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Alfa Romeo becomes Dodge? Controversy outrages fans of classic Italian car
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Alfa Romeos are going to be re-badged as Dodges for the U.S. Will Alfa Romeo's MiTo look like this with a Dodge grill?
It sounds too bizaare to be true but Alfa Romeos are about to become Dodges, igniting a controversy that's outraged car fans worldwide. The car above is Alfa Romeo's MiTo. It was named for the two cities associated with Alfa Romeo: Milan and Torino. Now that it will be a Dodge (from Detroit), will it be renamed the Dodge DeMiTo?
Fiat chairman Marchionne told Autocar "Dodge is the American muscle car, while Alfa Romeo is the European muscle car. How we dovetail these two brands is very important. The level of competition between these two brands is tremendous because they are both going after the same customer.” He continued. So he's implying not only that Alfa Romeos will be re-branded as Dodges, but that Dodges will be re-branded as Alfa Romeos for export.
"Stop in the name of love!" The Supremes sang, a sentiment that sums up the outraged reaction of sports car buffs worldwide as they gasp in breathless astonishment at Marchionne's wrong-headed move. Dodge and Alfa Romeo are not "going after the same customer" as Marchionne alleges. Far from it.
Signore Marchionne, here is a primer to help you understand why debasing legendary Alfa Romeos by re-badging them as Dodges is a very bad idea.
ALFA ROMEO
- IMAGE: Chic, legendary brand with classic car history, lusty Italian style and flair.
- HISTORY: You can't manufacture or buy invaluable cachet like Alfa Romeo has. Its legacy of historic European sports/racing cars puts Alfa amongst the all-time greats of motoring. This is a brand with such legendary status, to badge it as a Dodge seems doomed to fail.
- LEGENDARY CARS: include the classic Spider, Giulietta, Zagato specials galore, and limited production classics like the 1938 Alfa Romeo 8C 2900B Touring Berlinetta that won Pebble Beach Concours last year.
- MEDIA FAME: Starred in The Graduate, one of American cinemas' most beloved classics, Dustin Hoffman drove an Alfa Romeo Spider, later renamed in honor of its starring role.
DODGE
- IMAGE: Everyday family car, minvans, mediocre mid-sizers and, oh yeah, the new Challenger evokes greatness of muscle cars past. But muscle car fans are not sports car fans. And the Challenger does not re-define Dodge's blah image in American consumer's minds. Dodge's Viper is a mighty supercar but has little spillover effect on the brand's image.
- HISTORY: No current legacy with consumers to speak of beyond mediocre people movers with no pretensions of grandeur and, oh yeah, the new Challenger.
- LEGENDARY CARS: Oh yeah, the Challenger, but most Americans think of Dodges as minivans, Neons and unlamented nameplates like the Diplomat, Avenger, Colt, Stratus, and Stealth.
- MEDIA FAME: 1969 Dodge Charger R/T starred as the "General Lee" in the 1979-85 Dukes of Hazard TV show and the movie remake of it that no one saw.
- Please Signore Marchionne, reconsider your crazy plan. Alfa Romeo is a chic brand with massive cachet that buyers will pay extra for. Dodge has some lingering echo of fame as a maker of muscle cars but muscle car fans are not Italian sports car fans and will not understand Alfa Romeos posing as Dodges, while those who would have paid extra to have the historic Alfa nameplate on their car will turn their noses up at this disastourous re-branding.
For more info: Please check the slide show below and:
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