Waiting On Alfa (Insert Your Opinion Here)
By Gunnar Heinrich
ALFA ROMEO needs to return to the U.S. car market. Stat!
It’s been how many years of maybes and two-summers-from-now talk? Purportedly, the Alfa 8C is Stateside. Funny I’ve not seen it anywhere – and I’ve ventured into plenty of territories where I damn well should’ve.
I’m tempted to call the Alfa’s absence: ‘in search of the great red whale.’ Will we find it? Not on my or any other American’s watch, it would seem.
Call this what it is – a pure rant – but damn it if our market Stateside isn’t ripe for a more mainstream Italian comeback. Sure we love our Ferraris, Maseratis, and even Pagani Zondas, but we’ve not known the accessible Italianisti for too long and it’s too much to our country’s detriment.
Does anyone else feel the same?
Hey Alfa – USTo!
[Linked: Alfa Romeo]
About the Author: Gunnar Heinrich is publisher of Automobiles De Luxe online and is executive producer of the Automobiles De Luxe Television series on PBS member station CPTV.
Jim | Aug 15, 2008 | Reply
You know as well as I what happened to all the 8C’s, they’ve disappeared into private collections never to be seen again until they turn up at auction. Many will have never been started, having been pushed by the help on to the drive when the guests came for a summer party.
I’d love to have Alfa back and Lancia also, not to forget about Citroen and Peugeot. In the 50′s & 60′s it was cheap and easy for a distributor to bring cars into the US from around the world and while that practice contributed to the marques poor reputation, it did give us variety.
Emissions and safety regs changed that. But there maybe some hope. I understand that there is a very slowly progressing project at the UN that seeks to standardize the safety and emissions regulations throughout the world. In that milieu boutique distribution of small batches of cars to enthusiasts would be possible. Alas it probably won’t happen.
Gunnar | Aug 15, 2008 | Reply
You’re dead on about the 8C’s, Jim. T’is sad for us enthusiasts.
I wouldn’t hold out much for the UN deal. If anything it’d be the EU and the US governments that’d get together on that.
CURTIS GAYLE | Apr 24, 2009 | Reply
I AM ALWAYS A GREAT LOVER OF ALFA’S 164S LEFT THE US SHORES TOO FAST. I’am always wondering when will ALFA RETURN WITH SOMETHING DIFFERENT FROM THE REST, OUTSTANDING AS THE NAME SUGGEST. I DON’T LIKE TO DRIVE WHAT EVERY ONE ELSE IS DRIVING AND ALFA IS THE CAR I WOULD OWN THE DAY IT RETURN TO THE USA. ..IS IT TRUE THAT MY Italian LOVE WILL RETURN THIS SPRING 2009 ?….Sign….. Curtis Gayle
Ben Gallucci | Apr 29, 2009 | Reply
I live in Bellevue, WA and I’ve already seen 2 8c’s. A black one and a red one.