Maserati, Alfa Romeo, and Abarth to Merge into Single Brand Group

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To help quell Alfa Romeo's losses and lower development costs, Fiat will merge three of its sportiest brands -- Abarth, Alfa Romeo, and Maserati -- into one single brand group.

Fiat believes it can identify possible synergies between the three marques, and, as a result, help lower production and development costs for new products. As of now, Alfa Romeo and Maserati only share one platform, which underpins both the Alfa Romeo 8C Competitzione and Maserati Gran Turismo. Abarth and Alfa, however, both make use of Fiat's SCCS platform -- it underpins both the Punto Abarth and MiTo, respectively.

If anything, the move may help Alfa Romeo stem its perpetual fiscal losses. According to sources, the brand has lost between €200 and €400 million ($281 and $566 million) a year for the last ten years. Fiat is reportedly considering two options for the brand: either freezing investment in new models (which could lead to a slow demise for Alfa), or using Chrysler platforms to create replacements for the aging 159 and 166 models. A strategic review is due to be completed by mid-April.

It seems Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has some hope for the brand under the merger, however, as he speaks highly of the man charged with leading the group -- Harald Wester.

"Wester, who has demonstrated his enormous commitment on several fronts and achieved optimum results, will bring strong leadership capabilities and solid technical experience and know-how to this project," Marchionne said in a statement.

Wester was previously the CEO of Maserati and Abarth, and the chief technical officer at Fiat Group. Alfa Romeo's current CEO, Sergio Cravero, is now the head of product concept and portfolio planning at Fiat Group Automobiles.

Source: Automotive News

[Doug Gould]

This has just been posted on the Montreal forum

Salve!

An open letter to all alfisti and non alfisti!

I received today a very important letter from the President of Alfa Blue Team - Gippo Salvetti.
He appeals to every alfista to respond his request to give an answer if you accept the spirit
of the letter which shall be sent to the milanese newspaper Corriere della Sera next monday
25 January 2010.

If you accept the letter and want to take part send immediately your answer:

"SI CONDIVIDO, FIRST NAME SECOND NAME, CITY, COUNTRY"

to salvetti@enniosei.it

Nothing else!
But do it immediately and send this message to other alfisti and ask him/her to do the same!

Viva Alfa Romeo!
Timo Jaatinen, Helsinki
Console Onorario Alfa Balue Team

Letter:

Lettera aperta al Corriere della Sera.

Milano 25 Gennaio 2010.

" L'Alfa non è una semplice fabbrica di automobili. Le sue auto sono qualcosa di più che automobili costruite in maniera convenzionale. E' una specie di malattia, l'entusiasmo per un mezzo di trasporto. E' un modo di vivere, un modo tutto particolare di concepire un veicolo a motore. Qualcosa che resiste alle definizioni.

I suoi elementi sono come quei tratti irrazionali dello spirito umano che non possono essere spiegati con una terminologia logica. Si tratta di sensazioni, di passione, tutte cose che hanno a che fare più con il cuore che con il cervello".

Cosi, nel 1970, si esprimeva l'Ing. Orazio Satta, Responsabile della Progettazione Alfa Romeo negli anni della Presidenza di Giuseppe Luraghi.

Gli anni, per intenderci, della costruzione dello stabilimento di Arese e dei bilanci in utile; gli anni della Giulietta, della Giulia, della 1750 e delle mitiche Spider e GT.

In questa riflessione si trova la migliore risposta alle recenti "esternazioni" del Dr. Marchionne, ultimo Responsabile del Gruppo Fiat, continuatore di una linea di pensiero espressa dall'Avvocato Agnelli al momento dell'acquisizione dell'Alfa:

"Ci siamo annessi una provincia debole".

Fiat e Alfa hanno due modi di concepire l'automobile del tutto incompatibili:

Ecco perché, fin dal momento della sua "conquista" da parte di Fiat l'Alfa Romeo è stata umiliata e oggi viene ridotta al ruolo di "stampella" per raggiungere volumi adeguati di produzione (cfr articolo Corsera di Tedeschini del 19 scorso).

Ecco perché oggi ci associamo all'invito a vendere l'Alfa Romeo rivolto alla Fiat da M. Mucchetti sulle pagine del Corriere della Sera del 17 scorso.

Dr. Marchionne, venda l'Alfa Romeo! Non si renda responsabile della distruzione di un mito che il 24 Giugno 2010 farà muovere verso Milano migliaia di appassionati da tutto il mondo per celebrare il centenario dell'Alfa, che la Fiat vuole dimenticare.

Dr. Marchionne, venda l'Alfa Romeo, perché non è, come lei afferma, "un bambino da cullare" ma una Storia gloriosa da recuperare e proiettare nel futuro con la passione di Orazio Satta.

Dr. Marchionne, venda l'Alfa Romeo, perché anche le imprese hanno un DNA e quello dell'Alfa è incompatibile con Fiat.

Dr. Marchionne, venda l'Alfa Romeo e tutti noi appassionati Le saremo grati..e forse compreremo una 500 come seconda macchina.

f.to

Un folto gruppo di Alfisti e non.

Translation notes:

As I understood it, it's asking Marchionne to not sell or dissolve Alfa Romeo, but rather to keep it and get the marque back to its former glory when Satta and Busso ran engineering. Some of the Italian language idiosyncracies aren't easily to translated, but the general consensus is that Marchionne is committing a mistake and that he shouldn't have been put in charge to begin with.

If you paste Gippo Salvetti's letter into an online translator, it comes out quite understandable.

http://babelfish.yahoo.com
http://translate.google.com


Doug

[redalfaracing]

This is what google translation gave me. kinda makes sense.





Open letter to Corriere della Sera.

Milan 25 January 2010.

"The Alfa is not just a car factory. Its cars are something more than automobiles built in a conventional manner. It 'a kind of disease, the enthusiasm for a means of transportation. It' a way of life, a particular way of conceiving of a motor vehicle. Something that defies definition.

Its elements are like those irrational traits of the human spirit that can not be explained by logic. These are feelings, passion, all things that have to do more with my heart and the brain. "

Thus, in 1970, expressed Ing. Orazio Satta, Head of Design Alfa Romeo in the years of the Presidency of Joseph Luraghi.

Years, so to speak, the construction of the plant in Arese and budgets useful; the years of the Giulietta, the Giulia, 1750 and the legendary Spider and GT.

In this reflection is the best response to the recent "external" Dr. Marchionne, Fiat Group's last manager, who continued a line of thought expressed by the lawyer Agnelli upon the acquisition of the ALF:

"We have attached a province weak."

Fiat and Alfa have two ways of conceiving the car totally incompatible:

That is why, from the moment of his "conquest" by Fiat, Alfa Romeo has been humbled and is now reduced to the role of "crutch" to achieve adequate levels of production (cf. article they ran Tedeschini of 19 last year).

That's why today we join the call to sell Alfa Romeo to Fiat directed by M. Mucchetti the pages of Corriere della Sera of 17 last year.

Dr. Marchionne, sell Alfa Romeo! Is not responsible for the destruction of a myth June 24, 2010 will move to Milan, thousands of fans from around the world to celebrate the centenary of the ALF, that Fiat wants to forget.

Dr. Marchionne, sell Alfa Romeo, why not, as you say, "a child from cradle" but a glorious history to recover and projecting into the future with passion by Orazio Satta.

Dr. Marchionne, sell Alfa Romeo, because even businesses have a DNA and that the ALF is incompatible with Fiat.

Dr. Marchionne, Alfa Romeo and sells all of us fans .. We appreciate and perhaps buy a 500 as a second car.

f.to

A large group of Alfisti or not.