Lokhu kushiwo nguSergio Marchionne, oyisikhulu esiphezulu kwaFiat neChrysler. Balandeli abathandekayo nabahlonishwayo be-Alfa Romeo, i-cuore sportivo isibuyile.
Bengivele ngihlanganyele nawe ngokuba “u-Alfista”, akuyona into entsha. Abaningi benu bangihlekise ngami - ngoba endleleni eya emcimbini lapho i-Razão Automóvel ibambe iqhaza khona, iqembu lehla ku-A1 ngemuva kokuthi i-Alfa 166 yami ikhumbule ukucisha, noma ngenxa yokuthi “abakhiqizi abahamba phambili amaJalimane namaJapani… amaKorea namaShayina kanye nama-Afrika (ingabe akhona?)”… empeleni, wonke umuntu wayekujabulela. Bathola ukuthi ngakusasa ngamnika ukhiye wafona…kuze kube namuhla. I-odometer isivele inezinkulungwane ezingaphezu kuka-320 ezibaliwe futhi amaBMW 320d amaningi kanye ne-C220cdi ashiywe ngemuva…futhi cha, awazange amiswe…Phambili.
Lena enye yezindaba enginibhalela yona ngokujabula okungasile nokwengane, ngicishe ngifane nengane ethathwe i-pacifier usuku lonke manje ibuyiselwe. Yeka isenzo esibi leso, umntwana udabukile, uyakhala futhi akaqondi ukuthi kungani ngokusobala bamlimaza. Yilokho engangikuzwa njengomuntu othanda uhlobo lwesiNtaliyane. Sekuyiminyaka sizulazula nge-mayonesi yenjini engenamphefumulo. Ukuba ne-Alfa kwakuwukuba ne-Fiat ebiza kakhudlwana kanye nokunye okwengeziwe okumbalwa...i-BMW noma i-Mercedes yayidlula futhi umshayeli wayengasawuzwa lowomuzwa wokuthi “ngehlukile, ngine-Alfa”, kwakufana nokuthi “ngine 'ngihlukile, ngoba yimi ngedwa elifuna ukufana nalo, kodwa akunjalo". Ukudlala nomphefumulo we-Alfas weminyaka yamuva kushiya okuningi okufanele ufise, kimina ngingu-"Alfista" ngendlela yami futhi angikaze ngibe ngumthandi oyimpumputhe womkhiqizo.
Manje konke kubukeka kubheke kwelinye icala, iFiat ifuna ukubuyisela i-Alfa Romeo ezinsukwini zayo zenkazimulo. USergio Marchionne, ekugcineni! Esitatimendeni esithunyelwe kwabezindaba, i-CEO ye-Fiat ne-Chrysler, yathi kwakudingeka ukuxazulula inkinga enkulu yamamodeli wamanje we-Alfa Romeo: "Ukuba nezinjini ezifanele uphawu lwe-Alfa Romeo". Abasiza kule nqubo yokuthungatha umphefumulo olahlekile kuzoba uFerrari noMaserati abahamba phambili. Zilungiselele, kubukeka sengathi i-Alfa Romeo izobuyela ezinsukwini zayo zodumo futhi imizamo ngokuhlanganyela izoqala enyangeni nje.
Umbhalo: Diogo Teixeira