn't Italy's Chevrolet. That'd be FIAT.

Alfa-Romeos to me are supposed to represent the people's semi-exotic sport brand just barely within reach.

I say that this will sell. I say it'll be amazing... for a couple months till issues arise.

Enough crap. This is gorgeous. This is what the fans have been waiting for...the return! This will sell. It's more than a kit car. Shame on you. It's made by the company that created it. This marks the return of cars I like such as the 159/Brera. This...Is ALFA ROMEO.

Thank God I live in the USA where a semi-exotic Corvette only costs $50K

and for an additional $30 you can buy a Z06 which is a FULL blown exotic.

Alfa Romeo can stay in Europe at those prices.

[Clownzilla]

Cool car..........but a terrible name. I don't know why, but the name reminds me of a "As Seen On TV" infomercial product. It slices, it dices, it's the COMPETIZONE!!!!! I know there is an "i" between the z" and the "o" but it's easily missed. Don't know, I just might be a little crazy.

[MyerShift]

Thank God I live in the USA where a semi-exotic Corvette only costs $50K

and for an additional $30 you can buy a Z06 which is a FULL blown exotic.

Alfa Romeo can stay in Europe at those prices.

And yet it still lacks a certain sex appeal. The 8C is amazing in appearance, it'll sell regardless, and for some people, the name Alfa Romeo resonates in a manner that turns them on.

Just like front drive econoboxes turn you OFF.

[MyerShift]

OK... but what does that mean ?? 'Fans' of A-R ? 'Semi-exotic sports brand' ?? What... who... and that's a new one by me.

Car may actually be great, but the price is absolutely ridiculous.

Let's see if it's 25% more car than the Ford GT...

Unfortunately, just because it's Italian will make enough people go gaga over it.

Of course, I could become some public relations director. I have a nice way with words. My one-of-a-kind "semi-exotic sports brand" phrase acurately describes Alfa Romeo to me; a company with a gorgeous as only Italy can do it car (the 8C), along with other upmarket automobiles that compete with the likes of Audi and BMW but have more charisma. It's pert, pretty, and perfect as a description.

Alfas are supposed to be special in some way shape, or form.

The GTV? I don't like it. I do like the 159 and Brera, and the 8C.

As far as the price of this car? The huddled masses can't even afford it, so is some of the bitching because they can never have it?

[balthazar]

Fiats used to be here in the U.S. market- no one went "ga-ga" over them in the least. Pretty sure they were Italian then, too. 'Gorgeous'- no.

Clearly, Myershift, you are an alfa cheerleader; for your sake --if the 8c actually makes it here, perhaps you'll get to see one one day.

To me- alfa is a failed brand that had to pull out of the U.S. market for building crappy, uncompetitive cars. A twice-as-rare, twice-as-attractive, full-blown exotic @ $500K wouldn't even begin to overturn that, IMO.

[Sixty8panther]

MeyerShift:

Speak for yourself, PLENTY of people consider the Z06 to

be drop dead gorgeousand downright exotic. I do.

Have you sat in one? Seen it at speed? &/or heard when

the butterflys in the exhaust open up and the car screams

a torque-happy baratone song of pushrod sophistication?

[MyerShift]

Oh, I never said that the Corvette, Z06 or not, was bad looking. It's very nice. And, it sounds phenomenal. I can attest to that.

But in comparison for MYSELF, a Vette lacks visual drama compared to a Viper or Ford GT.

I never said that ALL Italian cars looked amazing either. But for a FWD econobox, I do like the new FIAT Bravo.

I'm afraid what you 'all' forgetting is that just because one has a different opionion than your own doesn't mean that I am wrong or that you are right. Well, technically we are all right due to opinion

And, Sixty8, if you are to direct a statement to me, would you please spell my name right?

Otherwise, it's kinda like you aren't really directing anything at anybody.

balthazar, if current reliability standards are to judge, then technically all German marques ought to have left recently. Olds is dead too. Hate to bring up a sore point, but it's valid.

Cheerleader. Please. I despise them.

Edited August 15, 2007 by MyerShift

[balthazar]

>>"I never said that ALL Italian cars looked amazing either."<<

No, you didn't, but you seemingly offered that factor up as support for the $200K pricetag. Ferrari & alfa are galaxies apart in reputation; I don't see alfa being Italian as helping here.

>>"if current reliability standards are to judge, then technically all German marques ought to have left recently."<<

Give VW a bit more time. :wink:

[MyerShift]

Gotcha.

And, okay! :-)