[everso]

http://www.worldcarfans.com/9071004.009/alfa-romeo-ponders-duetto-revival

 

[Aghevli]

Its a rumor at this point.

Fiat discontinued the 105 chassis in 1993 because it was too expensive. The Duetto was built on that platform. I'd be interested to see what kind of underpinnings Fiat would use to create a new Duetto today.

The grill of this car reminds me more of an SS than a Duetto. Still very Alfa. I like this a lot but I don't see how Alfa would make this when they have the Brera already.

Perhaps this idea would work well as a replacement once the Brera has run its production course?

 

[everso]

well, actually, the Duetto has nothing to do with the production of the Brera. The Brera is a large grand touring roadster....the Duetto would be a small, 2-seat, low slung roadster.
....
I wouldn't be surprised if they try to make this on the same chassis the Punto/"Junior" is gonna be made on.....

 

[ossodiseppia]

I cannot see anything remotely familiar.

 

[turbolarespider]

I cannot see anything remotely familiar.

IMHO, you shouldn't.

The Giulia/Giulietta didn't look like a 6C (and was panned in Automotive Quarterly for it).

The Duetto didn't look like a Giulia/Giulietta.

I would expect something interesting looking, that looks like an Alfa, but not neccessarily the Duetto, or any further Spider.

Alfa has consistently been ahead of the curve WRT design. I was kind of dismayed by the recent return to the past, but now I kind of see that as re-rooting their design.

Eric

 

[JohnnyQuest]

Hmmmm.....

Every previous article and even the official Alfa web page says the US return will be via the C8, the Brera, the Spider, and the 159 and/or 169. Now it seems that they want to bring back a small light-weight Convertible as well? I think they are now in the let's-drink-a-lot-of-Chianti-lay-in-the-grass-gaze-at-the-clouds-and-dream stage.

And when is this going to happen? BMW has officially announced their 1 series. These cars will be light weight, RWD, and go like stink. They will eat everything in their path. The base coupe (128) will have 230 bhp. The 135 will have the 300 bhp twin turbo which is possibly the best engine ever designed. That engine in a small nimble car will be simply amazing. These cars will be here in 6 months and be priced between $29 - $35. A Z2 variant will likely follow soon afterwards.

IF Alfa ever gets up off that grass patch and starts the design process, they may have the new cars ready to compete with the BMW 1 series that will then be 5 years old and ready to replaced with cars even more fantastic.

I've lost all hope that Alfa will ever come back here with any of the cars that we want and could afford......

Sorry for this unenthuiastic post....... I'm back to the yeah-yeah-I'll-believe-it-when-I-see-it phase.

 

[everso]

And when is this going to happen? BMW has officially announced their 1 series. These cars will be light weight, RWD, and go like stink. They will eat everything in their path. The base coupe (128) will have 230 bhp. The 135 will have the 300 bhp twin turbo which is possibly the best engine ever designed. That engine in a small nimble car will be simply amazing. These cars will be here in 6 months and be priced between $29 - $35. A Z2 variant will likely follow soon afterwards.

IF Alfa ever gets up off that grass patch and starts the design process, they may have the new cars ready to compete with the BMW 1 series that will then be 5 years old and ready to replaced with cars even more fantastic.

I've lost all hope that Alfa will ever come back here with any of the cars that we want and could afford......

Sorry for this unenthuiastic post....... I'm back to the yeah-yeah-I'll-believe-it-when-I-see-it phase.

and what on earth makes you think the 1-series is gonna be "lightweight"?

it's NOT. actually the 135i is goint to weight only 100-200 pounds less than the porky 3-series. The 135i is a great car, with originality---but it's a heavy s.o.b. We don't need Alfa to make BMW-clones...we need Alfa to carry their own identity, which they are doing quite well i may add. Alfa sales are climbing steadily throughout Europe...

Alfa is suprisingly in good shape to come back...if you read the "US return dates" topic, i've read the official Fiat corporate presentations to find out that they ARE returning in the 3rd quarter of 2009 (according to those presentations)....

 

[silverspider]

Try 3,400 lbs. About as much as my father's 1978 Pontiac Bonneville.

 

[lowmileage]

I think they are now in the let's-drink-a-lot-of-Chianti-lay-in-the-grass-gaze-at-the-clouds-and-dream stage.

Sorry for this unenthuiastic post....... I'm back to the yeah-yeah-I'll-believe-it-when-I-see-it phase.

If this is a pick (A) or (B) type question - I'll pick the former

 

[JohnnyQuest]

and what on earth makes you think the 1-series is gonna be "lightweight"?

it's NOT. actually the 135i is goint to weight only 100-200 pounds less than the porky 3-series. The 135i is a great car, with originality---but it's a heavy s.o.b. We don't need Alfa to make BMW-clones...we need Alfa to carry their own identity, which they are doing quite well i may add. Alfa sales are climbing steadily throughout Europe.......

I stand corrected on the weight. I'm shocked. I really thought it would be in the 2,800 - 2,900 range. I looked it up; and you are right.

However, it does no good for Alfa to sit around and dream. Talking about the cars they'd like to have just makes people yawn since thay have a lot of credibility problems at this point. The 1 series is going to be the marketing success of the last 25 years regardless of them being way too heavy (unfortunately). The competition just got a lot tougher and Alfa STILL is not here. Their web page still says they will be here in 2007 with a new range of cars. I wonder if they will change that before the end of 2007. Perhaps they just left off the last part of that sentence: "...in our dreams."

Thanks for the correction. I want Alfa to come back as bad as you do. I'm just sick of hearing them talk about it. I want to see results.

 

[beatle_bayly]

What we know as the Duetto wasn't officually designated as such. The Italians call most of the 105 derived spiders Duetto's and maybe even extend that nomenclature to the later FWD spiders as well.

Do Italians refer to 101/750 Spiders as Duettos ?

AFAIK only one later US market model of the 105/115 Spider ever had a DUETTO badge attached.

If the rumour comes to fruition and this new car is actually given the official name of Duetto....then it would, technically, be the first Alfa spider given the model name.

 

[everso]

What we know as the Duetto wasn't officually designated as such. The Italians call most of the 105 derived spiders Duetto's and maybe even extend that nomenclature to the later FWD spiders as well.

Do Italians refer to 101/750 Spiders as Duettos ?

AFAIK only one later US market model of the 105/115 Spider ever had a DUETTO badge attached.

If the rumour comes to fruition and this new car is actually given the official name of Duetto....then it would, technically, be the first Alfa spider given the model name.

wasn't the history that the car was supposed to be called "Duetto" until there was a problem with another company using the name for something? that was when they changed the name. It's possible that the problem with the name doesn't exist any more....leading to these rumours of a new "duetto".

 

[everso]

I stand corrected on the weight. I'm shocked. I really thought it would be in the 2,800 - 2,900 range. I looked it up; and you are right.

However, it does no good for Alfa to sit around and dream. Talking about the cars they'd like to have just makes people yawn since thay have a lot of credibility problems at this point. The 1 series is going to be the marketing success of the last 25 years regardless of them being way too heavy (unfortunately). The competition just got a lot tougher and Alfa STILL is not here. Their web page still says they will be here in 2007 with a new range of cars. I wonder if they will change that before the end of 2007. Perhaps they just left off the last part of that sentence: "...in our dreams."

Thanks for the correction. I want Alfa to come back as bad as you do. I'm just sick of hearing them talk about it. I want to see results.

i agree with you, that the 1-series Coupe is gonna be a HUGE success. I already know of several Audi faithful who are getting ready to order one. Aside from that though, the 128i will be pretty affordable...and i wouldn't doubt that alot of women, college kids, older people, etc...will be lining up to get a small BMW. The majority of car buyers don't care about weight and things like that...the majority look at style, branding, and performance. The 1-series will be a HUGE success when it comes out next year.

Alfa's official return date, as presented in the Fiat Group powerpoint to corporate personnel...is the 3rd quarter of 2009. This has been the target since 2006. I think back in 2004 they had a target of 2007. It seems that most signs ARE pointing to this late-2009 comeback. *fingers crossed*

 

[lgbalfa]

i would buy one