All Entries Tagged With: "Fiat"
Maserati is Playing With Fire
by Gunnar Heinrich ::: img Maserati | Autoblog ::: Maserati “baby Quattroporte”
OR maybe Maserati’s being unwillingly pushed closer to the fire pit by callous Fiat bosses looking out for the bottom line. Either way, the latest news from Maserati regarding product coming down Modena’s pike isn’t encouraging.
There’s been talk of a”baby Quattroporte” and “baby GranTurismo” that in the next two to four years will play happy encore roles to the 1980s Biturbo generation and act as a brand extension bridge between Alfa Romeo’s top end and Maserati’s sub-€100K bottom.
All that would be fine except Fiat is going to have the baby Masers use the same platform as the 2012 Chrysler 300C (below).
History’s iPod has an insipid repeat mode for the worst tracks. Anyone remember the Chrysler TC by Maserati? Bad as that badge engineered bastardization was, this time, there’s a new twist.
In a hey-they’re-doing-it-too pass straight from the Jaguar playbook, Maserati will offer a twin-turbo, 400 horsepower V6 diesel engine co-developed with ChryCo. The catche of premium performance and the economy of diesel mix about as well as e85 and brake fluid. And so much for trickle-down Ferrari magic.
Somebody’s going to get burnt by a smoldering trident.
Weekend @ The Movies: Cars & Surrealism
Drifting toward the edge of reality
By Gunnar Heinrich | IMG Paramount
I had to pinch myself.
The funny thing about being part of the mass of literary humanity that “covers” what we handily call the “auto industry” is that you tend never to look at the subject of innocent observation quite the same after having “covered” it.
Take, for example, the Corvette Sting Ray.
In the film Star Trek, which yours traveled in thick of Saturday night’s fog to Providence (Rhode Island’s aptly named capital) to watch it on IMAX, there is an action scene where the young James Kirk steals the step dad’s Sting Ray and drives it into the Grand Canyon.
Funny thing is, all I could think of when I watched this flash production lay waste to a slickly beautiful piece of 60s sheetmetal was that not quite a year ago I talked with the man who designed it – Bob Veryzer.
Regrettably, the constraints of time meant that only a smidgen of our conversation made the cut into a recently aired Automobiles De Luxe segment on CPTV. But before long, you’ll see Mr. Veryzer – in all his retired understatement – at an event we attended and reflect on his car – a boldly captivating icon – and maybe marvel at the discontinuity of it all, as I have.
I also saw Angels & Demons which was a conspiracy theorist’s affirmation in the power of recognizing surreal patterns that uncover an awesome (or horrible) truth. You know, stuff journalists live for.
Having had my share of moments that defy coincidence – like watching Errol Morris’ The Fog of War in China and then a month later brushing past former Defense Secretary Robert McNamara (the film’s focus) on a street in Washington- I pondered another cognitive dissonance when watching the various police cars featured in the latest Dan Brown thriller.
It must be surreal to executives on both sides of the Atlantic.
Fiat – whose Lancias and Alfa Romeos feature prominently in the Robert Langdon’s clue chase across the Eternal City – once partnered with GM, then “divorced” the General winning a $1 Billion in the “settlement”, which in turn allowed the 500 to be re-born which in turn empowered Fiat to be, perhaps, the “savior” to some parts of the beleaguered US auto industry which may include some of GM’s European divisions.
The weak link became the strong force and now decides the fate of the former power which has now become a weak link.
It all brings home that this world is by far stranger and more interconnected than we let ourselves realize. Which is why I’m still pinching myself.
Taking Hold of Chrysler, Fiat Eyes Peugeot
By Gunnar Heinrich
SURVIVING is a ruthless, hungry business. And it would seem that Fiat, SpA is doing everything in its corporate powers to survive the global auto industry shakeup.
Rumors are a swirlin’ that Fiat’s first family, the Agnellis, are out beating the money bushes in a coordinated effort with the Italian car maker to raise as much as €5 Billion ($6.5 Billion) that would be needed to takeover merge with French rival Peugeot-Citroen.
Ferrari’s Massmarket Foray
Ferrari California Presented By GranTurismo.
By Gunnar Heinrich
GOING massmarket is like going public.
You’re opening up your once closely held business to outside scrutiny and increased regulatory pressures, but in theory you’re removing the ceiling on capital generation.
While Ferrari is very much a unique part of publicly traded Fiat, it has more or less been left alone to its own devices; making precious few exotics for the precious few patrons who can afford the price of admittance (and maintenance).
Ferrari’s pressures, even during their parent company’s darkest hours, seemed to have little to do with fiscal needs but more to do with performance wants.
Luckily this laissez faire system has worked to Ferrari’s benefit. The company has never seen better days – financially.
And like Porsche’s foray into SUV-land and Aston Martin’s segue into four door saloons, Ferrari is set to test, albeit conservatively, the waters of mass-marketdom with the decidedly practical and comparatively everyday California Spyder.
As an aside, the car has a Fiat Barchetta’s front and an ass ressembling the face of some frowning newt; there’s little on first, second, or third glance that can visually recommend the California’s style.
Add the increased proportions and a roomier cabin design placed forward of a conventional trunk thanks to traditional front engine/rear drive setup and what we have are key clues to suggest that this car will have potential SL, 6-Series, 911 and Maserati GT buyers cross shopping.
No doubt that means more Ferraris will be built than ever before as a result for the demand at the $100K level is far greater than it is at even $200K. Plus, Ferrari has entered an age where it’s “brand” identity is as platinum as can be – with new orders regularly reaching into two long years’ wait on new models. Again, we’ll expect the same if not more of the same sell-out rate for the California.
But with all this success that is yet to be reaped, are we witnessing the slow but steady disolution of an elite marque into just another expensive, over-hyped brand?
[Linked: Ferrari California]
ex. 5) Alfa Romeo Spider
By Gunnar Heinrich
CHE BELLA MACCHINA!
Battista Pininfarina must’ve fallen into a bed of four leafed clovers to have found the inspiration to direct his artistic team to draw the original ’66 Alfa Romeo “Duetto” for the 36th Geneva Auto Show.
Among the longest lived production models ever built, the little Alfa Romeo Spider – locked into US car history by The Graduate – sold in four variants worldwide over the course of three decades. Such was the sweet ‘n chic longevity of the design that two of the last four years proved to be the Spider’s best selling years; 7,106 and 9,073 units in 1990 and 1991, respectively.
Not a fast car by any stretch (the most powerful Spider featured a 130 horsepower straight-four) the small but sexy Alfa featured style and driving charm over mechanical substance to woo a select group of car buyers out of their dollars and lire for 28 years.
[IMG Wikipedia]
Alfa Will Return Stateside…On Her Own Terms, Of Course
By Gunnar Heinrich
LEAVE it to the Italians to shake up the party.
In a grand Italo-American conference set in the even grander Venice, Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne dropped a few subtle hints of great things to come.
“The U.S. market is very large, and we’re not looking to occupy a premier position,” Marchionne said. “But I think we do have a couple of brands and products that we can sell successfully there,” BusinessWeek quoted Fiat’s modestly spoken guru.
Alfa Romeo’s return to America has been hotly anticipated since… well… time immemorial. But if we’re actually counting – 2006.
Trouble is, Sr. Marchionne only sees profitability in selling Stateside by building Stateside.
“Trouble?”
Che?
Surely all those Euros are good for America’s struggling economy?
Yes, Fiat investing in a new factory or co-oping with an established carmaker like Mercedes-Benz who already has large assembly lines in Alabama would do well in Dixie.
Yet, selling an American made Alfa to Americans just doesn’t add up; without the “Made In Italy” appeal, it’s as dumb as trying to sell the Anglophilic thrill of owning an MG that’s built in a factory where the wind comes sweepin’ down the plain.
Fiat, SpA does own and operate the world’s largest auto plant in latin Brasil – a Brazilian Alfa would have a similar caffeinated marketing appeal as a double espresso black.
“Finalemente, Non!”
There’s no space there says Marchionne. It’s Stateside or no side.
[Linked: BusinessWeek]
An Unlikely Unison
CAR Magazine has been putting all the pieces of the puzzle together this morning and today it looks like a conspir… er… alliance of transcontinental proportions.
“If, as expected, Tata buys Jaguar-Land Rover in the coming weeks, there are some potentially intriguing industrial consequences. Like Jags being co-developed alongside Alfa Romeos.”
Alfas and Jags? Built under the same Indian roof? Could be, Alfa’s owner Fiat has a partnership with Tata that will eventually see an output of 100,000 jointly built Italindian cars.
PROPITIOUS FOR ONE
The prospect does seem full of potential. CAR correctly points that Tata’s home market is burgeoning for all sectors automotive.
The Germans have already landed which means that the Brits and Italians would do well to get there while brand loyalties remain young amongst a newly wealthy consumer class.
Operating together, Jaguar could give Alfa Romeo the chassis know-how to develop rear-wheel drive sedans (like the one that’s going to replace the ag?d 166). That could mean sharing the XF’s aluminum platform with Alfa – at cost – which would help Jag’s coffers.
But, such a venture would seem to favor Fiat, SpA too heavily, and Jaguar, Ltd too little. Were Tata Motors an honest concern, they will have already been infusing Jaguar with ca$h and hopefully reinvigorating the marque’s overall quality.
Locking bumpers even with niche marque Alfa may only drag singular Jaguar perilously towards mass-market land. That might work for the Indian market, but not in the Western.
Niche brands of the world remain unique! You have only to save your quirks.
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next update @ 12 EST
Return To US, Alfa!
Return.The agony of being cut off suddenly from an historic affair that began during the days of the Marshall Plan… too much to bear.
She was a tempermental Italian beauty that graced America’s roads.
And God, how we adored her.
In the 90s, the Japanese showed us that our cars ought to start every day. And the Germans taught us the meaning of true performance.
With this dawn, the grand affair proved too much strain for the heart. The charming spell that came with a set of four-leaf clovered keys evaporated. Her crime was treating us, the Alfisti, with disdain. How could our hearts go on breaking?
And so, America and Alfa Romeo parted.
Sure we’ve heard word from time to time. In her native Europe, she’s been hailed for all that style and grace that she displayed for us, that which we loved her for. But, we’ve also heard of poor residuals and reliability reminding us how we cannot fully miss her.
Every once in a while, she teases us.
A call from Italy! Alfa says that she’ll come back!! It’s as if the Alfisti immediately run to the gym, purchase a new suit, and have the florist and the best restaurant in town on standby. We can’t help ourselves, she’s an addiction, and once again we think we’re ready to pay.
Still, uncertainty and tragedy kept her from us. Beseiged for years, it seemed that her native Europe grew tired of her and parent company Fiat. All we could do was sit this side and watch, sadly. Our hopes for her grand return continually dashed.
Give the flowers away to the first girl on the street. Cancel the reservation – our apologies.
And then one day, another who’d also left us – Maserati – came back to America. With her arrival came sweet words of fond regard from sister Alfa. And a hint from Maserati that Alfa may herself come back!
Finally! At last! Spring 2009? How ’bout tomorrow? Dinner for two? Our old place by the waterfront? Call the florist – make sure the roses are tutto rosso!
Years of tortured practicality and vanilla style have taken their toll on America, Alfa. Return to US!
[Source: MotorAuthority]
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