American Alfa Romeo fans hoping to see the famous Italian sportscar marque back on sale in the United States in 2007 have been told the plan has been shelved.
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Brand head Daniele Bandiera told Reuters on Thursday that Alfa Romeo will focus instead on growth in Europe and Asia and the report did not give a revised date for a US market return.
Fiat-owned Alfa Romeo pulled out of the US in the early 1990s – one of the final models sold was the 164 saloon – and, according to the report, had planned to return in 2007, possibly using a General Motors dealer network.
“We have always said that to return to the United States we need a great product and a good network. By the end of 2007 we’ll have a full product line-up but the network is still missing,” Bandiera told Reuters at the Bologna motor show.
“It’s not good-bye to the United States but it certainly isn’t a priority at the moment,” he reportedly added.
Fiat and GM, which buy parts and develop platforms together, have struck a deal for Fiat to sell cars through GM’s Pontiac network in Mexico and, if a similar deal came up for Alfa, “we’d talk about it but it’s not a possibility now,” Bandiera told Reuters.
According to Reuters, Alfa Romeo is instead spending heavily to improve its dealership networks where it already has a solid client base: in the Far East, especially Japan, and in Europe where it is winning a larger share of a shrinking, high-end market.
New models boosted Alfa’s share of its home market to 3.6% in November, up from 3.2 percent last year, the report noted, adding that sales rose 6.9% against an Italian market fall of 4.6%.
In Western Europe, Alfa Romeo sales rose 3%, Reuters said.
