Alfa Romeo Drops Manual Option for Giulia Quadrifoglio :Comments

[William Maley]

It seems whenever we write a news story about Alfa Romeo, it usually is for bad news. This is no different.

Road & Track has learned from various journalists who attended the U.S. launch of the Giulia that there were no manual vehicles available. An odd omission since the U.S. was the only market going to get a manual transmission for Giulia Quadrifoglio and this transmission was available for those attending the European launch. Road & Track reached out to a Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' spokesperson to ask what is going on. The answer is that Alfa Romeo has decided against offering the manual for the U.S. market.

The spokesperson explained the decision came down to the U.S.' general lack of interest for manual transmission vehicles. A bit of odd turn of events considering that all of major U.S. auto shows that Alfa Romeo has appeared at featured Giulias equipped with a manual transmission. It should be noted that two key competitors of the Giulia Quadrifoglo - BMW M3 and Cadillac ATS-V do offer a manual transmission.

Source: Road & Track

 

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[A Horse With No Name]

Given how few manuals are being sold, this is actually a sane business decision. Everyone from Acura to Ferrari seems to be dropping them.

Last time i was at a major Chevrolet dealership they had one manual Corvette on the lot and everything else was automatic.

[Frisky Dingo]

Lame. Wouldn't have bought one in the first place.

[G. David Felt]

Business sense makes sense, today's DCT's are superior to a manual. No need for the manual any longer. I am actually suprised they would invest even for the Euro market since the updated emissions, yes blame VW is making the traditional Manual a history note.

[A Horse With No Name]

1 hour ago, Frisky Dingo said:

Lame. Wouldn't have bought one in the first place.

Given their sales figures, one could fit all of the future owners of these in North America in a high school football locker room. 

...and it wouldn't even have to be a large locker room at that....

[regfootball]

i love sticks but if i ever get another one, it will be because its a second or third play car

strangely though, i think they could have had a niche here.

[A Horse With No Name]

22 hours ago, regfootball said:

i love sticks but if i ever get another one, it will be because its a second or third play car

strangely though, i think they could have had a niche here.

They sell in such micro numbers this niche would be about these of a bridge game.

[regfootball]

Fiat Alpha needs any buyer they can get LOL

[smk4565]

No one buys manuals, I agree with what everyone else has said.  What Alfa needs is to actually get this car on sale, they have been talking about it for 3-4 years like it is going on sale next month. 

[A Horse With No Name]

21 hours ago, regfootball said:

Fiat Alpha needs any buyer they can get LOL

They have Jeep and Ram doing well, Fiat is in the toilet and other than two retro muscle cars the whole group is not really selling passenger cars in the USA.

Nor will they probably be doing so in any volume in the future.