AB100 said:

My point was, the technology of a vehicle has little importance to most buyers of premium vehicles - it's the badge. It doesn't matter that the Alfas are using a warmed-over chassis - they'd still only sell a few dozen if it was the greatest chassis in the world.

Click to expand...

eshroom said:

I don't agree. I think there's a correlation between how good a car is technologically and how many sales it gets, even in the "premium" segment, in comparison to similar models from other manufacturers.

3 series trumps A4 trumps Giulia, both in how good they are and in how many sales they get, for example.

Some marques are known for their poor build quality, but still attract sales. Aston Martin for example. Their vantage us stunning but the 911 still trumps it massively in sales because it is just a better car to own. More reliable, more practical, cheaper to run and easier to drive.

Now if Alfa made a better alternative to the 3 series, or Aston a better competitor to the 911, those brands would get a lot more sales.

Click to expand...

chris3234 said:

Depends on the market in the UK certainly most people buy the car for the badge not the engineering only have to look and watch a lot of BMW and Audi owner's to see that

Click to expand...

gar074 said:

"Keep knocking it out until it stops making money" has been Fiat's and Alfa's downfall. Relying on products that were decent, and reasonably competitive, when first launched, but which (at best) get mild - and often clumsy - makeovers after 6-8 years, at a point when they should have been fully replaced.

Click to expand...

AB100 said:

Word.

It's sheep mentality rather than an overarching appreciation of technology that allows BMW to endure, regardless of quality. Others buy on price, fair enough - at least that has rationale.

There are enough folks saying that the Panda is ancient and has 0 stars NCAP. And yet it rides nicely and still sells well. Keep knocking it out until it stops making money would be my view but then I don't run FIAT. I leave that to the experts - and I use that word quite incorrectly.

Click to expand...