The Alfa Romeo Won’t Be Returning To The US Until 2014

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Sorry Alfa Romeo fans, you’re going to have to wait a little bit longer to get your hands on one in the United States. Fiat has announced that they will be delaying the car’s return to US shores until sometime in 2014.

No exact date was given for the return of the Alfa Romeo, but it likely won’t be here until the second quarter of next year. Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Fiat and Chrysler, had originally said that the 4C would be coming back by the end of this year, but that was back in January. Apparently they’ve had a change of heart.

The Alfa Romeo 4C was originally set to be sold by existing Chrysler dealers that sell Fiats in the US, but now those dealers will simply have to wait to add the hot little Italian cars to their lots. Fiat is attempting to refresh their aging fleet by introducing more expensive models into the mix. The hope is to triple their current sales volume by 2016.

Alfa Romeos sold at a modest rate back in the ’80s reaching a peak of 8,201 in 1986 and haven’t been sold in the United States since way back in 1995 when they pulled out of the market. There was a brief run of 8C supercars that sold for upwards of $250,000 a pop from 2007-2010, but otherwise the automaker hasn’t had a US presence at all.

News of the 4C’s delay comes as journalists in Italy are getting their first crack at driving the 4C. It’s built on a carbon fiber chassis that, when it finally manages to get here, will make it the lightest sports car available in the US. Reviews thus far have been positive.

Chrysler filed an initial public offering on Monday to sell off shares held by the United Auto Workers Union retiree health-care trust which holds a 41.5% stake in the company. The trust is looking for about $1 billion more than Fiat wants to pay for the shares.

They mentioned Alfa Romeo in the filing and their intent to sell the vehicles in the United States, so, although not selling them as soon as planned, it does look like it will happen. Eventually.

Nicole Wakelin fell in love with cars as a teenager when she got to go for a ride in a Ferrari. It was red and it was fast and that was all that mattered. Game over. She considers things a bit more carefully now, but still has a weakness for fast, beautiful cars. Nicole also writes for NerdApproved and GeekMom.