[ChRR1000S]

Building a car made out of Carbon fibre and than fit the ugliest interior they could find? Why did they not fit the interior with carbon fibre as well?

Specs look promising though.

[ptack]

Originally Posted by codesurge

You wouldn't get a 458 for its interior, but it's not like it a crappy kit car fittings either. I've had the opportunity to sit in one and it's proper quality in there, with nice lashings of premium leather and everything was put together pretty solidly. Modern Ferraris are pretty nice places to be in.



What source are you getting the US pricing from?

Automobile is guessing $86k and with production in the hundreds which will mean these will be very hard to find. These could sell out like 1Ms did though maybe Fiat will find ways to ramp up production - doubtful. I wonder if they would suddenly do a sheet metal version? Now that would be the Fiat of old.

[codesurge]

Originally Posted by Levi

Look at the Maserati GT, perfect interior quality, only a bunch of cheap (looking?) plastic.

I thought the GranTurismo and Quattroporte VI had pretty nicely appointed interiors with solid plastics where surfaces weren't covered by nice leather. Certainly didn't feel cheap to me, an improvement over the previous generation 4200/GranSport interior.

Originally Posted by Red Bread

Car & Driver said the expected price has risen to $84k US. If that's true, they'll sell four or five of these.

You guys do realize that production worldwide is only 2500 cars per year right? Between the collectors, the Alfisti and those looking for a nicer alternative to the Elise, I don't foresee the 4C sitting around on dealer lots for very long.

It's a low-production specialty halo car, not a volume seller in the likes of the Cayman. The real test will be when the Giulia comes to market; the 4C just sets the appropriate brand positioning and values to enable the Giulia to be seen as a proper A4/C/3-fighter, rather than the sub-premium realm which Alfa has sunk to over the past decade.

[Red Bread]

Originally Posted by codesurge

You guys do realize that production worldwide is only 2500 cars per year right? Between the collectors, the Alfisti and those looking for a nicer alternative to the Elise, I don't foresee the 4C sitting around on dealer lots for very long.

It's a low-production specialty halo car, not a volume seller in the likes of the Cayman. The real test will be when the Giulia comes to market; the 4C just sets the appropriate brand positioning and values to enable the Giulia to be seen as a proper A4/C/3-fighter, rather than the sub-premium realm which Alfa has sunk to over the past decade.

That's not a terribly low volume projection, that would make it more popular than the S54 Z3 M Coupe, the Z4 M Coupe and the same as the 1M Coupe.

The Elise/Exige even with more power and less weight were cheaper than the rumored $80k range and never sold near those volumes. Selling a four cylinder car for the same money that you can get a Z06, M5 or optioned Cayman S will not be easy for a brand that frankly has a lot to prove.

I'd be doing my homework on where and how to put a deposit down on a manual 4C for $55-$60k, but at $80k+ and two pedals only, I have absolutely no interest. If I were willing to spend that much money I don't think I'd consider it compared to what else is available. Frankly, the likely short term solution of using Ferrari/Maserati dealers for service is also a huge negative for me.

[codesurge]

Originally Posted by Red Bread

That's not a terribly low volume projection, that would make it more popular than the S54 Z3 M Coupe, the Z4 M Coupe and the same as the 1M Coupe.

The Elise/Exige even with more power and less weight were cheaper than the rumored $80k range and never sold near those volumes. Selling a four cylinder car for the same money that you can get a Z06, M5 or optioned Cayman S will not be easy for a brand that frankly has a lot to prove.

I'd be doing my homework on where and how to put a deposit down on a manual 4C for $55-$60k, but at $80k+ and two pedals only, I have absolutely no interest. If I were willing to spend that much money I don't think I'd consider it compared to what else is available. Frankly, the likely short term solution of using Ferrari/Maserati dealers for service is also a huge negative for me.

Lotus' problems lie with its dealer network - you cannot sell volume if you cannot get your products near your customers. If you map out where the Lotus dealers are vs Porsche dealers, you will see a BIG difference. Likewise with marketing - absolute zero brand marketing outside of car magazines.

Frankly, I'm unconvinced by the speculation around the $80k price point. We've seen the European pricing and it wasn't as bad as what the naysayers were claiming. Until I see more evidence that the 4C is going to be that pricey, I would give Fiat/Chrysler the benefit of the doubt.

I'm also not sure where you're hearing that 4Cs can only be serviced at F/M dealers, but the 4C will be sold in Alfa Romeo/Fiat dealerships, which are somewhat more commonplace.

[Red Bread]

Originally Posted by codesurge

I'm also not sure where you're hearing that 4Cs can only be serviced at F/M dealers, but the 4C will be sold in Alfa Romeo/Fiat dealerships, which are somewhat more commonplace.

Hopefully the recent round of US price speculation is off base, as the EU and GBP pricing is more in line with a mid to high $50k pricing for the US when comparing similar pricing on other cars for a rough translation without VAT or other taxes.

Have you seen an Alfa dealer in the US? I have seen numerous references that Alfa prefers to avoid the Fiat dealers and would be using the larger network of Ferrari/Maserati until they get other models here, which is also how they handled the 8C here.

Of course I'd still guess there's less than a 50% chance any Alfa actually arrives in the US.

[codesurge]

Originally Posted by Red Bread

Have you seen an Alfa dealer in the US? I have seen numerous references that Alfa prefers to avoid the Fiat dealers and would be using the larger network of Ferrari/Maserati until they get other models here, which is also how they handled the 8C here.

Not sure what references you've seen, but top Fiat dealers will get Alfa Romeo franchises in the US. Here's a quote from Chrysler:
http://www.autoguide.com/auto-news/2...-romeo-4c.html

Can't compare it to the 8C, which first came to the US before the whole Fiat-Chrysler alliance was formed and the subsequent development of a US Fiat dealer network. Back then, Fiat had no distribution channels in the US to sell 8Cs apart from their F/M dealers.

[Red Bread]

Okay, that's news to me. I'm actually surprised to see Fiat is selling as many cars as they are, more than Jaguar, not too far off of Land Rover and surprisingly only 25% behind MINI. It should be interesting to see what happens when the 500L arrives and what happens after the 4C. With the Germans all moving their cars towards larger models and the upcoming A3 sedan and MB CLA being Haldex or FWD, there is a gaping hole for a decently sized and priced RWD sedan.

[codesurge]

Originally Posted by Red Bread

With the Germans all moving their cars towards larger models and the upcoming A3 sedan and MB CLA being Haldex or FWD, there is a gaping hole for a decently sized and priced RWD sedan.

Depending on the platform that Fiat ends up using for the Giulia, it may or may not be RWD. Then again, Audi has proven that you can sell FWD/AWD premium sedans against traditional RWD cars like the 3er and C-class with success.

Here's a great article on Marchionne and where he wants (and needs) Alfa to be:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/...92302T20130304

[Red Bread]

Please let there be a three pedal, rwd Giulia wagon in the US in a few years.