2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Quadrifoglio is An Expensive Proposition

So the auto no only looks angry but still very butt ugly and spec wise, over priced. I really do not see the justification in the price to auto spec. 

My gut tells me this brand will be back dead or back to Europe only in 5 to 10 years at most. Wasted money trying to bring back a dead italian brand when they could have better invested it in the US name plates and worked to build a decent Fiat.

M3 drivers will trade their car in on these as they flee sedans for "active lifestyle" SUVs.  

6 minutes ago, smk4565 said:

M3 drivers will trade their car in on these as they flee sedans for "active lifestyle" SUVs.  

Not sure why they would go for Stelvios...BMW has had M versions of the X5 for years..an M version of the X3 is coming for '19 I've read..

40 minutes ago, Cubical-aka-Moltar said:

Not sure why they would go for Stelvios...BMW has had M versions of the X5 for years..an M version of the X3 is coming for '19 I've read..

Well yes, they may just get an X4 M, but sport sedan buyers will probably start buying these sport crossovers.  I personally will never buy a crossover.

Badge snobs will buy the Alfa CUV crap, but I really do not see them making profits from the Alfa line compared to the losses they have incured for neglecting the American brands and pushing crappy Fiat here.

35 minutes ago, dfelt said:

Badge snobs will buy the Alfa CUV crap, but I really do not see them making profits from the Alfa line compared to the losses they have incured for neglecting the American brands and pushing crappy Fiat here.

The more I look at the world outside of my work shop the more itrational it becomes.  This vehicle does not seem like part of a rational marketing philosophy.

1 hour ago, smk4565 said:

M3 drivers will trade their car in on these as they flee sedans for "active lifestyle" SUVs.  

maybe the one or two who got their M3 money from an on-the-job brain damage settlement but the rest will just get cayenne's like rational people...

2 hours ago, dfelt said:

Badge snobs will buy the Alfa CUV crap, but I really do not see them making profits from the Alfa line compared to the losses they have incured for neglecting the American brands and pushing crappy Fiat here.

Alfa probably makes more profit than Chrysler and Dodge.  Those are fleet sale brands that rely on huge discounts and only sell in North America.  Alfa for sure is more valuable if they just tried to sell the brand off to a highest bidder, Chrysler and Dodge are basically worthless, Alfa could fetch a several billion if they sold it.  Although I don't know why you would by this over a V8 GLC63, that will actually work and no break down all the time. 

Alfa has no badge snob appeal.

1 hour ago, balthazar said:

Alfa has no badge snob appeal.

But it does have that Italian flair, and it doesn't have as much baggage as say Lincoln or Cadillac.   Although regardless of how fast this thing goes round the Nurburgring, I'd buy a German SUV over this, because I know they are built well, and this thing is a big question mark of reliability and fit and finish.

Does Fiat also have this so-called "Italian flair'?

Rhetorical question; neither does.
Alfa has so much baggage in the US Market it had to LEAVE.

3 hours ago, smk4565 said:

Alfa probably makes more profit than Chrysler and Dodge.  Those are fleet sale brands that rely on huge discounts and only sell in North America.  Alfa for sure is more valuable if they just tried to sell the brand off to a highest bidder, Chrysler and Dodge are basically worthless, Alfa could fetch a several billion if they sold it.  Although I don't know why you would by this over a V8 GLC63, that will actually work and no break down all the time. 

Alfa is only worth Billions on the books from the Billions the IDIOT CEO stole from the American brands and pumped into a dead product that has only sold a few thousand world wide. Alfa sold 8904 cars in the World excluding the US and 1648 in the US.

Giving them a Generous 75K sales price per auto, that is only $791,400,000, so 3/4 of a Billion dollars and they have spent close to 10 Billion on the platforms and trying to bring Alfa back from the Grave. NO WAY the product is worth billions if they sold it off. Lucky if they could get a Billion.

Alfa a waste compared to what they should have done with reinvesting the billions back into better products for the US names plates then maybe try to bring Alfa back.

5 minutes ago, balthazar said:

Does Fiat also have this so-called "Italian flair'?

Rhetorical question; neither does.
Alfa has so much baggage in the US Market it had to LEAVE.

You are so CORRECT, Fiat and Alfa left dealership holding the bag with garbage product and warranty claims that never were paid. Engine swaps because the engines could not last even a few hundred miles before blowing up. Electrical problems that required using American OEM parts to have an auto work. American built Motors to replace the garbage Italian motors that could not last.

Families bought into building dealerships, selling product and honoring warranties and then when Fiat / Alfa realized they could not survive in the US walked away leaving hard working Americans holding the bag and worthless product that no one wanted to buy, dealerships that folded and destroyed families.

@smk4565 If you had any understanding of how bad FIAT / ALFA screwed over America in the past you would never make the statements you made. Learn the history before saying they have Italian Flair and more value than the US name plates.

As I said, I would never buy an Alfa, I wouldn't trust them unless they had 15 year bumper to bumper 150,000 mile warranty on it.  But it is a global brand, Dodge and Chrysler are not.  And Fiat had the money to buy Chrysler so Fiat is the one in charge, and really Sergio shouldn't spend 1 dollar on Dodge or Chrysler product, he should only spend it on Ram pickups and Jeeps because that is what makes profit.  Alfa and Maserati should make profit due to the price, but they have zero in sales, but his goal might just be to sell one or both of those brands for a quick cash grab.

3 hours ago, smk4565 said:

But it does have that Italian flair, and it doesn't have as much baggage as say Lincoln or Cadillac.   Although regardless of how fast this thing goes round the Nurburgring, I'd buy a German SUV over this, because I know they are built well, and this thing is a big question mark of reliability and fit and finish.

Hmmm...

Waiting for George Jetson to come pick up his car any time now..

This thing screams money pit...

7 hours ago, smk4565 said:

...should only spend it on Ram pickups and Jeeps because that is what makes profit.

Look at you!

I was also thinking Jeep should build a Wagoneer 3 row suv in the $35k range to compete with the Ascent, Atlas, Explorer, etc with Cherokee level interior and features.  Then they need a Grand Wagoneer that is in the $60k range to compete with Yukon and Land Cruiser.  

Sergio has also entered Alfa Romeo in Formula 1 this year, even though they will just lost to Mercedes just like Ferrari does, it does show Alfa is a global brand.

Alfa Romeo has been in F1, but it's been a while...most recently 30 years ago as an engine supplier, and 33 years ago as a constructor..  Will be nice to see the name back, even if it is unsuccessful...

On 2/17/2018 at 8:13 AM, smk4565 said:

I was also thinking Jeep should build a Wagoneer 3 row suv in the $35k range to compete with the Ascent, Atlas, Explorer, etc with Cherokee level interior and features.  Then they need a Grand Wagoneer that is in the $60k range to compete with Yukon and Land Cruiser.  

Supposedly a full size Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer are under development, based on the Ram and maybe in the SWB/LWB approach of the Tahoe/Suburban and Expeditions.     And a smaller 3 row based off the Cherokee is coming for China.   Not sure if will get anything like that here... 

FIAT itself is the money pit; Alfa Romeo is just a poor decision.  Then again, Sergio has clearly demonstrated that he basically hates Chrysler and Dodge, so if he siphons $$$$ for Alfa Romeo and FIAT great for him.  Bad for all others.

Will Chryco survive until 2021?  Place your over/under bets.

BTW: who would buy an Alfa Romeo at $80K and higher?  I would pick up a fully loaded XT5 and pocket the difference or at least get a CT6 and end up with a better luxury car.