Alfa Romeo de retour
- Thread starter Chinnu
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dave_fonz_164
Legacy Member
What do you think about this Spyder ???? It shames the competition...
Absolutely stunning and that Spider has 1.8TB with 250hp, RWD and light!..If only they actually make it!
The new Alfa products are up there with the best and so is the quality. What they need is a more cohesive line-up and more powerful version to compete with the big Germans.
RussianM3_dude
Legacy Member
Well... they are not "up there with the best". Hence no-one buys them. Giulietta is apparently the first car in decades that can compete with... the GOLF. Forget A3 and 1 series. Alfa is competition to VW and their prices in Europe reflect that.
WickedChris
New member
It's good news ... though I don't like their font-end look in general (there's a few models I think are "ok").
Don't get me wrong, they have good styling, and it's always down to personal preferences, I just don't like the front-ends (headlights and triangular grill is just fugly IMO).
Don't get me wrong, they have good styling, and it's always down to personal preferences, I just don't like the front-ends (headlights and triangular grill is just fugly IMO).
If we check on mandataires websites, alfa romeo 159 is more expensive than passat with a similar engine, but probably that the alfa has a bit more equipement standard. 1/3 - 2/3 folding rear seats are a 400 euros option while automatic bizone AC is standard...
But alfa is different from vw or audi, they sell nice looking cars, originality, probably that the AR owner buy it because he wont see his car every 5 minutes. And old alfa 164 were sold here were probably competing Saab 9000, serie 3 bmw, volvo 740, more or less the passat.
The quality isn't maybe as great as VAG products (on plastic quality and fit and finish) but still good enough so people won't care about it. Why the 147 wasn't as good as the golf was because of practicality issues, like room, trunk volume or expensive maintenance, however these things have nothing to do with being premium or not (premium cars are usually less practical). I see alfa 147 (can't say about the guilietta) or mito like bmw mini or serie 1 coupe here.
Biggest problem is the lack of sporty versions I have to agree.
But alfa is different from vw or audi, they sell nice looking cars, originality, probably that the AR owner buy it because he wont see his car every 5 minutes. And old alfa 164 were sold here were probably competing Saab 9000, serie 3 bmw, volvo 740, more or less the passat.
The quality isn't maybe as great as VAG products (on plastic quality and fit and finish) but still good enough so people won't care about it. Why the 147 wasn't as good as the golf was because of practicality issues, like room, trunk volume or expensive maintenance, however these things have nothing to do with being premium or not (premium cars are usually less practical). I see alfa 147 (can't say about the guilietta) or mito like bmw mini or serie 1 coupe here.
Biggest problem is the lack of sporty versions I have to agree.
VWSpeed
New member
They are not at the Germans level in terms of overal quality and fit & finish, but they are not as far behind as they used to be. Alfa also lacks in the engine department, they are not quite at the level of the Germans when it comes to their 4-cyl engines.
However, where they excel is in style. Alfa's are much sexier than their German rivals...you want style, you buy Italian...just like suits, dress shirts, ties, shoes, etc...
You should know, you have a Maser...
dave_fonz_164
Legacy Member
I actually would say the opposite. Theyre 4cyl engines are quite good, especially with the new Multiair technology and small turbos. They really lack bigger engines which compete with the M, RS and AMG products range.
The Italian auto industry has always been dominant in two areas, the smaller entry level cars and the high end sports cars.They seem to struggle in the 40 to 100k range where German brands dominate.
VWSpeed
New member
For engine refinement and diesel offerings, I would still put the Germans ahead with their 4-cylinders. It's very hard to beat BMW in the engine department.
I do agree with you that in the entry level, Fiat and Alfa Romeo are dominant in Italy. In the rest of Europe, they are playing catch up to the competition.
I do agree with you that in the entry level, Fiat and Alfa Romeo are dominant in Italy. In the rest of Europe, they are playing catch up to the competition.
Recently I looked at the fit and finish of an alfa 164 in a scrapyard (so far from being brand new) the leather was still really nice, and the plastics were not as good as last VAG plastics (even if I'm not a big fan of their texture), but about the same as BMW E36, and the gap between plastic trims wasn't big, no cracks/sun fade, so I don't see why we would complain even about old ones. I don't say they were reliable or really nimble but yeah, quality percue wasn't bad imo, as good as the germans at that time. And german in the 90's were not better than toyota or Honda actually. Audi really started to sell their good fit and finish with the "A" line (a3, a4, etc.) in mid/late 90's, and the golf 4 (but still a bit cheap and not well texturized imo).
But like I said, I don't really like new design of alfa romeo (mito, guilietta, 8c, spider concept is the exception), and most the cars are fwd and not so sporty, so I'd prefere to see fiat instead, at a cheaper price, and with the same good diesel engines and multiair.
RussianM3_dude
Legacy Member
Well... I think the new MiTo is a bit ugly and the Giulietta has that ugly bulbous front. Actually, Alfas have often been quiet ugly but excelled on the driving dynamics (kinda like BMW). However recently somebody at Alfa figured out that it was cheaper to build a good looking car then a well driving one and the rest is history.
I like good looking cars, but I won't buy one only for that. I need the whole package, the car has to be exciting at least, which the Maser is, despite being quiet rubbish in other areas. Alfas (modern) are not really exciting. Fun for a week-end but you will get bored after a month, because they don't really have any other intrinsic qualitites. Of course, if you are a self-brain-washed Alfa-Taliban, you wouldn't care.
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