Sections: 3rd Gen MINI | In the Press Jul 8th, 2008 32 Comments 
The Automotive news is reporting that BMW may sell Alfa Romeos in North America using the MINI dealer network. Here’s an excerpt from the article just published:
Fiat said today that BMW will provide support in launching Alfa Romeo in North America. “Mini U.S. dealers would have the possibility to also sell Alfa Romeo cars,” a Fiat spokesman told Automotive News Europe today.
Fiat and BMW issued a joint press release announcing that they have signed an agreement for possible co-operation on components and architectures for their Mini and Alfa Romeo vehicles.
This is a surprising turn of events even given the official word that BMW will be co-developing the next MINI chassis with Fiat. That said it certainly makes sense from a cost point of view. However it will be interesting to see if BMW limits the type of cars (as in no small cars) Fiat will be selling the North American Market.
C4 Jul 8th, 2008 Link
For many years word in the street was that GM was going to import and sell Alfas on their Cadillac dealer network. I guess since GM is at the brink of bankruptcy those plans will be carried out by BMW.
Great news-day today!
Vanwall Jul 8th, 2008 Link
Gimme a MINI Giulietta Spint Veloce, and I’d be happy puppy.
TC Jul 8th, 2008 Link
I had spoken to a Ferrari/Maserati dealership and they too had been hoping on getting the Alfa dealership. Alfa has already chosen a VERY limited number of dealerships (I believe all Ferrari) to deliver their 8c’s. They were very careful in pointing out that they are specific 8c deliveries and not Alfa franchises. Will be interesting to see what comes of this.
msh441 Jul 8th, 2008 Link
Snowballs chance in H, E double-hockey-sticks of seeing a FIAT next to a MINI on showroom floors. Especially since MINI’s big push has been to differenciate itself from BMW by establishing seprate dealerships with independant sales and service. The new MINI dealerships will sell MINIs and MINIs alone.
Read the other way… BMW is interested in buying controlling interests in US FIAT sales purely in order to ensure the brand remains DOA in North America. Happens all the time in the tech world. Buy out the competition and let it die on the vine.
Where will FIATS be sold in the US? Nowhere is BMW/MINI gets their paws into things.
Nathaniel Salzman Jul 8th, 2008 Link
Especially since MINI’s big push has been to differenciate itself from BMW by establishing seprate dealerships with independant sales and service. The new MINI dealerships will sell MINIs and MINIs alone.
Uh…where exactly is this happening? I know there are some stand-alone MINI dealerships, but at my dealership here in Minneapolis you turn over your MINI keys and BMW keys to the same people when it’s time to get it worked on. Same service advisors, same service bays, show rooms right next to each other and even overlapping a bit. If anything, it seems like especially with the much more BMW-like R56, that MINI is strengthening its bond to its parent company. It’s a separate brand, but it’s becoming a much more analogous dealership experience and I for one appreciate that. Going to a Toyota dealership is like going to the dentist, but dropping off my MINI for service is very pleasant and that’s in no small part due to the facilities they share with BMW.
As for Fiat, I would hope BMW has the good sense not to let them sell the 500 in the same building as the MINI as that would be pretty cannibalistic. Not that the 500 is a better car or anything, especially in the performance category, it’ll simply muddy the waters quite a bit.
I’m much more curious as to whether this would later evolve into some sort of merger or acquisition. Seems a weird step though. The Alfa and Fiat names have so little recognition in the states these days, I wonder who they’re really targeting, especially given the overall car market right now.
GregW Jul 8th, 2008 Link
FIAT 500 and MINI – like Peanut butter and jelly… both designed by Frank Stephenson. Success stories both. Will Frank head the USA team?
TC Jul 8th, 2008 Link
“Going to a Toyota dealership is like going to the dentist, but dropping off my MINI for service is very pleasant and that’s in no small part due to the facilities they share with BMW.”
Come on! We don’t need to be anti-dentites here. I would say the Toyota dealership is a little more like a trip to the proctologist–you take it in the rear. Perhaps it is time to find a new dentist–maybe one with a MINI! I am sure there are several up there in the cities.
Evan Jul 8th, 2008 Link
This is really interesting since Alfa’s are in the line of BMW competition. A Fiat (entry-level, FWD) in the USA would be different than an Alfa (near-luxury, FWD/AWD), especially in contrast to the MINI (premium, FWD). So I don’t imagaine Fiats coming to our shores- the only possibility being the 500. I could see BMW helping the Alfa brand in the USA through MINI dealers (all FWD, increase cost-effectiveness of stand alone MINI franchises), but I don’t quite understand what that would do for Alfa vs BMW…. seems like a conflict of interests.
All this said, I do agree that many MINI dealers are not separate from the BMW dealer- same lot, often same service bay. I do notice the difference of stand alone MINI dealers and prefer them since the MINI seems less of a “shoved in the corner” brand.
Additionally, the major critism for Alfa and Fiat in the UK right now centers around terrible dealer and service support. Italian quality is much improved from when they left our shores. MINI does this well and would help Alfa establish itself here.
Keep up the news… what a great day!
Mr. Bean Jul 8th, 2008 Link
This is sweet! When this happens I’m gonna buy an Alfa GT and then I can get my MINI and Alfa serviced at the same time and same place!
Mr. Bean Jul 8th, 2008 Link
Hey did any one see the new Top Gear with the cheap alfa challenge? That was a sweet episode! I guess we can do the same thing on Top Gear: USA now… even though with Adam Carolla– it will suck.
Michael Jul 8th, 2008 Link
Gabe, I read your column every day, but can’t figure out what the aE sign means on some of the replies you receive. You can email me your response. Thanks, Michael
dave Jul 8th, 2008 Link
i don’t car how they do it, i just want my alfa romeo here
ulrich Jul 8th, 2008 Link
I guess no Alfa MiTo for us since it would compete with the Mini.
Seth L Jul 8th, 2008 Link
There is a lot of product overlap in those lines. Maybe their planning on cherry picking some of the larger cars? But then that would compete with BMW on price?
Maybe the MPV’s then?
RB Jul 8th, 2008 Link
Gimme a brake! They don’t have enuff MINI dealerships as it is and can’t, except for a few like MOP, service the cars properly now.
My wife and I would like to move to California’s central coast. I would have to drive 2-3 hours to a dealer in the San Jose area or… unless a MINI dealership ever came to Santa Barbara’s BMW dealership, drive back down to one in LA area…. 2-3 hours.
Now why would Frank want to go backwards???
s.m8o Jul 8th, 2008 Link
Fiat 500 looks “fun”, and 6″ smaller than the MINI. But like Top Gear said when test driving it, the MINI drives brilliantly… implied not so for the Fiat, then later describing the excessive lean as “adding to the charm” of it. …lol. Maybe I’d consider a Fiat 500 S, JCW… ;^p
Jon Jul 8th, 2008 Link
Think this would be great to have BMW handling the US sales for them.
MaxMCS Jul 8th, 2008 Link
Am I the only one that thinks Fiat is being lazy for not just opening a Fiat delaership over here instead of leeching into BMW? I understand everything that BMW/MINI is trying to accomplish here, but at the same time, it’s just extremely weird for me to see a 500 and an MCS next to one another, kind of takes away some of the MINI-ness of it all.
I’d like to state for the record that I’m a huge fan of the 500, I think it rocks.
Mozza Jul 8th, 2008 Link
I’d literally shoot my own grandmother for an 8C Competizione in Competizione Red. I really really hope this is true, Alfa Romeo’s are what styling and driving should be about and I’d be first in line for one when it comes time for a bigger car.
Mr. Bean Jul 8th, 2008 Link
Cool. I can now buy an Alfa GT!!! Oh wait… and a 500!!!
scruffylooking Jul 8th, 2008 Link
@Mozza, I’d shoot your grandmother for an 8C Competizione!
Not really, but I feel your sentiment. That is quite possibly one of the sexiest beasts on any road in the world today.
paul Jul 8th, 2008 Link
Going to a Toyota service place is like going to the proctologist? When MINI charges over $300 for an oil change, I know who it is who is getting in the rear, and it is not the Camry driver. Fortunately I think I’ll be able to sit down again just in time for my Inspection II – what??
Dr Obnxs Jul 9th, 2008 Link
Remember, Mini is capacity limited, not customer limited. Even if there is some overlap, Minis will still make thier sales numbers for at least a couple years…..
Interesting reads none the less….
Matt
Aaron Jul 9th, 2008 Link
I think it’s an interesting strategic move by BMW. If you travel to South America, Asia, Europe or Africa, you’ll see that a larger percentage of the vehicles on the road are small cars. For example in Brasil, the Fiat hatchbacks reign supreme along with the Ford Ka. Here in Africa, Renault, Citroen, Nissan March’s, etc. are all over the place.
My guess is that the large car companies are looking at the forecast of high fuel prices for at least the next 10-20 years and are forecasting a long term shift to smaller more fuel efficient cars in the American market.
We’ve seen the Toyota Yaris and the Honda Fit compete against the MINI in this market, in terms of the size of the car (not necessarily the quality of the drive) and fuel economy. The big 3 (or is it two now?) keep talking about how they’re playing catch up in the fuel efficient cars department, but I think that’s just their lobbying ploy; they’re already producing and selling small, fuel efficient Opels and Ford Ka’s and Ford Focus’s overseas. All they have to do is bring them home to the U.S., tweak the designs slightly to adjust for U.S. aesthetics and introduce them as “new” designs.
So I think BMW’s looking at this as a way to expand their marketing of the higher end luxury/performance sector of mid-budget small cars. Yes, you can buy a C30 or a 135i or a GTI. But my feeling is that BMW’s looking at a future where the small car market is going to become even more congested, and the MINI will soon not be the smallest car out there (I’m ignoring the Smart, obviously, as I think that will eventually fade owing to its poor quality). Hooking up with Fiat, which has a great new re-modeled small car in the 500, seems to be a great move in shoring up a strong presence in this sector of the U.S. car market.
Shamus Jul 9th, 2008 Link
Is it April 1st already? Sorry, it must be the drugs.
faster, Tobias! Jul 10th, 2008 Link
@ paul – if you are paying $300 for an oil change you are really getting taken. The going rate at our dealership is $95.00, and that’s up here in Canada.
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