Alfa Romeo eyeing US

Alfa Romeo, Italy's small state-owned vehicle manufacturer, is going after the lucrative US market in sports cars. According to company officials of its US subsidiary, the company has commissioned a $350,000 marketing study of some 40 American metropolitan areas with two goals in mind: (1) to assess important locations for an expanded and efficient dealer network; (2) to accumulate ideas fro redesigning two- seaters to compete in the Porsche and Fiate category.

The company is particularly interested in the Los Angeles area.

Still prominent in Formula One big-time racing, the parent Alfa Romeo organization is also going after new down-home Italian subcompact sales. This will be accomplished through a joint venture with Nissan Motor Company of Japan. The $36 million start-up deal, to be ready by 1983, is scheduled to produce 60, 000 units a year (for Italy only), composed of Datsun chassis with Alfa Romeo engines and other Italian-made components.