It might not be very long before Alfa Romeo gets a new distributor in Malaysia – the brand, which is currently in limbo in terms of official distribution, may find a new home with DRB-Hicom.
Reports suggest that DRB-Hicom is negotiating to take up the franchise for the Italian brand here following its parting of ways with Sime Darby Auto Italia (SDAI), which announced last week that it had voluntarily relinquished the distribution rights for the brand in the country.
Discussions are reportedly underway between the two parties, and the move to bring Alfa into the fold follows on previous speculation that DRB-Hicom was looking to add Fiat to its brand portfolio in the country – that, however, has been going around for a bit now. The reports also add that there was also interest in Alfa from the people behind the Lamborghini distribution here, but that Fiat is viewing DRB-Hicom as a better suitor.
Last year, a total of 38 imported CBU Alfas were registered in Malaysia, and in 2013, only 18 units were sold up to August, according to Malaysian Automotive Association data – hardly stirring numbers, indeed.
Rebadge Alfa Romeo after taking? Proton + Alfa Romeo = Promeo ~~~~ better dont
maybe brera or this giuletta will be the next neo..who knows..
Alfa has no RV at all. If you are stupid, or you are a former K5 buyer, you will buy this trash. Parts cost like Ferrari prices.
Peep into any Alfa, you see low life punks driving it. No money also but want Italian gaya. then go to Singapore like a failure and source for parts.
Alfa is meeting the same fate as Fiat. In the pipeline are Renault, Citroen and Skoda.
My Camri “kuai tai” on the road and cause me an accident last night. I had a broken leg, broken neck & arm. Luckily i’m still alive to write this message. I’m really regret now, should have listen to my sifu sam69 to buy kimchi. Toiyota really tak boleh pakai. No VSC, 2 airbag n 4speed. Now I want sell my camri but KIA are not accepting trade in for camri anymore, so i ma go hyundai they only offer me 20% after 1 year usage. I have no choice but to sell it off so that I have money to fix my broken leg, broken arm & neck. I’m really so Hilux now. Seriously yo.
This car has no RV. No hope car for no hope and lazy people. Even Vios is better RV than this car after 1 year
If you talk about reliability.
I agree with you.
Toyota & Honda is very reliable, less prone to defect and malfunction like others.
But, dont say RV.
RV is a gambling.
Who know what Goverment do next?? RV can be affected anytime.
Who know the Perodua suddenly launch a fresh new and fuel sving Sedan too?
Not only Vios, All other sedan immediately would have NO RV.
take an example. Almera is enough to kill alot of RM80k car range’s RV..
Altough U may say Japanese still having the highest RV. but, the drop is big and sudden yet unexpected.
My advice: Buy a Toyota Vios is a good choice. Gambling over RV is not smart though.
You are No.1 Sorhai Tai Lan Ngong who buy a Fugly Toiyota vios with No VSC and 2 airbags. Not to mention 10 year old dino engine. Given you 99% RV back, I worried you have no 2nd LIFE to spend it.
My advice: Buy a KIA/Hyundai is a good choice, fully equip with safety features/VSC. Gambling over LIFE is not smart though.
I will want to see your hailat face when you trade in your hailat K5 to my boss Sam after one year. he will probably take 30% of your buying price. You pray 20x a day .
Waa. Sam69 aka fake Sam..
He didnt say he support buy vios because of High RV..
if you dont understand::: make it clear:
He dont Support RV Saying.
Why you butthurt?
He didnt say buy Kia/Hyundai is bad choice..
He just say Vios – good = reliable.
but dont buy if u think because it got good RV.
Such an Extremist Sam69.
Such a Looser Sam69.
Hyundai Elantra got no VSC for base spec.
Kia Forte? Outdated.
I am getting Prius C RM90k.
7 airbags +
VSC +
Traction Control for slippery road.
( your Kia/Hyundai dont have traction control).
Which car give u 7 airbags below RM100k?
and it gives me 21km/L.
belum beli sudah fikir mau jual.
Hi Sam,
With due respect to you can you define ‘lazy people ‘ in relation to Alfas ??
Cunning & conniving people make money sell car!
Do you see any audi model being rebadge to proton? they are also under same group. so, not all brand under drb-hicom will be partner to proton…
In this age of rising fuel & toll prices , not forgetting water level (floods) too ,
sentimental values alone will not save alfa romeo
After Sime took over, Alfas were sold at crazy sky-high price. The sale figures in this article basically show consumers’ gesture of asking Sime to **** off.
Slime Dumby: Developing Sustainable Futures…
Developing and Sustaining for their future profits only
nothing come cheap when it involves with sime darby…cut throat company..
agreed….look at their housing projects…
I ve to agree with you.. Getting greedy.. How many people drive an afla nowadays anyway? Any Alfa Romeo owners here? Pleasa give some comments.
There are many car drivers out on the roads and Alfa drivers , which one are you ? take the cue !
i think its also time for alfa to make cars that you would consider over a BMW….
Alfa 4C, maybe? Definitely over a Z4…
doesn’t come with a manual. so boxster for me.
Can’t wait for Alfa Romeo rebadge model come out from PROTON ‘production’
You will soon realized whatever crab you buy in Malaysia will be from Mokhtar…when they days come, your car price will not fall in your live time…
thy hav to ckd if thy really hav da heart to b successful..
any smart businessman wont take this brand,
unless u willing throw money into sea,
It is distributor crap, not the brand and car crap.
Get your fact right dude.
It’s not a bad car…..it’s an image problem. The car is literally a rebadged FIAT. The Italians themselves are pissed with this fact.
DRB, you’d better beef up your Euromobil and improve Audi brand/service first before doing anything else. The result will be equally the same (with Sime Darby) if your service level is not improved! *sigh*
Oh great news! Can’t wait for Proton 159 to be launched…or maybe they will call it proton mahkotar?
My understanding is the Alfa 159 is built on a premium GM chasis. Impossible for DRB to use this to build a cheaper rebadged variant.
DRB Hicom lagi? gitu je lah.. kalau tak DRB, NAZA sapu.. Adoi..
The beauty of cronyism. :)
Well…..Sime Darby or any company for that matter….They have to put profit first. Sime Darby had to cut losses and give up Alfa because sales are very low. What Cronyism are you talking about DRB, Naza, Sime Darby are in the industry who else are willing to take up the franchise if you have money and dare to gamble take la Alfa dealership. Its not like those days in the 70s & 80s continental car rule the streets. Since Japanese make too over only a handful continental make survive namely Volvo, Mercedes Benz, BMW and Ford. Time and tested….
Mott
Another Cronyism take over in Malaysia. Its so common nowadays. Dont ever hope to have a lower car price in a very near future.
Dapatkan, Ranapkan, Binasakan = DRB. Just like all the past businesses that failed. Only thrive on monopolistic ventures with public aid even then eventually kapoot. (Kedah Cement, Air Asia, Citroen, Chevrolet, Ssanyong etc. etc.) Others have to step in to save the day. Go focus on what you have and make it work. Greed will make you worse off. Wanna see how many 3S centres DRB will set up to support Alfa customers. Alfa confirmed DEAD, twice!!!
I stay in Seri Kembangan.. Can’t see one Alfa here till today.. Takde harapan punya kereta.. If not mistaken the company also not doing very well.. Tunggu masa saja.. Anything from Italy all expensive.. Even craps.. Even a cup of coffee..
159 is the best looking sedan among its class and among other classes too…it is a shame that malaysian avoid it just because of RV and reliability…
I have a 159 and am totally happy with it. No complaints whatsoever, and the best driving experience for me.
Yup, so far.. Alfa is the most sentimental piece of toy, yes, is a toy.. We don’t treat it as car or so call transport.. We own it because of the fun…
Go join the fun ride on the italiaauto TT section, you will know what I’m taking about..
Yo Alfa Romeo haters! Most of you guys whom bash AR cars have not even had the privilege of sitting in one, let alone owning one. Most of you bashers can’t afford its maintenance and you know it, so you spread sour grapes seedlings everywhere. You know what makes an AR fan. We love our cars, and we treat them like our lovers and we don’t talk about RV like you misers! I have an AR 155 manual, then added a 156 Selespeed. But the Selespeed kept giving issues so I converted it into a manual unit for added reliability. I probably spent more than RM100k on both the AR’s maintenance and modifications over the last decade. Now, that’s what you call passion. And yeah, I do have a back-up family SUV in the form of Toyota Harrier that is uber-reliable and never-breaks-down. But on a very stressed day, it’s the 155/156 that I take out for a spin!
agreed with alfa romeo 156 it is always about passions. people who doesn’t own it seemed to know better.
Hi Anthony,
Do you have any updates or inside scoops for this article? Thinking of looking for an Alpha but without an official distributer will not make life easier with this car.
Thanks,
Unfortunately, there has been no news so far on the Alfa – or for that matter, the Fiat – front.