Alfa Romeo opts for Giulia sedan over MiTo for US Market Comebackk
The American market really hasn’t seen the functionality of a hatchback as a family car. Premium brands like Mercedes Benz and BMW make small cars but both do not sell small cars in the U.S. The idea is shared by Alfa Romeo which might field the big sedan Giulia to mark its return to the U.S. shores.
The Giulia will lead th
e comeback of the Alfa Romeo everyday car in the United States after a 15 year hiatus. Earlier reports revealed that the MiTo hatchback and the Milano will be the first models to roll out of the U.S. dealerships.
Alfa Romeo sees the Giulia to be the car that Americans will find interesting. The car manufacturer plans to build cars with Chrysler and inject the Alfa Romeo Soul that the consumers can appreciate and find useful.
Alfa Romeo is now a division of Fiat and they cannot afford to make a costly mistake when they try to re-enter the U.S. A jump in sales is what Alfa Romeo badly needs. Alfa Romeo is looking for short term gains as of now and cannot wait a few more years to see results.
The Italian car maker, after doing a case study of the MiTo, just did not find a positive feedback from the U.S. market about the hatchback. A luxury, small car like the MiTo might find some buyers and sell about 20,000 units annually but that is not an acceptable figure for Alfa Romeo.
Bigger sedans are favored also for having a bigger price margin which can help the car maker rake in some profits on a per unit basis compared to hatchbacks or smaller cars. The U.S. which is still trying to recover from a recession does not the see good economics in acquiring cars like the MiTo.
The industry is awaiting though the result of the collaboration of Chrysler and Alfa Romeo. The companies might share platforms but everyone is wondering how one brand will look different from the other.
Tags: 159, Alfa Romeo, Alfa Romeo Giulia, MiTo, United States, USA
January 31st, 2010 at 8:12 am
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