I've just been perusing the transcript and slides of FCA's quarterly investor briefing (how bored was i?) and the yank in charge doesn't give me much hope that Alfa has a long term future while its part of the Jeep Chrysler dungheap. Maybe the frogs at PSA will be the savior.
Here's what CEO Mike Manley said:
"Now as you know, I have not been happy with the performance of Alfa Romeo and while I fundamentally believe in the brand, we must make sure that any investments that we make generate an appropriate return. Therefore, we have spent a lot of time and we are going to refocus a portfolio of actions for the brand to segments and geographies where we have successfully competed in the past and we will also maintain the brand premium position in the marketplace. Now as a result of this, in the need near term, the new portfolio for the brand is significantly scaled back with a corresponding reduction in capital spending. And I believe these actions will allow the brand to return to profitability. And while there are no product actions planned beyond what you see here, obviously I wouldn't rule out that possibility in the future depending on the performance."
And when you read the associated slides, that means dropping any successor to the Giulietta, maintaining Giulia and Stelvio for now, and maybe introducing hybrid or battery SUV versions.
My read is that his last sentence means 4C spider is dead, "GTV" is dead, and Guilia will be killed within 24 months with only ICE and electric/hybrid Stelvio's likely to survive under the AR brand. AR will also be out of the US again, and limited to Europe and maybe Oz.
In comparison, Maserati is also bleeding sales and cash everywhere, but they are going to completely refresh and expand the current range.
So it seems to me, the merger with PSA is the only realistic hope of an Alfa branded sporting car surviving beyond 2022.
Well, if what they've done here in the US with the dealer network is considered any sort of serious attempt then they should shut up shop now. It's pathetic, all they needed to do was some small, good quality operations in medium to high income areas and they'd have sold a truckload. Instead we got grimy, 70's style afterthoughts miles off the beaten track. Talk about missed opportunity.
R.I.P. signore ALFA ROMEO
Yes, but they (FCA) are too gutless to declare this.
Sometimes a bloodline runs out; that's just how it is.