Alright already. Yes, I'm an Alfisti. I fell in love with them driving a borrowed '81 Spider. Sure the shift throws were ridiculously long, and sure it only liked to start on warm dry days, but the engine sounds .... Who needed a radio?
Alfa Romeo abandoned ship here in the early 90's. The retreat was partly because the product's reliability was questionable and partly because Alfa never really took customer service and supplying parts seriously. But now Alfa's coming back, and this is their opening salvo:
It's the 8C Competitzione. It costs a quarter of a million dollars. It has a Ferrari-inspired F-1 paddle-shift transmission. Its body is carbon fiber, and it has a pushbutton starter. If you can afford it, fitted Schedoni luggage is an option. If you've got the nerve, it'll do 190 mph. And 0-60 takes 4.2 seconds.
And no, you can't have one. The initial and only production run sold out long ago ... 500 cars. Period. Only 90 will make it to the States. They're making 500 of the convertible version, but somehow it's not as sexy as the coupe. And it's probably sold out too. So tough shit.
So if bitten by the Alfa bug, what will the company permit you to buy? A few guesses:
This is the Alfa Romeo Brera. It's designed by Giugiaro. Here in George W. Bush's America you probably won't be able to get it with the 4-cylinder or available turbodiesel, just a V6. But that's no reason to dismiss it. It's sure to be a blast to drive. One thing that's certain to come here?
The Spider is a sure seller. As for a 4-door?
Maybe ... Here are the models on offer in Italy.
These people will never capture the American market until they build an entirely pointless over-sized SUV.
Posted by: Lew Scannon | December 30, 2007 at 08:19 PM
YES! Spiders are always good, but better with two "I"s.
Posted by: SPIIDERWEB™ | December 30, 2007 at 11:28 PM
So if you the "fisti", who's the fister?
Posted by: actor212 | December 31, 2007 at 10:39 AM
So if you the "fisti", who's the fister?
I'll ask you to withdraw that ...
Posted by: blogenfreude | December 31, 2007 at 12:27 PM
I'm just saying!
How seriously can we take a car company when they don't even make an SUV???
Posted by: actor212 | December 31, 2007 at 02:05 PM
oh wow....what a beautiful little thing....I need this car....sigh...Have a wonderful New Year Blogenfruede...
Posted by: enigma4ever | December 31, 2007 at 08:17 PM
Hey Blogenfreude... Just wanted to pop by and wish you and yours a Happy New Year.
Posted by: Kvatch | January 01, 2008 at 01:39 PM
My wife and I rented an Alfa 4-door turbo diesel in Italy in '01. We drove it all over from Milan to Venice to Siena and back and fell in love with it. My wife would buy one in a minute.
On the Autostrada from Milan to Venice, I drove it at 200kph for hours without any drama. Great road and a super car.
Posted by: Gray Lensman | January 04, 2008 at 08:36 AM
Hi from Italy.
I'm an Alfista too.
Alfa Romeo is part of car history!
My parents bought an Alfasud in 1982. I was just 10 and it was fantastic!!
In 2001, I bought my first car. It was an Alfa 147. Very very nice.
Have a nice drive!
Posted by: Urbano from Italy | January 12, 2008 at 07:27 AM