Always Looking For Another

Alfa Montreal in German Video

2011-12-30T16:53:00.000-08:00

Another Episode of Dream Car Garage

2011-12-29T13:35:00.000-08:00

Tipo 33 Stradale- Hoon Car of the Year

2011-12-28T08:14:00.000-08:00

The Tipo 33 Stradale is my all time dream car. Here's an article on this dream car and its apparent descendant, the beautiful 4C.
http://hooniverse.com/2011/12/21/2011-hcoty-nominee-the-alfa-romeo-33-stradale/

Exclusive: the Alfa Romeo 4C draws nearer - BBC Top Gear

2011-12-16T08:38:00.000-08:00

Exclusive: the Alfa Romeo 4C draws nearer - BBC Top Gear

Alfa Collection to be sold at auction

2011-12-08T09:24:00.001-08:00

Alfa Romeo model collection to be sold at auction at Brooklands.
http://www.sportscardigest.com/alfa-romeo-model-collection-offered-at-auction/

2011 GTV6 Day at Cars and Coffee

2011-12-03T21:05:00.000-08:00

2011-11-20T11:04:00.001-08:00

The FIAT 500 Abarth was finally officially entered into the American auto market and what a tidy little package it is. I hope that when Alfa releases their new line they will be as sexy.

http://www.roadandtrack.com/auto-shows/los-angeles/2012-fiat-500-abarth.

2011-11-07T10:12:00.000-08:00

Raw video footage of the Alfas at the 2011 Best of France and Italy show in Woodley Park, Encino, CA.

Phil Hill Tribute at Petersen Automotive Museum - Preview

2011-10-04T08:46:00.000-07:00

Phil Hill Tribute at Petersen Automotive Museum - Preview

I am a big fan of Phil Hill. He was a fantastic race car driver and human being. This is a fitting tribute by one of the premier automotive organizations.

2011-10-04T08:40:00.001-07:00

New'ish details on the plan for Alfa Romeo.
http://carscoop.blogspot.com/2011/10/alfa-romeo-lays-out-product-plans-until.html

2011 Coronado Speed Festival

2011-09-25T11:11:00.000-07:00

Pictures from the Car Club Corrals, Saturday qualies and a walk through the paddock at the Coronado speed festival.

Alfa Romeo History

2011-09-17T09:46:00.000-07:00

AROCSD at Julian Grape Stomp 2011

2011-09-05T09:32:00.000-07:00

We had a really fun day at the grape stomp, sitting in the shade of an apple tree sipping on a variety of reds and whites (Menghini's own Sauvignon Blanc is excellent on a warm day with food). Meeting new Alfisti and wanna-be's.

Las Vegas Trip -- Imperial Palace Collection

2011-08-28T11:00:00.000-07:00

While others were lounging in the cabana at the Harrah's pool, I went next door to the Imperial Palace Auto Collection.

August Visit to Rancho Santa Fe Car Club Meet

2011-08-27T11:37:00.000-07:00

It was a beautiful day for morning drive. Went down to the Saturday morning car club meet in Rancho Santa Fe and saw these fine examples of automotive excellence. The big beige auto is the Pebble Beach winning Minerva. This is what a 100 point car looks like.

I'm A Happy Guy!

2011-05-19T08:08:00.000-07:00

I got Margherita back home last night after the extensive maintenance that she desperately needed, thanks to Erik at Rathmann Auto Works in Poway. He had to replace the old 3 liter cams since one of the exhaust lobes was severely worn. I had found two sets of cams through the AlfaBB.com site; one came with a set of heads, which I did not need but Erik said that he could use them. The cams were re-profiled and re-ground to spec.

She now has a rebuilt clutch, all new rubber seals, drive shaft flex joints (commonly referred to as doughnuts in America, giubos in Italian), new braided stainless steel brake lines, brake pads, suspension tweaks, and so much more the invoice is literally 5 pages long; BUT I am not complaining. Margherita is now the car that she once was. Nice crisp handling and the distinctive exhaust note has returned. She gets right up on the cams and scoots. I can hardly wait for this weekend to shoot up to Cars and Coffee on the early morning speed run.

A great and fun car to drive all the time!!!

Margherita's Rehab

2011-04-21T09:08:00.000-07:00

My GTV6 is undergoing a much needed mechanical rehabilitation. Rathmann Auto Works is going from front to back and fixing, repairing and replacing things that probably should have been replaced years ago, meanwhile upgrading some of the safety features (like brake lines). Erik is also repairing old worn out seals and plugging those nagging little leaks, and fixing things done by other mechanics in the past. I can hardly wait to get her back on the road. It will be like getting a new Alfa, almost.

Braided Stainless steel brake lines for better brake pedal response, front and rear.

New rear CV Joints

Trans-axle seals.

Camshafts are worn and in need of replacement

Gunk caused by condensation. Probably from a clogged oil breather.

More on the 4C Development

2011-03-03T08:58:00.001-08:00

The design of the 4C has been a bit controversial among some Alfisti. The chief criticism has been that it looks like a copy of the Lotus Elise/Exige. InsideLine.com has an article explaining why this is. The chief of Fiat design was the head of a design team that worked on the project Ethos, which was the inspiration for the Lotus models as well as the Renault Sport Spider.

Alfa Romeo 4C the Unveiling

2011-03-02T04:55:00.000-08:00

Geneva 2011: Alfa Romeo 4C - BBC Top Gear

2011-03-01T05:59:00.000-08:00

It's real! And I WANT ONE!

Geneva 2011: Alfa Romeo 4C - BBC Top Gear

Alfa 4C concept draws inspiration from the legendary Stradale - AutoWeek Magazine

2011-02-28T09:50:00.000-08:00

My dreams are about to be realized! A new Stradale, with modern components. Carbon fiber and aluminum chassis; close to 235HP in a 1784 pound car. Can you say ZOOOM?

Alfa 4C concept draws inspiration from the legendary Stradale - AutoWeek Magazine

Alfa Romeo Giulietta and Uma Thurman

2011-01-23T09:31:00.000-08:00

"the stuff that dreams are made of"

BusinessDay - LAUNCH NEWS: Car to get Alfa brand on track

2011-01-21T08:32:00.000-08:00

BusinessDay - LAUNCH NEWS: Car to get Alfa brand on track: "1750 TBi Quadrifoglio Verde"

Alfa Romeo is not for sale, Fiat chairman says - AutoWeek Magazine

2011-01-11T09:20:00.000-08:00

Confirmation that Alfa will be back in 2012.

Alfa Romeo is not for sale, Fiat chairman says - AutoWeek Magazine

The GTV6 Quadrifolio Badges

2011-01-05T15:20:00.000-08:00

FINALLY!!
Thanks to Larry, SR. at APE I have my Balocco quadrifolio badges!!!!! I called when I saw the post on AlfaBB.com on the Balocco he was parting out and actually talked to Larry, Sr. and did the deal. Got them today! I have to find the right shade of green and re-paint and re-mount and Margherita will be "whole" again. Thanks again, Larry.

__________________

Article from Autoweek on Alfa Racing History

2011-01-03T09:31:00.000-08:00

There are literally volumes of history written on the Alfa Romeo involvement in all types of racing during the 20th century. It's time for the beloved marque to hit the track again!

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20110103/CARNEWS/110109995?uid=16115

2010-12-29T08:34:00.000-08:00

Alfa Romeo - The Reality of Tomorrow.

Bertone's Pandion concept car in motion. Love this ad!!!

Pebble Beach Concours 2010 - Cars of Alfa Romeo Photo Gallery

2010-12-27T09:48:00.000-08:00

Pebble Beach Concours 2010 - Cars of Alfa Romeo Photo Gallery

In case you missed this. Spectacular examples of the 100 year old marque.

Alfa Romeo, a look the company's 100 years - AutoWeek Magazine

2010-12-21T09:22:00.000-08:00

Alfa Romeo, a look the company's 100 years - AutoWeek Magazine

Marchionne's dilemma: To sell or not to sell Alfa?

2010-12-01T08:57:00.000-08:00

Marchionne's dilemma: To sell or not to sell Alfa?

From AutoWeek/Automotive News. The pros and cons of selling Alfa Romeo to the Germans! This is a big business decision. They are talking about 2-3 Billion euros. One solution posed is for Fiat not selling Alfa, but some of manufacturing companies, which would net the 2 billion that Fiat needs to get free of it's huge debt burden.

Fiat-Chrysler to make Jeeps, Alfas in Italy starting in 2012

2010-11-27T07:33:00.000-08:00

Fiat-Chrysler to make Jeeps, Alfas in Italy starting in 2012

The Mirafiori assembly plant in Turin will be upgraded and re-fitted to make Jeeps and Alfas starting in 2012. The Giulia sedan and a wagon along with the mid-sized(?) SUV that is targeted to compete with the X3 and Q5. Have the plants production will come to the US.

2011 Desert Classic Concours d'Elegance

2010-11-16T08:56:00.000-08:00

The organizers of the Desert Classic just announced that in conjunction with the concours d'elegance, they are organizing a vintage race with VARA. Hope to see even more Alfas in the desert in February.
http://www.desertconcours.com/racing.htm
Hope to see more Alfas in attendance in February in the desert.

Here are some pictures of the 2010 Desert Classic

Alfa Romeo -Pandion- [spec commercial]

2010-11-14T15:00:00.000-08:00

Etceterini par excellence: Best of France and Italy car show draws 400 entries

2010-11-13T15:35:00.000-08:00

Etceterini par excellence: Best of France and Italy car show draws 400 entries

Best Of France and Italy

2010-11-12T19:24:00.000-08:00

I went to the Best of France and Italy show last weekend and had a great time. It was Italian sensory overload. We had over 150 Alfas alone and by some accounts there were 400 cars at Woodley Park in Encino. By far the largest informal car show anywhere. The atmosphere was one of camraderie and appreciation of all marques without any of the snobbery of judged shows or concours d'elegance outings, not that I don't like those show also, I do, but this one was special. The cars that were shown were mostly drivers, some more than others, but all fun.

Here's my photo album of the show and it is by no means comprehensive.

Alfa Romeo Giulietta Mosaic | Motorward

2010-11-01T08:50:00.000-07:00

Cool artwork composed of thousands of pictures of Alfisti and their Alfas.

Alfa Romeo Giulietta Mosaic | Motorward

The Cross and the Snake Collection by Federico B. Alliney - Alfa Romeo Official Art

2010-10-26T10:14:00.000-07:00

Some excellent artwork specifically for Alfisti.

The Cross and the Snake Collection by Federico B. Alliney - Alfa Romeo Official Art

Fiat not selling Alfa Romeo to Volkswagen

2010-10-26T09:57:00.000-07:00

Fiat not selling Alfa Romeo to Volkswagen

Despite rumors earlier they now say that Alfa is NOT for sale, but losing $415 Million a year is a huge nut. Well, we might get the brand here after all. They have to sell here in order to make good on the investment in Chrysler.

Bulgarian Alfisti Video

2010-10-14T21:24:00.000-07:00

Jalopnik Garage of Horror Story

2010-10-14T16:00:00.000-07:00

This is a story most Alfisti can relate to. It's not really love/hate, just love and frustration. http://jalopnik.com/5663161/remind-me-why-im-an-alfa-romeo-nut?skyline=true&s=i

Formula 1 Races Bucket List

2010-09-25T22:13:00.001-07:00

Bucket List of Formula 1 races to see.
1. Monaco
2. Singapore
3. Great Britain
4. Belgium
5. Australia
6. US (where ever it is)
7. Hungary

Austin Grand Prix promoter reveals 'master plan'

2010-09-22T09:22:00.000-07:00

Formula One: Austin Grand Prix promoter reveals 'master plan'

It's looking more and more like the real thing. The promoter is showing more of the overall plan for not only the F1 race, but the overall business plan. An integrated year around facility. It sounds better and better.

Alfa Powered Viper?

2010-09-20T10:47:00.000-07:00

This story is from last week. A new Viper based on an Alfa platform?
What do you think?

Coronado Festival of Speed -- Sept. 25-26

2010-09-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

Coronado Speed Fest coming this weekend. It's part of San Diego Fleet Week. Celebrate and support our military. Proceeds from the Speed Fest support the military charities in San Diego.

The Alfa Romeo Owners Club of San Diego will have a club corral, stop by and say "Ciao!".

Some pictures from last year.

2010 Alfa Romeo 8C Spider - First Drive Review - Auto Reviews - Car and Driver

2010-09-08T14:07:00.000-07:00

This is at the top of my wish list. Above all other cars.

2010 Alfa Romeo 8C Spider - First Drive Review - Auto Reviews - Car and Driver

Coronado Festival of Speed -- Sept. 25-26

2010-08-31T16:10:00.000-07:00

www.fleetweeksandiego.org

The Economist is Upbeat on Alfa Romeo

2010-08-27T08:23:00.000-07:00

http://www.economist.com/node/16893212?story_id=16893212&fsrc=rss

This article from The Economist is pretty upbeat about Alfa's fortunes from a financial perspective. The author discounts the rumors of a sale to VW, unless the new head of Alfa, Mr. Wester, fails to meet his 2014 goals. US sales seem to be a big part of those worldwide sales goals, so chances are very good that we will see a new range of Alfas starting in 2012 with the new Giulia culminating in 2014.

VIDEO: The 2010 Concorso Italiano

2010-08-25T09:14:00.000-07:00

Video of this year's Concorso as seen through the AutoWeek eyes.
VIDEO: The 2010 Concorso Italiano

Fiat should sell Alfa to Volkswagen

2010-08-25T09:11:00.000-07:00

More opinion on the proposed sale of Alfa Romeo to VW. Luca Ciferri wirtes for Automotive News.

Fiat should sell Alfa to Volkswagen

Fiat dealers likely to get Alfa, Marchionne says

2010-08-24T08:39:00.000-07:00

Fiat dealers likely to get Alfa, Marchionne says

The silence is slowly being dissipated, although no real news. Marchionne will be talking about Fiat and Chrysler Aug. 30, but won't be saying anything about Alfa then. Progress?

Volkswagen wants Alfa Romeo, but Fiat doesn't want to sell

2010-08-23T10:20:00.000-07:00

Volkswagen wants Alfa Romeo, but Fiat doesn't want to sell

I'm not sure what to make of this article. Should Fiat sell Alfa to ensure a better bottom line for the corporation? If past actions are examined, the Italians would rather "die than sell Alfa Romeo to the Germans", they nationalized the company rather than let it go bankrupt. But would the marque flourish if given the infusion of VW marketing and design? Would it become more Germanic in character and less Italian? Has Lamborghini suffered under the VW ownership?

Autoweek -- Building a business around Alfa lust

2010-07-23T08:14:00.000-07:00

Building a business around Alfa lust -- Greg Migliore from Autoweek.

After a hundred years, the Alfa marque still generates the passion for the cars. Looking forward to the next generation of cars and the next generation of Alfisti!

Alfa Museum Saved

2010-07-14T11:43:00.000-07:00

VeloceToday.com has a report that the Alfa Romeo Museo Storico in Arese will be designated as a historical site in Italy, thus preventing the closure and destruction of the buildings or the movement of the archives. This story broke back in March. Story

Alfisti.com, After the centenary - Forum - Alfisti Community

2010-07-01T09:44:00.000-07:00

Evidently, the big celebration in Italy was a stereo-typical Italian event, in that there was lots of promise, but no organization.

Alfisti.com, After the centenary - Forum - Alfisti Community

Abarth plans to tune Alfas - Autocar.co.uk

2010-06-30T08:44:00.000-07:00

This is interesting news. Fiat's Abarth division will produce some "hot rod" Alfas. I wonder how these will compare to the Autodelta of the old days?

Abarth plans to tune Alfas - Autocar.co.uk

Dana Point concours celebrates Alfas, Prudhomme

2010-06-29T15:07:00.000-07:00

Autoweek's write-up. It was a GREAT show. I hope to go back next year and work it again.

Dana Point concours celebrates Alfas, Prudhomme

Dana Point Concours d'Elegance

2010-06-28T08:50:00.001-07:00

Alfa owners throw a party for iconic brand

2010-06-23T09:43:00.000-07:00

Alfa owners throw a party for iconic brand

Alfa at 100- New York Times

2010-06-20T16:29:00.000-07:00

Even the New York Times is celebrating the Alfa Centenary.
Article by Keith Martin

Dana Point Concours d'Elegance

2010-06-04T08:17:00.000-07:00

The Dana Point Concours d'Elegance is coming up on June 27. They will be honoring the Alfa Centenary at the same time as the celebration in Milan. Alfa is 100 years old!!! This looks to be a sensational show. I've volunteered to work on Sunday, hope to see you there!

Cool Italian Alfa Video

2010-04-24T10:02:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N6svn71zQk4

Lord March Talks About Alfa Romeo

2009-06-24T10:02:00.000-07:00

Chrysler's Argument for a Deal with Fiat

2009-03-20T10:47:00.000-07:00

My Weekend in Palm Springs

2009-03-02T09:33:00.000-08:00

Finally got a weekend away with Jenn. We went to the second annual Desert Classic Concours d'Elegance in Palm Springs. The weekend began with a quick drive out to Palm Desert in Margherita, our GTV6 Balocco. Lunch on El Paseo at Daily Grill. Sitting in the sidewalk patio enjoying a Newcastle, watching the people and the classic cars parade by. Dinner in the evening at a fellow Alfista's home in La Quinta along with Alfa owners from LA, OC and SD. Some excellent wine and fellowship. The next day was spent on the green lawns of the O'Donnell Golf Course.

Still Hopeful

2009-02-26T09:07:00.000-08:00

The news about Alfa's return to the US market is still spotty at best and by most accounts is linked to the survival of the US auto industry and the bailout of the industry and Chrysler. The latest news is from NPR relating to Fiat's investment in Chrysler. I didn't realize that FIAT CEO Marchionne was raised and educated in Canada. That gives me hope as he should really have an understanding of the North American market. The little Fiat 500 is a slick little ride and they even have an Abarth model with 160HP!

New US Formula 1 Team?

2009-02-08T19:04:00.000-08:00

Well, the hottest rumor in motorsports has been making the rounds on websites and podcasts. The 2010 F1 season may see a new US based formula 1 team. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, USF1 has principals Ken Anderson and SpeedTV commentator Peter Windsor. Hopefully, they have the financial capital to keep it going until they approach the starting line. The question is who will drive and what engine will they have.

We Got a New Ride!

2009-02-08T17:06:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, Jenn and I went out to Drew Hyundai/VW in La Mesa and test drove a Hyundai Genesis and a few hours later, she was driving our brand new Sapphire Blue Pearl Genesis home. We love it. It has all the bells and whistles that we wanted, plus some. The big surprise to me was the Lexicon audio system. I looked it up and found that Lexicon is a Harmon company, as in Harman/Kardon and the high end home audio systems. It sounds really, really, really killer!!! The only accessory that we don't have yet is the iPod connect cable in order to control the iPod from the system console and I'll be getting that this week.

Fiat to Buy into Chrysler?

2009-01-20T07:00:00.000-08:00

Just read that Fiat may be buying into Chrysler, which means the Alfa marque may be sold through the Chrysler Dodge dealership network. Autoweek reports

San Diego Cars and Coffee January 2009

2009-01-18T10:28:00.000-08:00

Pictures from the tour of Symbolic Motors Restoration Facility

2008-12-13T21:03:00.000-08:00

What Is An Alfa Romeo?

2008-11-29T12:48:00.000-08:00

Jeremy Clarkson of BBC's Top Gear on what an Alfa Romeo is.

A Visit to a Private Collection

2008-11-17T22:18:00.000-08:00

This last weekend was almost the perfect weekend for a car guy, if you overlook the traffic and the fires in Orange County.

It was warm and a bit breezy on the drive up to Tom Hollfelder's collection. There were about 7 cars in convoy from San Diego. We joined up with the LA Alfa group, including a member from Santa Barbara in a gorgeous 85 GTV6.

Tiger Racing website.

Phil Hill - Rest in Peace

2008-08-28T23:30:00.000-07:00

It was announced earlier today that Phil Hill, the first American to win the Formula 1 World Championship, passed from this earth. Phil was 81. He was hospitalized while attending the Monterey Historic Races weekend.

I actually had the pleasure of meeting Phil, his wife Alma, his son Derek, and his daughter Vanessa when Derek was racing karts. My memories of him were that he was a genuinely friendly guy who was always willing to talk about cars and racing with an enthusiastic fan.

He will be missed in the automotive community.

Alfa Romeo 8C2900 Wins Best of Show

2008-08-18T10:38:00.001-07:00

The marque is on the rise.

An Alfa Romeo 8C2900 won this year's coveted Best of Show at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance. According to an Autoweek posting, the owners actually drive the car on tours and will continue the practice in the future. We could possibly see this car in the "wild" some time in the future. Congratulations to Jon and Mary Shirley.

CNET Covers the Mito

2008-07-28T23:31:00.000-07:00

2008-07-18T08:45:00.000-07:00

Top Gear in the UK just posted a new review of Alfa's new model, the Mito. In addition to explaining the derivation of the name, Mi for Milan and To for Torino; but also that mito is Italian for myth.

Brera GTA by Autodelta

2008-05-10T21:31:00.000-07:00

An ultimate Italian hot rod. Brera GTA

The Drive on 76

2008-04-28T23:37:00.000-07:00

I’m sure that many of us share the same situation with regards to our Alfas. We love the cars for the handling and general good feelings that they convey to us when we are driving them, but we don’t really get a chance to drive them as often as we would like under ideal driving conditions. One of those times happened to me recently. I try to run my GTV6 regularly to keep it happy, but I haven’t been able to give it a good “Italian tune-up” lately, so after the President’s Day holiday (and the rain storm that whipped through), I decided that it might be nice to take a drive up SR-76. I jumped on Champagne Blvd. at Deer Springs Rd. and headed north, keeping off the busy freeway. It was a really nice morning, crisp clean air, blue sky dotted with only a few puffy clouds. As I turned eastward on 76, there wasn’t even much casino traffic, this being a Tuesday morning. It just felt great to be carving the curves passing Rice Canyon, Couser Canyon and then the Pala Casino was in the rear view mirror and I was heading up through the orange groves in the Pauma Valley. Past Valley Center Rd. and climbing further toward Palomar Mountain, the sky showed a bit more clouds and the air temperature was dropping, but the road was still clear of trucks and slow RVs making the drive even more enjoyable. As I passed through the wooded hillsides of the La Jolla Indian Reservation, I could see that the mountain tops were still shrouded in gray. I decided to stop at the Lake Henshaw Café parking lot for some refreshment and a breather. The lake itself was not visible through the mist still hanging in the air, clinging to the trees all around. As I sat there sipping coffee, ever so slowly the scenery became visible as the curtain rose until I could see the lake and the far shoreline along highway 79. I sat there for a few minutes and then began my trip back down the mountain for home. All in all it was one of those rare occasions when one could really enjoy the scenery and the handling of car on the types of roads that it was designed to travel.

Alfa Creates Mi.To Blog Site

2008-04-11T10:07:00.001-07:00

Alfa Romeo is ramping up the campaign for the Mi.To; their model to compete with the Mini. Check out their new blog at Mi.To. You might even win a trip to see the car in Italy or a tour of the factory!

The article in Autoweek,Alfa Blog Chats up the Mi.To mentions the possibility of four turbocharged engines!

Me in Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione ...

2008-04-07T17:20:00.001-07:00

I wish it was me in this 8C!

Alfa Day @ Cars and Coffee 2008

2008-03-30T11:18:00.000-07:00

Video of Alfa Designers Talking about Mi.To

2008-03-23T10:02:00.000-07:00

Alfa Romeo is definitely taking the Mi.To to the forefront. Check out this video interview with two of the designers of the Mi.To. The interview is done in Italian with English subtitles.

8C Competizione and 8C Spider Video

2008-03-17T09:10:00.000-07:00

This video was said to be playing at the Alfa stand at Geneva above the display.

From the looks of the footage, the two 8C's were on the West Coast filming.

More Alfa Club Stuff

2008-03-17T09:05:00.000-07:00

The 2008 Chili Cook-off was a great success. We had more and better chili than ever before. Pictures will be posted soon.

March 29 is the 2nd Annual Alfas at Cars and Coffee exposition at Ford Motor Company's West Coast Performance Auto Group HQ in Irvine. AROSC Cars and Coffee

Bertone Reveals B.A.T. 11 in Geneva

2008-03-05T09:14:00.000-08:00

Readers of this blog may know that I recently distributed a link that urged the Italian design firm Bertone to continue with plans to exhibit the B.A.T. 11 concept Alfa Romeo commissioned by Gary Kaberle. Gary was the owner of B.A.T. 9, which was the last of the Berlina Aerodinamica Tecnica. It was first rumored that Bertone was in such bad shape financially that they would not be displaying anything in Geneva at all. It turns out that they snuck B.A.T. 11 in to a special design show.Car Design News. Way to go Gary!!!

Alfa to Bring New MiTo to U.S. in 2010

2008-03-03T09:52:00.001-08:00

Winding Road reports that Alfa is bringing a new model to the U.S. It was revealed at the Geneva Auto Show.Winding Road
This looks to fill in under the new 147 and will be a "barn burner". I can hardly wait!!!

Desert Classic Concours d'Elegance Palm Springs, CA

2008-03-02T23:50:00.000-08:00

Desert Classic Concours d'Elegance

Jennifer and I went to the Desert Concours with high hopes that there were going to be more Alfas in the Car Club Corral, but our 164 was the only one! There were only 3 others in the whole show, one of which is pretty significant. Symbolic Motors was showing the 6C2500 Villa d'Este Touring. It was magnificent.

We had fun all by ourselves. Misha came along for the ride also. We had several people stop by and talked about Alfas in general as well as 164s specifically. Hope to see more people at the Cars and Coffee on March 29 in Irvine.

147 GTA Autodelta!!!!!

2008-02-27T23:02:00.000-08:00

This is unreal. It's probably good that we don't have this here, yet.

Another Top Gear (BBC) Alfa 159 Review

2008-02-24T14:29:00.000-08:00

AROCSD Events

2008-02-24T13:50:00.000-08:00

It's almost time for the new Desert Classic Concours d'Elegance in Palm Springs. It's going to be March 1. Maserati is the featured marque, but the news is that the first Ferrari chassis built as a single seater, Formula 1 race car will be on display for the first time in decades.

San Diego Alfisti will be driving up through the coastal mountains to the Palms to Pines Highway and then down to Palm Desert and up SR 111 to the O'Donnell Golf Course. There will be a Car Club Corral so we can pitch our lawn chairs and picnic, if we so desire.

I'm Back

2008-02-24T13:42:00.000-08:00

Well, the trip to Philadelphia fell right in between two weather systems and they were having some very unseasonable warmth in the city.

I got to go to the Reading Terminal Market as it was literally across the street from my hotel. I had the absolutely best pastrami sandwich I have ever had at Hershel's East Side Deli. Wow was it good.

The conference was great. I learned a lot in the tutorial on IND in eCTD format and got a lot of good information from the sessions on document control.

Now we're involved in the implementation of the eCTD publishing tool.

I'm Outta Here!

2008-02-04T06:50:00.001-08:00

Well, it's off to Philadelphia today for the annual DIA (http://www.diahome.org) Electronic Data Management conference and show. A lot of geeks getting together and talking about things like, eCTD and document management systems -- Open Text (www.opentext.com) versus Documentum or who did the best implementation and a lot of schmoozing with vendors.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the AROCSD 2008 Kickoff Meeting is this Wednesday at Filippi's, Mira Mesa (AROCSD.org). DavidL will be presiding in my absence.

Ciao!

Three GTs Monaco to Modena CAR Magazine

2008-01-22T20:47:00.000-08:00

Winding Road 8C Competizione Video

2007-12-03T10:52:00.000-08:00

Winding Road magazine has posted its video of the 8C test drive at Balocco test track in Italy. www.windingroad-Alfa-Romeo-8C-Competizione/

Cars and Coffee December 2007

2007-12-03T10:20:00.001-08:00

Got up earlier than usual and blasted up the coast to Irvine for the Cars and Coffee gathering. It was cold and damp, but no rain. Here's some pictures from there.
Here's some video also. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HzpCymfvsT0

GTV6 Day at Cars and Coffee

2007-11-27T11:33:00.000-08:00

It has been quite a while since I've gone up to Cars and Coffee so this is a call --
Cars and Coffee

Top Gear - Audi TT Mk2, Alfa Romeo Brera, Mazda RX8

2007-11-27T10:48:00.001-08:00

Cars and Coffee January 2007

2007-01-13T23:14:00.000-08:00

Ok, so it's been a long time between posts. I've found the time and focus (maybe) to post again. This morning I got up and "0 dark:thirty" packed up the GTV6 and headed out for Ford's West Coast Design Center, which is also home to the Performance Auto Group, in Irvine, CA. It's about an hour's drive from my home. In case you don't know, Cars and Coffee is the spin off from the weekly impromptu gathering of car enthusiasts that used to gather in Crystal Cove's parking lot on Saturday mornings from about 6:30AM to around 9AM. This was an amazing gathering of cars. You really didn't know what kind of car would show up.