Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Chrysler, Dodge, Alfa Romeo, Fiat
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As a reporter covering an auto show, the one opportunity you never want to miss is going to the Sergio Marchionne press briefing.
“This undertaking to bring Alfa back is a one-shot deal… We are not going to do this twice.”
There just aren’t that many real characters left in the auto industry. Marchionne, who sits atop both Chrysler and Fiat, is not only one of the smartest execs in the business, but also the most frank. Herein, a sample of the quotable always-sweatered executive:
A controversial remark on the return of Alfa Romeo to the United States:
“This undertaking to bring Alfa back is a one-shot deal… We are not going to do this twice… Alfas must have ‘wop’ engines… and we don’t have the powertrains worked out just yet.. we won’t put any Chrysler engines in Alfas, or Maseratis.”
The production Alfa Romeo 4C sports car, which may be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in March, is not ready for a US launch, Marchionne said earlier this week at the Detroit Auto Show. But then, on January 18 at the INforum breakfast in Detroit, Marchionne reportedly reversed course and said the 4C will be ready for US dealers by the end of this year. Given how many delays have been suffered in Alfa’s return plans, we’ll file this under “wait and see.”
Marchionne on Alfa’s US return, Dodge Dart’s powertrain weakness and minivan plans
Marchionne on Alfa’s US return, Dodge Dart’s powertrain weakness and minivan plans originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Jan 2013 19:01:00 EST.
