You can't be a true gearhead until you've owned an Alfa. So said Top Gear, but, after years of decreasing sales on the continent, many Americans may never the chance to find out why Alfa Romeo is held in such high esteem across the pond. So where did it all go wrong for Alfa in the States, a place in which the company has never truly found sustained success?

In reality, there are a multitude of reasons, but it does certainly appear as if the slump has gotten worse of late. In Europe, sales may not be spectacular for Alfa, but on account of their strong brand recognition, they will always have a share of the market, however small that may be.

What follows, is the story of how one of Italy's most historic manufacturers failed to make it big in America, despite their very best efforts.

Poor Reliability Harmed The Brand

A 2018 red Alfa Romeo Giulia
Via: Motor1

It's fair to say that historically Alfa Romeo hasn't exactly been renowned for have a pristine reliability record. In fact, the contrary is true, as the Italian giants are often the butt of many jokes due to their cars breaking down after only a couple of months. That may wash in Europe, where reliability is somewhat lower on the priority list for prospective buyers. But in America, its a very different story. Generally speaking, more consumers will check the reliability ratings of cars they are interested in, to get a greater overall picture of its true capabilities. With a less than stellar reputation in this department, the company was destined to struggle outside of Europe.

Its Historic Reputation Isn't As Influential In America

Red 1967 Alfa Romeo Tipo 33 Stradale
Via: Pinterest

Brand recognition and familiarly can often mean everything in the automotive world. The land of muscle cars and luxury saloons was always going to be a tricky market for Alfa to effectively infiltrate. Mid-range European sports cars are exceedingly difficult to promote in the current climate, where new metrics such as fuel efficiency, comfort, and emissions all have to be factored in.

The solution to this should have been the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, the companies answer to the newfound global popularity of SUV's. And yet, even this model failed to inspire. The original Stelvio, which when on sale in 2017, was supposed to be the savior of the company, capitalizing on the SUV wave, taking Alfa away from its roots, and into the 21st century. In its first year on the market, only 2721 models were sold in the U.S. The 2020 incarnation meanwhile, has fallen victim to factors out of its control, with the SUV bubble bursting, and the COVID-19 pandemic harming sales. Coming in at just over $42,000, the Stelvio, like most Alfa models, is a luxury that few can afford right now.

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Canceled and Delayed Vehicles

A white Alfa Romeo 147 GTA in front of a mountain range
via Supercars.net

Perhaps the most damaging action of all for the Alfa brand in the U.S has been the shocking amount of models that have either had their initial release delayed, or canceled altogether. The first significant model affected in such a way was the Alfa Romeo Giulia, a car originally slated for a 2014 release, which had to be pushed back until 2016. While it would go on to experience some commercial success, a two-year delay is never a good sign for any car company, let alone one that's already struggling to make inroads as it is.

This would soon be followed up by a fullscale cancellation, with the Alfasud project now seemingly dead and buried. For such a beloved company in Italy and mainland Europe, it's a worrying trend that indicates all is not well behind the scenes. A compact SUV was also lined up for a 2020 release, but, due to COVID and other economic factors, that has also been pushed back to next year at the earliest.

RELATED: Alfa Romeo Reveals Race-Inspired Giulia GTA Options, Pricing

Not Enough Credibility In The SUV Market

alfa-romeo-stelvio
via topgear

As was previously outlined, Alfa turned to the SUV market in 2017 in an almost desperate attempt to regain the crucial markets of the U.S and China. Brief success did arrive, but perhaps not to the extent that the manufacturer would have been hoping for. In a highly competitive and crowded field, Alfa was always going to need a USP in order to make their Stelvio model stick out.

The problem is that Alfa's biggest historical USP - stunning good looks - was sacrificed in order to make a more rounded product. Through the ages, their cars may not have always been the fastest, but boy, were they pretty. In the case of the Stelvio, however, that couldn't be further from the truth. It looks like an Alfa Romeo that has been stretched out to add an extra meter of height, rather than a planned, refreshed design. The Stelvio was a very capable machine, but without a distinguishing feature, it pretty much came and went in North America.

Sources: autoscenze.com, Topgear.com, europe.autonews.com, carsalesbase.com

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