New for 2017
The Giulia is a brand-new model.
Return to Greatness
Most people think of Alfa Romeo as the company that made the car Dustin Hoffman drove in The Graduate, but true car fans know Alfa is more than that. The storied Italian carmaker recently regained a foothold in the U.S. market with the 4C sports car, and hopes to expand its presence with the all-new 2017 Giulia.
The Giulia is the sports sedan gearheads have been waiting for. It’s got dramatic styling, a poised chassis, and was built first and foremost to be a driver’s car. A special Quadrifoglio model will also pack a Ferrari-developed engine. Now that sounds like the makings of a comeback.
Powertrains and Performance
The Giulia will launch in high-performance Quadrifoglio form first, with other variants to follow. The Quadrifoglio is aimed squarely at sports sedans like the BMW M3, and comes armed for that fight with some high caliber weaponry.
Under the hood sits a twin-turbocharged 2.9-liter V6 developed with help from Ferrari. It produces an astounding 505 horsepower and 443 pound-feet of torque, making it the most powerful production Alfa Romeo engine ever. That also means this twin-turbo V6 produces as much horsepower as the 7.0-liter V8 in the recently departed Chevy Camaro Z/28. Alfa claims this gives the Quadrifoglio a best-in-class power-to-weight ratio of 7 pounds per horsepower, and weight is evenly distributed between the front and rear axles.
All of that power is harnessed by a six-speed manual transmission, and sent to the rear wheels. Alfa Romeo says the Giulia Quadrifoglio will do 0 to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds, and reach a top speed of 191 mph. It also claims the Quadrifoglio turned a 7:39 lap of the Nürburgring Nordschliefe, the infamous German racetrack that’s become a yardstick for production-car performance. That’s the fastest time ever for a production four-door sedan, according to Alfa.
After the Quadrifoglio launches in late 2016, Alfa will add other models to the Giulia lineup. So far, the carmaker has confirmed one other engine option, a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with 276 hp. All-wheel drive will also be available as an option on certain Giulia models. EPA fuel economy ratings for the entire Giulia range will be released closer to launch.
Features and Trims
The 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia is a four-door, five-seat sedan. While the Quadrifoglio is the only confirmed model so far, there will be additional trim levels aimed at lower price points, and possibly greater levels of luxury. The Quadrifoglio goes on sale later this year, and pricing will be announced closer to that time.
Alfa is pitching the Giulia as a BMW rival, and so it will come equipped with a fairly generous complement of standard features. While this exact combination of features may not be available on other models, the Quadrifoglio will come standard with LED daytime running lights, dual-zone automatic climate control, navigation system with 8.8-inch display screen, heated power front seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter, and other features.
In addition, some of the available optional features will include a cooled glove box, harman/kardon® 14-speaker premium audio system, carbon fiber Sparco racing seats, and a high-performance Brembo® carbon-ceramic brake system.
Design
The notion of emotional Italian styling always seems to be a tired cliché, until another stylish Italian car comes along. The Giulia exists in a segment dominated by German luxury brands and their restrained design language, but its looks can put sports cars to shame.
The Giulia looks like a concept car come to life; in fact it’s hard to believe a car that looks this good could really be a practical four-door. The overhangs are short and the wheel arches tighten over the 19-inch rims like well-built muscles, giving the Giulia an aggressive stance. The traditional “shield” grille and sleek headlights give the car a face that’s instantly identifiable as Alfa Romeo. The Giulia also manages an impressive 0.32 drag coefficient, thanks in part to an active front splitter.
On the inside, the Giulia is all business. An asymmetrical instrument panel puts the focus on the driver, and a Formula One-inspired three-spoke steering wheel is the perfect instrument for helming this driving machine. To give the cabin an upscale feel, Alfa splurged for plenty of real carbon fiber and aluminum trim, plus accent stitching on the leather-covered parts, including French stitching on the dashboard.
Combing the best of both worlds, the instrument cluster includes a 7.0-inch driver information display sandwiched between two white-on-black analog gauges. The Giulia also gets Alfa’s new 3D Navigation system, with an 8.8-inch display screen. This system includes “performance pages” that show vehicle data and telemetry, and is controlled through the Alfa Rotary Pad gesture recognition system. Simply moving a finger over the pad allows the driver to access different functions.
The Quadrifoglio’s standard leather and Alcantara sport seats should provide plenty of support during enthusiastic driving, but truly hardcore drivers can also opt for Sparco racing seats. They have even more aggressive bolstering than the standard seats, and their carbon-fiber shells also reduce weight.
Safety
Standard safety equipment on the 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio will include anti-lock brakes, stability and traction controls, rearview camera with dynamic gridlines, front and rear park-assist sensors, blind spot monitoring, and a full array of airbags. Optional features will include autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning, and forward collision warning.
Bottom Line
The 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia looks ready to cement Alfa’s U.S. comeback.
For more information, be sure to contact or visit us at 3Birds Template to be among the first to experience this all-new Alfa.
Image: Alfa Romeo
