Alfa Romeo Arna

Alfa Romeo Arna

Alfa Romeo Arna 3-door
Overview
Manufacturer Alfa Romeo Nissan Autoveicoli S.p.A.
Production 1983–1987
53,047 produced
Assembly Pratola Serra, Italy
Body and chassis
Class Small family car (C)
Body style 3-door hatchback
5-door hatchback
Layout 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)
Length 4,000 mm (157.5 in)
Width 1,621 mm (63.8 in)
Height 1,340 mm (52.8 in)
Curb weight 850 kg (1,874 lb)
Chronology
Predecessor Alfa Romeo Alfasud
Successor Alfa Romeo 33

The Alfa Romeo Arna (Type 920) is a small family car 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]

History

On October 9, 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 quicker 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 5-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.

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 essentially a twin of the N12 series Nissan Pulsar / Nissan Cherry (also known as the Nissan Cherry Europe in selected European markets and the Nissan Pulsar Milano in Japan), but featured Alfa Romeo engines carried over from the Alfasud, as well as an Alfa transmission and front suspension. It did however use an independent rear suspension from Nissan. 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.

While British Leyland and Honda had a limited partnership in the United Kingdom at that time, the Nissan-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 be a Trojan horse for Japanese automakers to unfairly compete in Europe and decimate the European automotive manufacturing industry.[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.[4] The Arna featured tempestuous mechanicals and indifferent build quality courtesy of Alfa Romeo,[5] married to a Nissan body of questionable build and frumpy styling, with insipid handling common to Japanese cars of the time.[6] This mismatch of technical strengths served to kill the sales of the Arna very rapidly.

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.

Models

The Arna was initially sold as a 3-door L and a 5-door SL and was fitted with the Alfasud 1.2 boxer engine (63 PS). In 1984, a 3-door TI version, with an 86 PS (63 kW; 85 hp) 1.3 litre boxer-four engine, was introduced, which was capable of reaching 170 km/h (110 mph) top speed. 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.[7] Later, there were also some TI trim cars built with 1.5 litre engines, sold also as the Nissan Cherry Europe GTI.[8] The more powerful 1.5 TI/Cherry GTI had a top speed of 175 km/h (109 mph).[9] The TI version was discontinued halfway through 1986.

Engines

Engine Type Displacement Power
1.2flat-41,186 cc (72.4 cu in)63 PS (46 kW; 62 hp) or 68 PS (50 kW; 67 hp) at 6,000 rpm
1.4flat-41,350 cc (82 cu in)71 PS (52 kW; 70 hp) or 86 PS (63 kW; 85 hp) at 5,800 rpm
1.5flat-41,490 cc (91 cu in)95 PS (70 kW; 94 hp)

Today

In June 2000 (when Jeremy Clarkson famously blew one up on Clarkson's Car Years), it was reported that only 340 Alfa Romeo Arnas were still registered with the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency in United Kingdom.

As of July 2015, there are only two Arnas registered in the United Kingdom, both with SORNs, meaning that they are no longer legally driven on public highways.[10]

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. ↑ "MSN Cars 'Top ten disastrous cars'". Archived from the original on 2006-11-21.
  5. ↑ "Alfa Romeo gallery". autoexpress.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-02-11.
  6. ↑ "Alfa Romeo Arna". motorbase.com. Archived from the original on 3 April 2008. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
  7. ↑ 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.
  8. ↑ "ARNA". alfasud.alfisti.net. Archived from the original on 18 November 2007. Retrieved 2007-10-29.
  9. ↑ "1985 Alfa Romeo Arna 1.5 Ti". carfolio.com. Retrieved 2007-10-29.
  10. ↑ "ALFA ROMEO ARNA". howmanyleft.co.uk. Retrieved 2011-06-28.
« previous — Alfa Romeo car timeline, 1980s–present
Type 1980s 1990s 2000s 2010s
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Supermini MiTo
Small family car Arna 145
Alfasud 33 146 147 Giulietta (940)
Compact executive car Giulietta (116) 75/Milano 155 156 159 Giulia (952)
Executive car Alfetta 90 164 166
Alfa 6
Coupé Sprint GT
GTV and GTV6 GTV (916) Brera
Spider Spider (105/115) Spider (916) Spider (939)
Sports car SZ 8C Competizione 4C
RZ 8C Spider 4C Spider
Crossover SUV Stelvio
Racing car 179/182/183T/184T/185T GTV, GTV6 75 Turbo SZ Trophy 155 GTA
155 V6 TI		 GTV Cup 156 D2/
GTA S2000		 147 Cup
147 GTA Cup
LCV F11/F12/A11/A12 AR6
AR8
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