Driving Fans is hearing that one of the reasons that Chrysler-Fiat has delayed the launch of the ultra-sharp-looking mid-engine Alfa Romeo 4C sports car is that company boss Sergio Marchionne couldn’t decide where to sell it. That issue has finally been laid to rest and the limited supply (initially about 1,200 cars) of 4Cs will be sold through the automaker’s 71 Maserati dealerships in the United States plus another five in Canada when they arrive around the middle of 2014. Apparently that decision isn’t sitting well with the 165 Fiat dealers in America, who were counting on a halo model such as the 4C, with its list price in the mid-$50,000 range, to attract fresh customers to their showrooms. In fact, with relatively flat sales of the 500, a broader product range is considered an immediate necessity.
Here’s to hoping that all of the drama surrounding the 4C doesn’t dilute its appeal when it finally does hit U.S. shores.
