Auto Motor und Sport – over half a million copies, an amazing website – is the most authoritative German automotive magazine, and one of the most acknowledged in World.
Its tests stand out for their professionalism and objectivity, the competences of the journalists and the thoroughness of the trials are the best guarantees for the reliability of the results.
The “safety section” of the magazine, developed with ADAC – the largest automobile club in Europe with 20 million members – “terrifies” the carmakers with the Euro NCAP tests; just to be informed: they are the ones who have “slaughtered” a Smart throwing it against a Mercedes S series… with devastating results (have a look on YouTube).
When Alfa Romeo was a brand desired by many customers, which commanded respect to competitors, and was in the forefront of technology and production capacity, Auto Motor und Sport compared the BMW 520i and the Alfetta 1.8, 2 cars of the medium-level-class that “are distinguished by high technical standard and associates comfort to good sportsmanship”.
Thanks to the Transaxle transmission – at these times assembled only on exceptional cars like Lancia Aurelia, Porsche 904, Ferrari 365 Daytona (and recently the Mercedes SLS AMG) – the grip of the Alfetta was legendary.
During this test the Alfetta excels in all the trials: performance, braking, acceleration, comfort and fuel consumption.
In July of 1973 on the Italian market, the price list of the Alfetta was 2.275.000 Lire (1.606 US$), whilst the BMW 520i was on sale at 3.700.000 Lire (2.613 US$).
The article closes with a seraphic comment: “the conclusion can only be one, when two good cars of the same class are presented with considerable price difference, it is certainly advisable to purchase the least expensive.”
Today a surprising result, but not in the seventies, when Alfa Romeo was the benchmark of many carmakers and was producing 200.000 cars a year, more than BMW with its production of 182.000.
Only a few years later the reality has changed dramatically: while BMW – thanks to a shrewd industrial and commercial policy – has registered 1.640.000 vehicles in 2013, the “new” Alfa Romeo survives performing the worst result since the sixties (!) with less than 100.000 sales, 21 times less than BMW.
How far away seems the times of Giuseppe Luraghi, and the ones of the great Alfa Romeo… even if it seems prehistory the statements of some managers from Turin, which only 3 years ago announced that, thanks to new models (MiTo 5 doors, Giulia, Sportwagon, Spider and 2 mid-size and large SUVs), the Alfa would have exceeded 500,000 sales in 2014.
Today – just to be precise – we are in 2014, but we do not have seen even the shadow of new business plans or investments, beside this the Historic Museum is likely to be dismantled.
Ah, yes, of course, there’s the new 4C which is manufactured every day in a couple of examples by the Maserati factory.
It wiIl take years to be ready with the right inventory for the US landing of Alfa forewarned with trumpets and drums many times.
How did it come to this situation?
Also AutomotiveNewsEurope in December submitted a report containing some realistic considerations which show that the last chance to save Alfa has come.
A few days ago the Alfa 4C was elected by 115,000 readers of Auto Motor und Sport “imported sports car of the year in Germany.”
An old Milanese proverb declaims: “piutost che nigot, l’è mej piutost” (rather than nothing, it is better rather).
Yeah, better than nothing, even if I don’t believe that only a new endorsement coming from Auto Motor und Sport will be enough to defeat BMW.
The problem in this is we want to compare two things with eatch other but that is not possible. Comparing Alfa with BMW is like comparing Monica Belucci with Heidi Klum. You can’t compare Alfa Romeo to an other car. Time will tell if Alfa is on his way back to sell great cars
Never care to much about BMW`s. Good cars, but if asked which one of this is my favorite, I will say, give me the Alfa. I would like to see this brand reborn. I`ve had the privilege to go to Milan for their 100 Years anniversary , and see all the models. My friend`s car was one of the 3,000 cars that took part in that parade.
@ Edwin, @ Nick, greetings and thank you for your contribution!
As far as I can see, YOU both are reallly Alfa Romeo fans.
Great!
Yes, I agree with you Edwin: only time will tell if Alfa will be back to produce and sell great cars.
Unfortunately for now, in recent years, rather than facts, I feel just talk and never see action.
Nick I attended like you – with the friends of the Alfa Club Milano – the event organized for the 100 years of Alfa in Milano. A great day, a great anniversary… but you should know that all the event has been organized by fans, clubs, associations, italians and international.
It’s incredible to know that during this stunning anniversary nothing has come from the Alfa Romeo HQ neither from its managers!