Alfa Romeo makes America dream

Published: 2008 - April/May

Alfa Romeo shows its forms…and muscles…in the USA. Smoothing the way for its return on the American market, after an absence of 15 years, with the distribution of the seducing and aggressive “8C Competizione”. Through introduction of this dream’s car, certainly not for all pockets, the prestigious Italian car builder enters, at the same time, in the super-car segment. A particularly lively niche in the United States. Eighty are the two-seaters, on a total production of 500 units, which have been allocated for sale in the USA.
 “8C Competizione” is the business card by whihc the Trademark gets ready to land in America by 2010. In fact, by that date the builder has scheduled the launching of new models, which will be unveiled already during 2009. One of the automobiles assigned to the United States market will be the new version of the “Spider”, states the house of the “biscione”.
The lines and contours distinguishing the future models by Alfa Romeo are already perceptible in the styling features of the “8C Competizione”. Her sinuous curves echo the past myths of the Italian car builder, when it was known especially for the many sporting successes like, for example, the “Giulia TZ2” or the “33 Stradale”. The same 8C initial, distinguished the competition and road cars fitted with a powerful 8 cylinders engine back in the thirties and forties of the past century and designed by the famous engineer Vittorio Jano; The term “Competizione”, represents instead, a homage to the “6C 2500 Competizione” car, sporty coupé driven in 1950 by the duo Zanardi-Fangio at the Mille Miglia. 
To the sporty look, the builder will combine, at the same time, the luxury and class of the beautiful Italian automobile. And the 8C can, already as of now, be easily compared, without any inferiority complexes and with the same charisma, to a Ferrari or Maserati. In addition to its captivating aesthetic, the 8C demands respect also for what is under its hood: this bolide, fitted with an unprecedented 90° V8 engine and 4700 cc, has been designed with the objective of guaranteeing maximum performances without giving-up  smoothness of the drive and accessibility to any situation, from the straight-road to the driving in traffic; the engine performances are summed up in a maximum power of 450 hp, with 7000 rpm and a maximum torque of 470Nm at 4750 rpm (maximum regime 7500 rpm).
Most of the eighty units of the “8C Competizione” brought to the USA have already been booked or sold and are already zooming-by on the super-highways of the continent. Those still available can be instead admired, with an unprecedented combination of superb technology and sublime beauty, in the showcase-windows of the Ferrari and Maserati dealers.
In spite of the fact that Alfa Romeo was not present at the last Auto Show of Detroit with its own stand, manager Luca De Meo – to whom the CEO of FIAT, Sergio Marchionne has entrusted the relaunching of Alfa Romeo – is already planning the first investments, strategies and structures of the business network for the distribution Overseas.
A challenge which will depend on solid bases, and not on chances and gambles. The glorious past of Alfa Romeo and appreciation that the Trademark earns among the American aficionados and Italian emigrants, who will not fail to reward the style and technology of the Bel Paese, are assets that the house of the “biscione” intends to exploit.