Manual Alfa Giulia - FCA Response

"rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S" (rb1971) 11/11/2016 at 12:50 • Filed to: None

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They got back to me pretty quickly. Here’s the full text of the response. (Note that the bad unicode characters were in the original - I could have fixed them but I thought it was more in keeping with the ownership experience of Italian cars to retain them.)

Thank you for contacting the Alfa Romeo Customer Assistance Center.

It is wonderful to hear you are such an enthusiast of Alfa’s. I know it

is disappointing to not have a manual shift in this wonderful vehicle.

We are very proud of what this new QF offers.

The performance of today?s automatic transmissions has never been

better. The new record-setting N?rburgring lap time of 7:32 was set with

the automatic transmission. Giulia features an all-new eight-speed

automatic transmission, with available all-aluminum column-mounted

paddle shifters, and is designed for enthusiasts with gear shifts in

less than 100 milliseconds.

The eight-speed automatic transmission?s shift-by-wire improves safety

and comfort, while the integrated transmission control unit allows to

shift faster and more precisely than a professional driver (less than

100 milliseconds to initiate a downshift when increased acceleration is

desired) and enables nested multiple downshifts (such as 8th gear to 2nd

gear) thanks to the most modern adaptive shift strategies.

By virtue of this document, your opinion has been and will be noted by

Corporate.

Thank you again for your email. Should you require additional

assistance, please reply to this email message or call 1-844-ALFA-USA

(1-844-253-2872).

Party-vi > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S 11/11/2016 at 12:54

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So the Italians have turned into ze Germans? Ze automatic transmission is faster und more precise then ze manual. Ze car is no place for fun.

TysMagic > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S 11/11/2016 at 12:56

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8th to 2nd seems a bit much, but at least it’s willing to do it I guess

Smallbear wants a modern Syclone, local Maple Leafs spammer > Party-vi 11/11/2016 at 12:57

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work work

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S 11/11/2016 at 13:19

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“Safety and comfort” in shifting?! Yeah, two things at the top of the damn list for a driver’s experience car like a QF. How ‘bout you offer what for some bizarre reason you offer in other countries despite all these alleged disadvantages? Or GTFAC, there’s that too.

boredalways > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S 11/11/2016 at 13:21

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Too bad you can’t order it thru a 3rd party from Canada

rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 11/11/2016 at 13:22

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Right? So how do you justify offering it to Italians? I’ve driven on Autostradas, if anyone could use more safety it’s them. :)

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S 11/11/2016 at 13:27

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Cue scene from the Italian Job with man reading newspaper, sitting in sunroof, foot on horn...

sartogo > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S 11/11/2016 at 13:29

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I also sent them a message, and lifted some of your content :p

Dear Alfa,

I have been waiting for the release of the new Giulia in the US for what it seems like forever now. I love the concept, performance, design and the return to the Alfa DNA. I subscribed to the local dealer for updates and I was ready to place an order as soon as it was possible.

Unfortunately, I was gravely disappointed to learn that the manual transmission will no longer be available, and that was a requirement for me, therefore I will have to look elsewhere.

While I do understand that manual transmissions don’t sell as much as the autos, I think you are making a huge mistake and here’s why:

The Giulia represents the return of Alfa as a mainstream car into the US market. Not many people know Alfa and most of the ones that do are still beholden to the old-age perception of terrible reliability, but exceptional driving dynamics and emotions.

It’s fair to say that you are going to have some challenges getting your sales numbers up in the first year or two. What you need is to target the few “Alfisti” that live here and lure them into the dealers to try and hopefully buy your product. Once there are a few Alfas running on the road, the brand will get more popular and will open you up to introduce other models and make other investments in this market.

Now think about car enthusiasts coming into the dealer to try a car that might bring back the feelings of driving an original Giulia, Giulietta or Alfetta...these customers don’t care about the 0-60 or lap times or drinking a latte while sitting in traffic, they want to get back those emotions from 30-40 years ago. Do you think that an automatic gearbox will excite them?

While in the end most customers will order the automatic, I believe that removing the manual option is a big mistake and shows that you are not serious about your message around the Alfa DNA, driving emotions, “La Meccanica delle Emozioni.” You are no different than Lexus, Audi, Mercedes and are now another objection away from choosing an M3 instead.

I know the opinion of one person probably will not sway a corporate decision, but I hope this information is passed on to the right people who might reassess this awful decision. I urge you to reconsider.

Saluti, 

Svend > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S 11/11/2016 at 13:30

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If the automatic is so good and so safe why does Italy get both the manual and the automatic for the Quadrifoglio?

RacingShark > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S 11/11/2016 at 13:34

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I guess I wouldn’t expect a real response, but it’s good that they hear that there is interest. I was really looking forward to picking up a Manual QV. They made such a big deal during the launch!

For now, every time they post the Guilia on instagram, I make a comment about how they won’t get my money until they provide a car with 3 pedals.

So the question is... What to get instead? M3? Kinda want a 4dr, but I could be convinced to get a coupe and an old 4Runner. Cayman? M2? 911? Not really interested in AWD, so Audi is out. ATS-V?

RacingShark > boredalways 11/11/2016 at 13:36

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Wait. Is Canada getting the manual? With Trump coming to my town, and available manual Gulia in Canada...... it might be the push I need to move to BC or Montreal.

Blind Willie Tyresmoke Namington IV > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S 11/11/2016 at 13:45

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Reminds me of the e-something v10 m5 that the U.S. got with the option of a manual while the rest of the world didn’t. It’s one of those things that just don’t make sense. Still, according to Chris Harris the manual isn’t very good

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Party-vi 11/11/2016 at 13:58

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Well the automatic in it is German. haha

rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S > RacingShark 11/11/2016 at 14:03

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I think I’m going to go M3. Does everything I need and a few things I don’t really need. :)

https://www.carmax.com/cars/bmw/m3/2016/13075322

I’d rather have the awesome noise of the Alfa V6 but if you’re going to make me choose between 2 and 3 pedals I’ll choose 3 every time.

rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S > sartogo 11/11/2016 at 14:05

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Better than mine. Thanks for sending that! BMW ended up responding on the E60 M5.

Maybe we can start a movement?

rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S > RacingShark 11/11/2016 at 14:06

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Oh and you should also send them a note on the corporate site. I figure (like politicians) they think that every enthusiast letter is worth ~10 people that didn’t write in but feel similarly.

Textured Soy Protein > Party-vi 11/11/2016 at 14:07

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Overheard in Munich:

Nein, only 5% of ze rich people who lease our cars want ze shaltgetriebe, ze remainder prefer ze doppelkupplunsgetriebes and ze drehmomentwandler automatikgetriebes, zerefore it is not cost effective for to sell ze shaltgetriebes when ze only people who still prefer ze schaltgetriebes are ze third owners of our cars who purchase zem after depreciation has run its course.

RacingShark > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S 11/11/2016 at 14:43

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Nice.

I really want a real BMW CPO one, just because I tend to hold on to cars for forever and the extended warranty would be nice. Or maybe just pull a DeMuro and add maxCare. Though, if you buy a BMW from a non-BMW dealer, they won’t give you a BMW as a rental. I got an HHR once. worst car ever.

boredalways > RacingShark 11/11/2016 at 14:47

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Sorry I didn’t mean to imply that I knew for sure the manual would come to Canada. I do remember someone posting an interior pic of 3 pedal at one of the early U.S. auto shows like Miami. Just can’t find it right now.

RacingShark > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S 11/11/2016 at 14:48

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Thanks. I just did that.

RacingShark > boredalways 11/11/2016 at 14:50

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The US car show models had manuals. They made a big deal that the US would be getting a manual when they launched the car. It was all lies.

RacingShark > rb1971 ARGQF+CayenneTurbo+E9+328GTS+R90S 11/11/2016 at 15:57

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I got the same response you did, with the same odd ? errors.

Spasoje > RacingShark 11/11/2016 at 16:10

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Interesting... A friend of mine bought a CPO BMW from a BMW dealer and kept getting Enterprise rentals (often a Sonata) instead of the BMW loaners others got!