The All New Alfa Romeo Giulia...and the falling Ringgit

Alfa Romeo has just launched the Giulia. It looks like a cross between something German and a  Lexus RC-F matched to a wonderful looking slant eyed front end. The German I am mentioning is the BMW 3 Series as if you took a look at the C pillar/rear doors, that BMW-ish Hoffmeister kink is there. I think it does look all angry and all. Like how an Alfa should be. But I think it could look a little more adventurous than what it is today.

But that noise. Like any V6 Alfa Romeo that came before it, the new Giulia has an engine that snorts like a hound from hell. Or a trumpet from heaven. Your pick. I don't care. It sounds simply fabulous from the video I am sharing with you here. The Giulia Quadrifoglio version which you see in the vid, has an all-aluminum 510 HP 3.0-liter twin turbo V6 tuned by Ferrari engineers and most probably based on the engine that is fitted in the Maserati Ghibli. As is tha chassis, a Ghibli made into a Giulia. .0 - 100kmh in 3.9 seconds.

The main problem I have with this car is that there is no official Alfa Romeo distributors here. The second problem is that the V6 sounds so great that even if there were an agent here it will cost RM450,000 minimum. I think it will cost this much because it is an Alfa based on a Maserati. The Ghibli sells here from around RM538,000. The third problem is that since it is based on the Maserati, servicing one could also be Maserati prices. This means that if you have been a fan of Alfa Romeo in Malaysia, these new Alfa Romeo are not the 'affordable' machines that most can afford.

Anyway, we have another problem. The falling Ringgit. Instead of costing RM450,000 as I am predicting, the Alfa Romeo Giulia may cost a billion Ringgit. Like the currency of Zimbabwe. Where a whole chicken can cost a truckload of paper. This is what happens when foreign investment is pulled out due to lack of confidence with the Government of Malaysia. Or the country as a whole. Why is it that way? A lot of nonsense but mostly RM42billion worth of 1MDB. The reason is simple, a government has been cheated or duped out of 'investing' billions of Ringgit. How much confidence would investors have if a government can be seen to have been cheated by some people?

Whether this is the whole truth, half truth or lies. It does not matter. Confidence levels get hit and right now people are pulling their investments out of Malaysia which is why the Ringgit is losing its value. When there is less interest in a country, the currency demand is less. Oversupply with little demand creates a deflation in value of the currency. But for most Malaysians, expect inflation when buying imported products. Could someone wake up the powers that be so that affirmative action is taken more quickly instead of caring more about dress codes in Government buildings and pasar malam? Wake up lah. Heads should be rolling. Instead of keeping inept people and getting them to try solve the problem, call in some professional clean up crews will you?

And folks. The mismanagement of funds will actually curtail my desire for an Alfa Romeo Giulia. Even though my loins ache for it so badly, that ache may never be satisfied. Aside from the first three reasons of course!