Alfiata?

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120523/AUTO0101/205230371/1121/auto/Fiat-announces-alliance-Mazda

Fiat SpA — the parent company of Chrysler Group LLC — today announced a new alliance with Mazda Motor Corp. The two companies signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding to jointly develop and manufacture two new rear-wheel-drive roadsters based on Mazda’s next-generation MX-5 platform: a new Miata and an as yet unnamed Alfa Romeo. The cars will be produced at Mazda’s factory in Hiroshima, beginning in 2015. Japan’s fifth-largest automaker has struggled since Ford Motor Co. sold most of its stake in the company during the recent recession, and industry insiders say it is desperately needs a new partner if it is to survive. “Establishing technology and product development alliances is one of Mazda’s corporate objectives, and this announcement with Fiat is an important first step in that direction,” said Mazda Chairman and CEO Takashi Yamanouchi in a statement Wednesday. “It is especially exciting to be collaborating with such a prestigious marque as Alfa Romeo.” The two companies said they are also discussing further “opportunities for collaboration in Europe.” Fiat, which took over a bankrupt Chrysler in 2009 as part of a bailout agreement brokered by the Obama administration, says it needs a third leg to its stool in order to be a real player in the global auto business. “Asia is the weakest part of our stool,” Fiat-Chrysler Chairman and CEO Sergio Marchionne told reporters during a recent press conference. “By partnering with Mazda, we will be cooperating with the recognized leader in compact rear-drive vehicle architectures in order to deliver an exciting and stylish roadster in the Alfa Romeo tradition,” Marchionne said in a statement Wednesday. “We are appreciative of this collaboration with Mazda and look forward to maintaining a fruitful and continuous relationship.” Shares in Mazda jumped Wednesday after news of the possible tie-up with Fiat was first reported Japanese broadcaster NHK. Mazda has lost money for four straight years. Because it builds most of its cars in Japan and exports most of them, it has been hurt by the strong yen. A final agreement between Fiat and Mazda is expected to be signed in the second half of the year. Marchionne, who says he needs to sell 600,000 vehicles annually to be a true global contender, paid nothing for Chrysler and has said he was not particularly interested in purchasing a third partner outright. NHK reported that the alliance with Mazda was unlikely to involve an exchange of funds. From The Detroit News: http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120523/AUTO0101/205230371#ixzz1vgt8U4pO

CGLockRacer wrote: “Asia is the weakest part of our stool,” Fiat-Chrysler Chairman and CEO Sergio Marchionne told reporters during a recent press conference.

The weakest part of my stool still smells to high heaven.

oh, the irony. On many levels.

Not sure how I feel about this. I hope Mazda gets a designer.

Not sure how to feel about this.

I wonder how the Japanese employees will like working with the Italians?

Woohoo. I think it means we will a rear wheel drive car that handles well and looks. Providing Alfa comes back to the states. Although I hope they use an Alfa motor.

I'm imagining a Mazda MX-5 with sexy Italian bodywork and gorgeous polished stainless intake runners under the hood. Me likey.

93EXCivic wrote: Woohoo. I think it means we will a rear wheel drive car that handles well and looks. Providing Alfa comes back to the states. Although I hope they use an Alfa motor.

Word from the club is that they are two years out.
Just like they were for every year since they left in 1995.

(I don't count the 8C's as anything significant, since there were only a few hundred to some very specific Ferrari customers)

alfadriver wrote:

93EXCivic wrote: Woohoo. I think it means we will a rear wheel drive car that handles well and looks. Providing Alfa comes back to the states. Although I hope they use an Alfa motor.

Word from the club is that they are two years out. Just like they were for every year since they left in 1995.

Yeah I know. But a man can dream can't he?

Jeremy Clarkson: 'Alfa builds a car that's as good as a car can be... briefly.'

I hope this means that Alfa sees that Mazda has figured out the roadster recipe and rather than try to figure out the formula, just get Mazda to bake one up for them too.
The irony being that Mazda once aspired to be a competitor of Italian roadsters and maybe now the student has become the teacher!

I somehow envision the Alfa/Miata with the steering wheel farther from the driver but the pedals closer to the driver.

I suppose this means the 4C won't make it to production.

Sad m4ff3w.

“Asia is the weakest part of our stool,” Fiat-Chrysler Chairman and CEO Sergio Marchionne.

Asian food gives me a weak stool too

I suppose this means the 4C won't make it to production

This plus one other thing makes me ponder....

First of all, Alfa did have not only a RWD platform that they've shown as a Duetto kind of car for a few years, they also had the mid engine platform for the 4C. So this merger implies that either this was total BS or that Alfa had no idea how to make a 2 seat car that can make any money- whether it be as an advertisment for all of the other cars or one that can even sustain on it's own. Hmmm...

Second, this idea that Mazda is going to jump their production in a manner that is signficant is is odd. In an AW article, it says that Mazda makes 1.3M cars annually. And I've seen that there are about 20k Miata's made annually for the world market. Call the platform 30k including the now dead RX. Now Alfa wants to make another sports car, and if it's going to be what it should be, it will be in the $30-40k market, maybe even low $40k's. Which implies about 10k more cars a year. So how is 10k cars significant to 1.3M? Increasing potential by >1.0% is going to save the company? Really?

On the flip side of my questioning- IF this works out, I would think that Alfa would be able to replace the GM/Fiat RWD platform with the one from Mazda, and IF the do what they did back in the 50's-early 70's, then there is a good chance that something significant can come from this. Both the Giulietta and the Giulia cars were all basically the same car from the 2 seat Spiders to the 4 door Ti/Berlinas. With the right engineering, it's not a stretch at all to dream of a short 2 seat, 2 door Spider; a mid-length 4 seat, 2 door GTV; and a longer 4 door, 4 seat sedan Ti. All with very different looking bodies, but virtually the same underneath except for details making the car longer. May have to widen the platform to make it work, but the concept is quite valid, and should work as a shared platform across multiple cars.

One other note- Alfas have never been low priced cars. Even when the Miata was introduced, the ancient Spider sold for something like $5-10k more. My GTV was just under a new 'vette price in '73. If they put the car price in the Audi range, and can pump out 100k/plant, then Alfa is back in the game for real.

Just not sure what engine they would use- the TS motor is more Fiat, and the V6 was looked at for replacement by many global V6's about a decade ago..... Still- it's still possible.

I see nothing but good coming from this.

Anything that can keep Mazda above water making their great cars is a win as far as I'm concerned.

I break out in sweats thinking about a Miata chasis and suspension with Alfa styling and a sweet quad-cam V6 under the hood....

In reply to kreb:

KL-ZE swap into an NA and hang a triangle on the nose?

Sounds good to me. Mazda is the only Japanese manufacturer that has any kind of soul. If they can keep the reliability and affordability, but gain some Italian style and dynamics that'd be great.