Alfa Romeo Arna

Last updated

Alfa Romeo Arna
Alfa Arna.JPG
Alfa Romeo Arna three door
Overview
Manufacturer Alfa Romeo Nissan Autoveicoli S.p.A.
Production1983–1987
53,047 produced
AssemblyItaly: Pratola Serra
Body and chassis
Class Small family car (C)
Body style 3-door hatchback
5-door hatchback
Layout Longitudinal front-engine, front-wheel drive
Related Nissan Cherry Europe
Nissan Pulsar Milano
Holden Astra
Powertrain
Engine
  • 1.2 L Boxer H4
  • 1.3 L Boxer H4
  • 1.5 L Boxer H4
Transmission 5 speed manual
Dimensions
Wheelbase 2,416 mm (95.1 in)
Length4,000 mm (157.5 in)
Width1,621 mm (63.8 in)
Height1,340 mm (52.8 in)
Curb weight 850 kg (1,874 lb)
Chronology
Predecessor Alfa Romeo Alfasud Hatchback
Successor Alfa Romeo 33

The Alfa Romeo Arna (an acronym for "Alfa Romeo Nissan Autoveicoli", meaning "Alfa Romeo[-]Nissan motor vehicles", but also a female Italian name) (Type 920) is a hatchback produced by the Italian manufacturer Alfa Romeo Nissan Autoveicoli S.p.A. between 1983 and 1987. The company was founded on 9 October 1980, as a 50:50 joint venture between the Italian Alfa Romeo S.p.A. and the Japanese Nissan Motor Company. [1]

Contents

History

On 9 October 1980, Takashi Ishihara of Nissan and Alfa Romeo President Ettore Massacesi signed a memorandum in Tokyo for increased cooperation between their two firms, and revealed their intent to create a joint production venture called AR.N.A. S.p.A. (Alfa Romeo Nissan Autoveicoli). Italian Prime Minister Francesco Cossiga endorsed the deal, despite political and auto industry opposition, because he hoped to bolster the fortunes of the state owned manufacturer, which had a cult following but was losing money. [2]

The immediate priority of Alfa management, including Massacesi and managing director Corrado Innocenti was to field a competitor in the increasingly lucrative family hatchback market sector where the compact Volkswagen Golf and Lancia Delta were proving successful, and they hoped an alliance with Nissan would bring a competitive model to market faster and more cheaply.

During that period, European countries were engaging in protectionism to guard their domestic car industries, with France even banning the import of Japanese made vehicles. Working with Alfa Romeo, who controlled a respectable amount of European auto sales at the time was seen as a good hedge for Nissan and a chance to establish a foothold in the European market. [3]

Alfa Romeo Arna five door Alfa Arna 4d.JPG
Alfa Romeo Arna five door

For the joint venture, a new plant was constructed in Pratola Serra, near Naples. The body panels of the car were constructed in Japan by Nissan, then shipped to Italy for final assembly. Nissan and Alfa Romeo also engaged in a commercial cabover truck, called the Romeo and rebadged as the Nissan Trade for a short time.

The product of the relationship was launched at the 1983 Frankfurt Motor Show; the car's name was an acronym meaning Alfa Romeo Nissan Autoveicoli. The Arna was largely based on the N12 series Nissan Pulsar / Nissan Cherry but featured Alfa Romeo engines carried over from the Alfasud, as well as an Alfa transmission, steering, front brakes and front suspension.

It did however use an independent rear suspension and rear brakes from Nissan. The Arna was also briefly marketed as the Nissan Cherry Europe in the United Kingdom and Spain. Italian built cars badged as Nissan Cherry Europe can be readily identified by their rear lighting clusters, which match those of the Arna rather than the Japanese built Cherry.

Alfa Romeo Arna Ti Interior 2011 NEC Classic Car Show Alfa Romeo Arna DSC 2212.jpg
Alfa Romeo Arna Ti Interior

Although no variants of the Italian built Arna were ever sold in Japan, a domestic version of the N12 Nissan Pulsar, labelled the Nissan Pulsar Milano X1, made use of the Alfa Romeo connection in its publicity and was fitted with the same black and green interior as the Arna Ti or Cherry Europe GTi. The model was entirely N12 based, though, and featured the usual transversely mounted the infamous Nissan E engine. [4]

While British Leyland and Honda had a limited partnership in the United Kingdom at that time, the Nissan and Alfa Romeo alliance was the first of its kind between a European and Japanese automaker with joint investment into manufacturing and development. It was feared by the European Economic Community and ironically, Alfa's future parent Fiat, that the success of this partnership would create a Trojan horse, enabling Japanese automakers to compete "unfairly" in Europe, and thereby take sales away from other European auto-makers. [3]

However, such fears were quickly allayed upon the Arna's release when it became obvious that the Arna exhibited the worst qualities of each of its parents. [5] The Arna featured tempestuous mechanicals, rust prone bodywork and indifferent build quality courtesy of Alfa Romeo, [6] married to a Nissan body of questionable build and frumpy, box like styling, with insipid handling common to Japanese cars of the time. [7]

This mismatch of technical strengths served to kill the sales of the Arna very rapidly. As the car gained a reputation for poor build quality and questionable reliability, sales of the Nissan badged Cherry Europe sister car also nosedived, as loyal Nissan customers shunned it in favour of the "genuine" Japanese built Cherry instead.

By 1986, Alfa Romeo's parent company, the Italian government owned Istituto per la Ricostruzione Industriale was suffering from heavy losses, and IRI president Romano Prodi put Alfa Romeo up for sale, with Fiat ultimately emerging as the new owner of Alfa. Fiat's first decision was to cease Arna production owing to its poor reputation and poor sales, and to terminate the unsuccessful Alfa Romeo Nissan alliance. Production ceased in 1987, with Fiat intending to strengthen the competitiveness of the Alfa Romeo 33 as Alfa's entry in that segment. By this time, Nissan had set up a European operation of its own at Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK in Sunderland, which became hugely successful.

Models

Engine of Alfa Romeo Arna 1.5 Ti. 2011 NEC Classic Car Show Alfa Romeo Arna DSC 2210.jpg
Engine of Alfa Romeo Arna 1.5 Ti.

The Arna was initially sold as a three-door L and a five-door SL, and was fitted with the Alfasud 1.2 boxer engine (63 PS). In 1984, a three-door TI version, with an 86 PS (63 kW; 85 hp) 1.3-litre boxer four engine, was introduced, which was capable of reaching a top speed of 170 km/h (106 mph). In November 1984 (model year 1985) came a more powerful 1.2 engine in the same trim configurations with 68 PS (50 kW; 67 hp), while there were no external differences there were light alterations to the interior. [8]

Later, there were also some TI trim cars built with 1.5-litre engines, sold also as the Nissan Cherry Europe GTI. [9] The more powerful 1.5 TI/Cherry GTI had a top speed of 175 km/h (109 mph). [10] The TI version was discontinued halfway through 1986.

Engines

EngineModelEngine codeDisplacement (cc)ConfigurationMax power PS (kW)Max torqueTop speedAcceleration 0 to 100 km/h (0-62 mph) (s)Availability
1,2L/LSAS 3051 186 Flat-4 63 (46) at 6,000 rpm88 N⋅m (65 lb⋅ft) at 2,000 rpm155 km/h (96 mph)1983/84
1,2L/LSAS 3051 186 Flat-4 68 (50) at 6,000 rpm92 N⋅m (68 lb⋅ft) at 2,000 rpm156 km/h (97 mph)14,11984/87
1,4TIAS 3000061 351 Flat-4 71 (52) at 5,800 rpm107 N⋅m (79 lb⋅ft) at 3,000 rpm156 km/h (97 mph)1983/84
1,4TIAS 310101 351 Flat-4 86 (63) at 5,800 rpm121 N⋅m (89 lb⋅ft) at 4,000 rpm173 km/h (107 mph)1984/86
1,5TIAS 310161 490 Flat-4 95 (70) at 5,800 rpm133 N⋅m (98 lb⋅ft) at 4,000 rpm175 km/h (109 mph)1984/87

Source: [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alfa Romeo</span> Italian automotive manufacturer

Alfa Romeo Automobiles S.p.A. is an Italian luxury car manufacturer and a subsidiary of Stellantis Italy. It was founded on 24 June 1910 in Milan, Italy, as A.L.F.A., an acronym for Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili. The brand is known for sport-oriented vehicles and has been involved in car racing since 1911. As of 2023 it is a subsidiary of the multinational automotive manufacturing corporation Stellantis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hot hatch</span> Faster version of a mass-produced hatchback car

A hot hatch is a fast version of a hatchback car. The term originated in the mid-1980s; however, faster factory versions of hatchbacks have been produced since the 1970s. A front-mounted engine that uses petrol for fuel, together with front-wheel drive, is the most common powertrain layout, however all-wheel drive has become more commonly used since around 2010. Most hot hatches are of European or Asian origin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Front-wheel drive</span> Automotive transmission where the engine drives the front wheels only

Front-wheel drive (FWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, in which the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel-drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longitudinal engine arrangement generally found in rear-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive vehicles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alfa Romeo 33</span> Small family car produced by the Italian automaker Alfa Romeo

The Alfa Romeo 33 is a small family car produced by the Italian automaker Alfa Romeo between 1983 and 1995. From a mechanical standpoint it was essentially an evolution of its predecessor, the Alfasud, whose floorpan, chassis and drivetrain were carried over—albeit with modifications to the suspension and braking system. The Nissan-based Alfa Romeo Arna was launched shortly after, offering a similarly sized but lower priced car.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nissan Sunny</span> Car model

The Nissan Sunny is an automobile built by the Japanese automaker Nissan from 1966 to 2006. In the early 1980s, the brand changed from Datsun to Nissan in line with other models by the company. Although production of the Sunny in Japan ended in 2006, the name remains in use in China and GCC countries for a rebadged version of the Nissan Almera.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nissan Pulsar</span> Motor vehicle

The Nissan Pulsar is a line of automobiles produced by the Japanese automaker Nissan from 1978 until 2000, when it was replaced by the Nissan Bluebird Sylphy in the Japanese market.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nissan Tiida</span> Motor vehicle

The Nissan Tiida is a compact car produced by the Japanese manufacturer Nissan from 2004 to 2023 through three generations. Depending on the market, the Tiida was also marketed as a subcompact car, particularly in the Americas for the first-generation model as the Nissan Versa. The first-generation model (C11) was produced up to 2018 in some markets, and was offered as a four-door sedan and a five-door hatchback.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alfa Romeo Alfasud</span> Motor vehicle

The Alfa Romeo Alfasud is a small family car manufactured and marketed from 1971 to 1989 by Alfa Romeo as a front-engine, four-door, five-passenger entry-level model over a single generation — with facelifts in 1977 and 1980. There was also a two-door sedan, only available in "ti" trim. Alfa Romeo subsequently introduced a three-door wagon variant, the Giardinetta (1975); two-door coupé, the Alfasud Sprint (1976); three-door hatchback (1981) and finally the five-door hatchback (1982).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alfa Romeo 145 and 146</span> Small family cars produced by Alfa Romeo

The Alfa Romeo 145 and the Alfa Romeo 146 are small family cars produced by Italian automobile manufacturer Alfa Romeo between 1994 and 2000. The 145 is a three-door hatchback and was launched at the 1994 Turin Motor Show, while the 146 is a five-door hatchback, launched in 1995 to replace the Alfa Romeo 33.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alfa Romeo Boxer engine</span> Reciprocating internal combustion engine

The Alfa Romeo Boxer engine was a water-cooled flat-4 piston engine developed by Alfa Romeo for front-wheel drive, longitudinal applications. It debuted on the Alfasud, which was introduced in 1971 at the Turin Motor Show. In the following decades the Boxer went through several upgrades and powered many Alfa Romeo front-wheel drive cars up to 1996. In 1997 it was phased out and replaced by the transversely-mounted Twin Spark engines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alfa Romeo Sprint</span> Motor vehicle

The Alfa Romeo Alfasud Sprint is a boxer-engined coupé produced by the Italian manufacturer Alfa Romeo from 1976 to 1989, and based on the Alfa Romeo Alfasud. 116,552 units of the Alfasud Sprint and Sprint were built in total. The Sprint was sold in Europe, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Automotive industry in Italy</span> Overview of the automotive industry in Italy

The automotive industry in Italy is a quite large employer in the country, it had over 2,131 firms and employed almost 250,000 people in 2006. Italy's automotive industry is best known for its automobile designs and small city cars, sports and supercars. The automotive industry makes a contribution of 8.5% to Italian GDP.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dodge Hornet (concept car)</span> American mini MPV concept

The Dodge Hornet is a concept car mini MPV designed and developed by Dodge and revealed in 2006. Dodge's first attempt at building a car this small, the car was expected to be released in 2010, but following the 2009 financial crisis and the restructuring of the Chrysler Group, the concept was dropped.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alfa Romeo Giulietta (2010)</span> Italian compact hatchback

The Alfa Romeo Giulietta is a hatchback manufactured and marketed by Alfa Romeo, as a 5-door subcompact executive car. Production started near the end of 2009 and the model was introduced at the March 2010 Geneva Motor Show. The Giulietta placed second in the 2011 European Car of the Year awards. Between 2010 and 2019, production reached over 400,000. In 2020, Alfa Romeo announced that they were going to axe the Giulietta and production ended on 22 December 2020 spanning 10 years of sales from a period of 2010 to 2020. In total 469,067 examples were produced until 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nissan Cherry</span> Motor vehicle

The Datsun Cherry (チェリー), known later as the Nissan Cherry, was a series of subcompact cars which formed Nissan's first front-wheel drive supermini model line.

1983 in motoring deals with developments in the automotive industry throughout 1983 by various automobile manufacturers, grouped by country. The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles, and is one of the Earth's most important economic sectors by revenue.

The article 1985 in motoring deals with developments in the automotive industry throughout the year 1985 by various automobile manufacturers, grouped by country. The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles. The first practical automobile with a petrol engine was built by Karl Benz in 1885 in Mannheim, Germany.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nissan Sylphy</span> Motor vehicle

The Nissan Sylphy is a compact car produced by the Japanese car maker Nissan since 2000 as the successor to the Nissan Pulsar. The Sylphy has also been marketed in export markets under several other nameplates, including Pulsar, Almera, Sunny and Sentra. For the third-generation model (B17) introduced in 2012, the Sylphy model was merged with the B17 Sentra, meaning it is no longer a standalone model.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alfa Romeo Pomigliano d'Arco plant</span>

The Alfa Romeo Pomigliano d'Arco plant, commonly called simply Stellantis Pomigliano, is an automotive assembly plant now owned by Stellantis, officially known as the Giambattista Vico Plant since 2008, in memory of the Neapolitan philosopher. The plant, originally designed and constructed in 1968 by Alfa Romeo, is located largely in the town of Pomigliano d'Arco, and partially in the town of Acerra, employing roughly 6,000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AutoRAI</span>

The Amsterdam International Motor Show or AutoRAI was a motor show that took place every two years in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The history of the AutoRAI goes back to 1893, when the bicycle exhibition was established. The first RAI exhibition was organised there in 1895.

References

  1. "Ital signs deal with Nissan". Montreal Gazette. 22 September 1980. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
  2. "Alfa Venture". The Age. Retrieved 19 August 2012.
  3. 1 2 "Now it's Nissan-Alfa in Italy". Ottawa Citizen. Associated Press. Retrieved 19 August 2012.
  4. "1986 Nissan Pulsar 3Door Hatchback 1500 Milano X1 (up to May 1986 for Japan ) specs review". Automobile-catalog.com. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
  5. "MSN Cars 'Top ten disastrous cars'". Archived from the original on 21 November 2006.
  6. "Alfa Romeo gallery". Auto Express. Archived from the original on 24 February 2015. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  7. "Alfa Romeo Arna". motorbase.com. Archived from the original on 3 April 2008. Retrieved 18 March 2008.
  8. Mastrostefano, Raffaele, ed. (January 1985). "Ora corre con qualche cavallo in più" [Now running with a few more horses]. Quattroruote (in Italian). Milan, Italy: Editoriale Domus. 30 (351): 82–83.
  9. "ARNA". alfasud.alfisti.net. Archived from the original on 18 November 2007. Retrieved 29 October 2007.
  10. "1985 Alfa Romeo Arna 1.5 Ti". carfolio.com. Retrieved 29 October 2007.
  11. ultimatespecs.com