I'll believe it when I see it! Of course, it's largely academic at this point. The 4C will cost north of $70,000. Way out of my league at this stage of my life.
George Graves On Aug 19, 2012, at 5:19 AM, Mike Hemsley wrote: > Hi George: > > Actually, it's looking more hopeful that the 4C will be here next > year. Recently, Alfa techs from Fiat-Chrysler came to a Detroit > Chapter event with two non-US cars and gave people the opportunity > to drive them. They also talked about the technology that will be > in the new cars. Last weekend, I happened to be in Detroit and > helped at their autocross. I met an Italian fellow who is working > on the Alfa side of Fiat. He didn't make any predictions, but these > folks are here now. The problem is that the 4C is projected to be > something like $66K. The Giulietta is supposed to come after the 4C > then the Giulia. I've talked with two Fiat dealers (New Orleans and > Birmingham, AL), and both are anticipating Alfas. Fiat needs more > than the 500 and Abarth. They've got a bigger car coming (4 door), > but it's still not up market enough - the dealers are very open > about needing Alfa Romeos on their showroom floor. > > So, I hope you don't have to eat your GTV-6, but I also hope you're > wrong. Yeah, I've become an optimist this past year, but I'm still > looking for a car I can drive now. Got a call from the Hyundai > dealer - they've got a turbo Veloster on the lot. I'm going to go > look at it this week. I still want the Focus ST, but I'm hearing > that it might be pricier than I had hoped. We'll see. > > Even though I'm not likely to own an Alfa newer than my '73 Super, > but I really do want to see new ones back in the US. > > Ciao, > > Mike > > > CC: [email protected] > > From: [email protected] > > To: [email protected] > > Subject: Re: [alfa] Alfa Alternative > > Date: Sat, 18 Aug 2012 17:25:39 -0700 > > > > Can't say I blame you for not waiting. I've gotten old waiting for > > Alfa to come back. I will get a lot older before they actually do. > > What's the latest prognosis, 2015, 2016? If they appear before 2020, > > I'll eat my GTV-6! > > > > George Graves > > > > > > On Aug 18, 2012, at 3:39 PM, Mike Hemsley wrote: > > > > > I've also been looking for an alternative, but I had an > advantage as > > > I have > > > owned an SVT Focus since 2002. It's like a 147 - hot hatchback! > > > So, when I > > > decided to look for something in 2012, I discovered that there are > > > several hot > > > hatchbacks either here or coming soon. I've driven the Abarth, and > > > I LOVE it, > > > but the seat bolsters cut into my thighs - guess my 68 year old > > > thighs have > > > spread a bit. So, I initially narrowed the search to three in the > > > low to mid > > > $20s, only one of which is actually here: > > > > > > Mazdaspeed 3 - 4 door, turbo hatch with 220+ hp, 6spd manual, and, > > > it is > > > claimed, torque steer that's under control - we'll see on that > one. > > > It's the > > > only one of the three that's here now. It's the largest of the > three > > > > > > Hyundai Veloster Turbo (Velociraptor?) - 3 door (2 on the > passenger > > > side), > > > turbo hatch with 201hp, 6spd manual. Pretty cool idea to have two > > > doors on > > > the passenger side. It's the smallest of the three and due in > > > dealers any > > > time. > > > > > > Ford Focus ST - 4 door, turbo hatch with 250+hp, 6spd manual. I > saw > > > this car > > > at the SVT facility in Detroit last weekend, and I think I've > found > > > my next > > > car. It is really, really nice and should be quite fast. Easy > > > entry and exit > > > for an old guy with the ST-1 level seats (not the Recaros in the > > > other two > > > levels). These are due in the dealerships in the next few weeks. > > > > > > I've pretty much decided to buy the Focus ST, since the Alfas that > > > are coming > > > in the next few years aren't likely to be in my price range, > > > although they're > > > probably going to make me drool. > > > > > > Hope that helps. > > > > > > Mike Hemsley > > > > > >> From: [email protected] > > >> To: [email protected] > > >> Subject: alfa-digest V10 #2614 > > >> Date: Sat, 18 Aug 2012 21:39:14 +0000 > > >> > > > > > >> Date: Thu, 16 Aug 2012 02:53:47 -0400 > > >> From: Paul Witek <[email protected]> > > >> Subject: [alfa] Alfa alternative for daily driver... > > >> > > >>> of course then the question becomes: what on earth approaches > th e > > >> experience of driving my Alfa? > > >> > > >> The only thing I can think of might be a Fiat 500 Abarth... > > >> > > >> ------------------------------ > > > -- > > > to be removed from alfa, see http://www.digest.net/bin/digest-subs.cgi > > > or email "unsubscribe alfa" to [email protected] -- to be removed from alfa, see http://www.digest.net/bin/digest-subs.cgi or email "unsubscribe alfa" to [email protected]
