Volume, Customer Satisfaction To Determine Alfa Allocation – Oh, And Service Bays

Derek Kreindler
by Derek Kreindler

Are you a Fiat dealer looking for an Alfa Romeo franchise? Well, better hope you’re doing solid volumes and are making your customers happy.

Automotive News caught up with Peter Grady, Chrysler’s VP of Network Development and Fleet, at the NADA conference in Orlando. Grady was candid about what it will take for Fiat stores to get an Alfa Romeo franchise, specifically, the upcoming 4C sports car that wll relaunch the brand in America

“The 4C is the first vehicle that comes at the end of this calendar year, and it’s going to go to the current Fiat dealers that are performing…So if you’re selling and you’re taking care of your customer, you’ll be first up for Alfa Romeo.”

One sticking point is the lack of service outlets at certain Fiat showrooms located in malls and other unconventional locations. Because, well…the joke about Alfas and service bays tend to write themselves, don’t they. Since the 4C will be the sole Alfa product until 2015, Chrysler will apparently give dealers a pass on building service centers right now, but they must be ready for the 2015 full-line roll out.

Derek Kreindler
Derek Kreindler

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  • Tjh8402 Tjh8402 on Feb 19, 2013

    We've got two Fiat dealerships in Orlando. One is at Greeneway, which is a massive dealership complex. They've got a Ford dealership and then across the access road, a CJD dealership. The Fiat "studio" is a stand alone building, but still clearly a part of the CJD section of the complex. Not sure where their service department is or if it shares facilities with the Chrysler dealer. The other is a part of the Fields Auto Group dealers. In Orlando, Fields also operates the Fisker, Mini, and BMW dealers. They have a CJD dealer, but its 15-20 miles away from the Fiat dealer. The CJD store is in Sandford, whereas the Fiat one is literally right in the hearth of downtown Orlando (used to be the Mini dealer ironically enough). Not sure if they do service at the downtown location as they definitely don't have much space there. I'd imagine at least one if not both of those dealers would get the Alfas. Either one would seem to be a good candidate.

  • Cargogh Cargogh on Feb 19, 2013

    I think the Fiat dealership in Louisville occupies the old Nissan dealership, which moved down the road. Should have plenty of room for sales and service.

  • Roadscholar Roadscholar on Feb 19, 2013

    Launching a brand in the U.S. with a $60K car....pure genius.

    • See 2 previous
    • Packard Packard on Feb 20, 2013

      This is a problem- they need to introduce more than one model. The planned rollout 4C at end of 2013 and second model in 2015 is too slow- they must plan to subsidize ALFA's US operations for more than a few years.

  • Cargogh Cargogh on Feb 19, 2013

    Would a Viper engine fit in the old 8C body?

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