REPORT: Dodges to be rebranded as Alfa Romeos in Europe
With the ink still wet on the Fiat/Chrysler deal, many auto sites (including Autoblog) have had a bit of fun prognosticating which Fiat/Alfa models would be rebadged as Chrysler products. U.K. site Autocar is reporting that Fiat is exploring bringing in Dodge models to Europe to be rebadged at Alfa Romeos. CEO Sergio Marchionne is said to be considering the move, saying that the two brands share the same core identity.
Autocar quotes Marchionne as saying that Dodge is the muscle car of the U.S. while Alfa is the muscle car of Europe, the latter being an interesting bit of positioning that we Statesiders don't normally associate with the brand. If the right Dodge-branded products were to make their way to Europe, the theory is that the Auburn Hills marque could actually bolster the products already offered by Alfa. The problem is, though, that there are few (if any) Dodge models that could reasonably be expected to perform well in Europe. The only models that are likely to be of interest are the Charger, Viper and Challenger, and the there is a chance that the Viper could soon find itself outside of the Chrysler portfolio altogether. The Charger and Challenger are likely too big for Europe as well, and would probably only sell in small numbers.
Marchionne also tells Autocar that the Chrysler group is still losing money, but the rate has slowed due to production and labor cuts.
[Source: Autocar]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 4)
RamblinReck89 7:04PM (7/02/2009)
You don't spend much time on your photoshops, do you?
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MKIV 7:23PM (7/02/2009)
Don't know if I should laugh or cry.
RamblinReck89 9:37PM (7/02/2009)
Hahaha
ChaoZ 7:09PM (7/02/2009)
The two do kinda jive in the build-quality and reliability ratings, don't they?
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zamafir 7:12PM (7/02/2009)
sure but not in looks or design, this is a horrid idea, it'll be fun to see alfa's sales fall as a result.
Kitko 2:46AM (7/03/2009)
Well, back in the 80s, Nissan and Alfa got together but they got it wrong by using Italian mechanics and Japanese design....
With this, either way is nothing to write home about.
BTW, traveling in Europe these days, I sat in the Fiat 500 yesterday, I'm 1.85 (6.1) and since the base model doesn't have hight adjustable seat, my eye level was higher then the top of the door rim.... I had to duck to see what's going on on my left-hand-side... terrible.
abbas350 7:12PM (7/02/2009)
what is that classy italian supercar?
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jon 7:15PM (7/02/2009)
lmao
MKIV 7:24PM (7/02/2009)
They already messed up the logo placement. It's off to the right too much....
g00fba11 10:06PM (7/02/2009)
I was going to laugh at this, BUT then I remember 1st gen. Viper getting a bit of Lambo's "engineering", so...in a perverted kind of way, what goes around, comes around.
empoor 7:12PM (7/02/2009)
Awful idea! Alfa purists will be angry as hell over this. I'm not sure how they're even going to do this, with Alfa's pallet of models already pretty full over here (in Europe).
Also, Alfa Romeo is not the muscle car brand of Europe. Who told you that?
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Jim 8:00PM (7/02/2009)
"Also, Alfa Romeo is not the muscle car brand of Europe. Who told you that?"
Uh, Sergio Marchionne? The guy who runs Alfa Romeo?
ij70 8:03PM (7/02/2009)
Lol. Viper is not a muscle car.
Jim 8:07PM (7/02/2009)
"Lol. Viper is not a muscle car."
well, it's too big to be a sports car, it's not really a GT car either. It's a rough, mostly unrefined car with too much engine for the chassis. Pretty much fits the definition of "muscle car" to me.
Jim 8:11PM (7/02/2009)
Oh, and pushrods
(lulz)
click_playaz 8:13PM (7/02/2009)
Viper is a supercar tier 2. Stop fooling around. You don't even read brochure.
Swede 8:58PM (7/02/2009)
An Alfa-Romeo is not a muscle car, it's a car with reasonable power but the emphasis lies on handling.
ij70 9:32PM (7/02/2009)
Jim, you disappoint me. I could spend a long time arguing with you, but I have a better idea. Jim, look up what cars Viper compete against.
Jim 10:39PM (7/02/2009)
"Jim, you disappoint me."
And yet, I'll still sleep just fine tonight.
zamafir 11:05PM (7/02/2009)
"An Alfa-Romeo is not a muscle car, it's a car with reasonable power but the emphasis lies on handling."
Nope, the emphasis, as topgear has debunked time and time again, lies solely on the look and badge perception, once u get past 'it's an alfa' it's not that great.