Alfa Pages

lesthegringo · Alfasud Joined: 23 Jul 2003 Posts: 97

Scott, I must protest at having been credited with an Alfa Arna, which has miseriously apeared next to my name in the posts. I know I have bad taste, but I didn't think I was that bad......

Les

lesthegringo · Alfasud Joined: 23 Jul 2003 Posts: 97

ermm, I meant to say MYSTERIOUSLY, ok? Honest....

Adam H · Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2003 6:35 pm Post subject:

You mean miserably - I'm sure the Arna was a great car, but only if it belonged to someone else!

Adam H · Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2003 6:38 pm Post subject:

Damn - it seems I on owne as well - now I know what I spent that £2.00 coin on!

Alfist · Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2003 6:40 pm Post subject:

Got the same problem here.
An ARNA....geez.........can it get any worse? Confused

Oh well........i'll go posting as a crazy person to get rid of that status. Razz

_________________
Saluti sportive, Arjan Kuiper

Got the pleasure driving Alfa Romeo.

Dreamracers · Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2003 9:09 pm Post subject:

So when do we "graduate" from being Nissans?

Sergio · Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2003 9:53 pm Post subject:

Come on guys... Very Happy

The Arna surely can't be that bad.... I've seen one, and I found it quite nice (ok, not too nice Very Happy

) and had some nice interiors Wink

Give the little Arna a break Very Happy

All the Best

Sérgio

Ian M · Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2003 10:17 pm Post subject:

I reckon you need to make 50 posts to graduate to a Sud.
So get to it guys!!! Shocked

James Granger · Alfa 33 Joined: 10 Apr 2003 Posts: 302

Ok,

After reading these comments I decided to do some research on this little car. The following has extracts taken from carsfromitaly.com

The accord forming AR.N.A. SpA (Alfa Romeo Nissan Autoveicoli) was signed on 9th October 1980 in Tokyo by Ettore Massacesi and Takashi Ishihara. The result was launched at the 1983 Frankfurt Motorshow.

The 850kg-weighing hatchback was basically a Nissan Cherry (or Pulsar) bodyshell and rear suspension fitted with an Alfasud engine, drivetrain and front suspension.

Interestingly, the independent rear suspension of the Cherry made it the first production Alfa Romeo to have such a layout. This marked a turning point in Alfa Romeo's FWD history and is at least something in the Arna's favour!

Despite this the rear brakes were drums as on the 33, rather than the discs on the 'Sud.

The body panels were shipped from Japan to the all new assembly plant at Pratola Serra near Naples.

It was available with the 1186cc (63bhp), 1350cc (71 or 86bhp) and 1490cc (95bhp) engines and either 3 or 5 doors. Despite the (supposed) economical logic of this union, the Arna was never very successful and production ceased after only three years.

Sergio · Posted: Fri Aug 08, 2003 11:43 pm Post subject:

I really wouldn't mind having one Very Happy

All the best

Sérgio

Scott Sander · Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2003 12:04 am Post subject:

Les,

Like your childhood you should learn to enjoy it while you still can because one day you will grow out of it and become an Alfasud. Rolling Eyes

Anyway it does not last too long, I guess it is a way to get people to post. Wink

I didn't set the categories or the levels at which they are reached, so I can only go by what I have seen. I was hoping that maybe at 200 posts I would change from an Alfa sprint into something else but I guess I will have to wait a bit longer. Crying or Very sad

All a bit of fun really Laughing

Ciao,
_________________
Scott Sander
'91 Alfa 33 Boxer 16V Monza - Awesome
http://www.sanderfamily.com

gritsop · Posted: Sat Aug 09, 2003 12:47 am Post subject:

Hi guys,

I have been watching you about the ARNA case.
Pesonally I did not have any point of view till about a month ago.
I was walking towards the entrance of the subway in Acropolis/Athens when I noticed among the parked cars a white one with white hubcaps with the AR logo in the centre. It was the kind of hubcaps the S1 cars were "wearing". Immediatelly I move my head upwards to look at the car (I was walking along the back of the cars) and i notice a non AR car.
I then tell to my self: "What an idiot he could not find hubcaps for the nissan and he put AR ones - what a kitch car and a kitch owner"
BUT when i came close i saw the AR logo and the ARNA badge on the trunk ...

It was the first time i saw the ARNA - Probably very little number of cars exist in Greece- Also the driving plate of this car was at about the end of the eighties- probably the car was not imported in my country and it came directly from abroad.

My conclusion : AR probably made mistake on this cooperation.
why should this happen ? maybe AR doesnot know how to built cars? I dont think so. When the Italian market was manufacturing cars the others were using horse wagons ...

Regards
_________________
Thanassis Gritsopoulos
1991 Alfa 33 1.4 IE
2001 Alfa 147 1.6 Distinctive

http://www.alfa-restoration.co.uk
Parts Shop: www.alfa-restoration.co.uk/shop

James Granger · Alfa 33 Joined: 10 Apr 2003 Posts: 302

Whereas the 33 represented the high end hatchback market, the ARNA covered the budget side.

The 33 was placed slightly higher in terms of class and price than the Alfasud it replaced. The ARNA was introduced to fill the gap below the 33.

The ARNA was therefore a desperate attempt at introducing a well-built, cheap car with the little budget that Alfa had at the time.

Despite a higher trim level then the Sud, the ARNA never caught on. This was testimony to the car's crappy styling, rubbery handling and Japanese roots. It was discontinued in 1986.

Errol · Posted: Sun Aug 10, 2003 3:35 am Post subject:

To have the alfa romeo badge on that car is a disgrace! Thats basically a shitty pulsar with alfa badging. It makes me sick just thinking about it. What the hell were they thinking. Evil or Very Mad

_________________
91 Alfa Romeo 33 16v * SOLD*
Lowered 45mm
15 x 7 inch advanti wheels
Falken 195 low profile
K&N Pod filter
Cannon 2inch exhaust from cat-back with 3inch tip.

burgo90 · Alfa Sprint Joined: 29 May 2003 Posts: 118

owwwww my eyes it so ugly i cant beleave alfa put there name to it
_________________
http://www.novaload.net/features/viewfeature.php?ref=881

Rob (not an ARNA) · Guest

Alfa Romeo released the ARNA to prove that construction and durability of small Alfas COULD get worse.

And this labelling fiasco is Keith's savage revenge on the Alfa owning community (for what, I don't know)

bw · Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2003 12:36 pm Post subject:

Could be worse - wasn't there a Nissan version called the Europe that was basically the same only with Nissan badges?

Alfist · Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2003 2:19 pm Post subject:

Scott Sander · Posted: Mon Aug 11, 2003 3:05 pm Post subject:

The quote is taken from

http://www.alfaowner.com/alfaowner/mainmenu/history.htm

paddy granger · Alfa Sprint Joined: 12 Aug 2003 Posts: 248

Both the 33 and ARNA were launched in 1983 (the ARNA at Frankfurt). The 33's high market placement compared to it's Alfasud ancestor made the ARNA seem a logical move for the ailing car manufacturer to fill the lower end market gap.

Arguably the ARNA also shows traces of Ermanno Cressoni's La Linea design, as it incorporates a similar grille and front bumper design as the Series 1 33. It actually stayed in production until 1987.

lesthegringo · Alfasud Joined: 23 Jul 2003 Posts: 97

Well, at least that's one more post towards a better car..............

Les

Admin · Posted: Tue Aug 19, 2003 9:04 pm Post subject:

Hi

From the history section of this site :-

By the 1980's the Alfasud was becoming dated, with road tests becoming more damning. A new design was needed and Alfa Romeo wanted to move the vehicle up market. This resulted in the Alfa 33 which was intended be positioned above the Alfasud and below the Guilietta. To pad out the lower end of the range they entered into a joint venture with Nissan to build a variant of the Nissan Cherry. This car employed Nissan bodyshell with rear suspension and brakes and an Alfa engine, gearbox and front suspension. It was sold as either the Alfa Arna or the Nissan Cherry Europe. Nissan design and Alfa build quality combined to kill this car early in its career.

All the best

Keith