Alfa Romeo are present at AutoRAI 2007 at the Amsterdam RAI Exhibition Centre this week with a full line-up of their sporty models, including the new 159 TI range, the display perfectly topped off by the Alfa 8C Spider concept car. The array of production models are all finished in glorious red paint, and they comprise the 159 TI in both sedan and Sportwagon guises, the Brera, Spider and the 147.

Alfa Romeo in The Netherlands is entering a new era with import and distribution being now managed by Alfa Romeo Nederland B.V. which is part of the Kroymans Corporation. The major structural shake-up came after a period of decline in a country that traditionally sees healthy sales for the Milanese brand. "Alfa Romeo in the Netherlands is now nearly two years on the market under the banner of Kroymanns Corporation, who have also held Ferrari for a long time," explains Han Akersloot, Alfa Romeo Nederland's Public Relations Manager who also looks after Fleetsales & Leasing.

"It was not so easy but we are doing rather well at the moment," says Han, who has been with Alfa Romeo for more than two decades. "Last year we made a plus of 28 percent compared to the year before and this year so far our sales are up 44 percent, which is quite a lot but last year was a very slow year. This year our success is mainly on the basis of a special new business deal we have made for the 159; its an extra offer, with some extra options and we adjust the price a bit to keep it under 30,000 euros which is the price bracket for business people to afford the car. Its been very good and we are doing much better."

Heading the line-up is the stunning Alfa 8C Spider, first shown a little over a year an and a half ago at the Pebble Beach Concours in California, and then last year at Ville d'Este where it scooped up the hotly-contested "Best Concept Car" award. At the Amsterdam RAI the Alfa 8C Spider concept is situated in its own 'pen' from where it has been the centre of attention. "We asked for a normal 8c but there are only two cars, now that there is the black one that was in Geneva, but they need the cars so the factory said we could have the 8C Spider, which is nice, and I think it is good that we have it here, its a little bit of a change," says Han, who is in charge of specification sales of the Alfa 8C Competizione and who is clearly enthused with passion for the brand he represents. In fact Han is a former factory Autodelta racing driver from the early 1970s.
 

When the order book for the Alfa 8C Competizione, demand was massive, and just like in other countries demand outstripped availability. "I have only 10 cars allocated, we had 71 customers, but unfortunately everyone in the world is short of 8Cs."

The Netherlands now have a racing driver who is taking part in the FIA World Touring Car Championship this year at the wheel of the factory-supported, N.Technology-run Alfa 156, and Olivier Tielemans was in Amsterdam on the Alfa Romeo stand this week to meet with his national press.

Also making an appearance at the stand was Alfa Romeo CEO Antonio Baravalle who was on hand to officially opened AutoRAI 2007 along with the Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, and Arjen de Jong, who was representing the TentoonstellingsComité. "An operational loss of two million euros per day in 2004, we have converted into a profit of five millions euros in 2006," enthused Baravalle during his opening speech.

"The newspapers and magazines now write positively about us, and that is not without reason," the Alfa Romeo boss continued during the opening ceremony, adding that Fiat expects to sell 2.8 million cars a year by 2010, of which 300,000 will be Alfa Romeos. "That figure can be reached amongst others with a series of new models, such as the Alfa Junior in 2008, the new Alfa 147 and Alfa 169 in 2009, and the Crossover in 2010. With the current and new models we will be able to reach millions of new customers," he concluded.

by Edd Ellison in Amsterdam