Still Teasing North American Alfisti
I've always had a soft spot for Alfa Romeos. Unlike my wife Jennifer, who would probably do just about anything for a bright red Spider (roadster), I'm a longtime fan of the late '60s to early '70s GTV. To me, it's one of the prettiest cars ever made. I drove a few over the years, along with an early Giulia Super and the last model sold here, the 164, and loved every one.
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| I allowed myself to get a little excited when I heard word of Alfa Romeo's possible return to North America. (Photo: Alfa Romeo) |
That's probably why I allowed myself to get a little excited when I heard word of the Italian brand's possible return to North America, with year 2007 chosen as the Fiat division's revised target launch date after 2005 was abandoned due to what was said to be big changes in Alfa's future model program.
During the announcement of the date change, Alfa Romeo SpA's boss Daniele Bandiera stated, "Our idea now is to have a full range of cars, including a crossover model, when we return to America." He then added, "Looking at our business case, when we will have a full product range and distribution network, the most favorable time for Alfa is 2007."
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| Parent company Fiat is neck deep in the process of restructuring, so the plans for Alfa to return to North America could be on hold. (Photo: Alfa Romeo) |
While I still have my fingers crossed, parent company Fiat is neck deep in the process of restructuring, probably a nice way of saying occasionally surfacing while amid a whirlpool of swirling debt, which may mean the plan for Alfa to reenter the world's richest market could be put on indefinite hold.
That would be a shame, as the revered Italian marque is currently producing some gorgeous sedans and sports cars with more character than the majority of cars sold on this side of the Atlantic. Under Bandiera's lead, Alfa has sidelined the original proposal to replace the compact 156 and is currently completely restyling Pininfarina SpA's Spider/GTV, the sports car initially expected to lure North Americans back to the Alfa nameplate.