Photo: Alfa Romeo
FCA sure did its best to create as much hype around its new mid-sized sedan called Giulia, and it worked. The thing is, that was happening a few good months ago, and the launch of this new very important model had to go through a few setbacks, but it's finally here and it looks as elegant as ever in this new dark blue paint coat.
Alfa Romeo wanted to make it very clear right from the off that Giulia is all about sportiness, with a touch of added elegance, and just by looking at its design, you can tell this car was made to go fast. That won't always be the case (it comes with underwhelming diesel engines as well, but more on that later), but when it will, it'll look nothing short of stunning.
We could beat around the bush and talk about a lot of things, but we know what we're all here for: the 510hp 2.9-liter BiTurbo gasoline engine lurking under the hood of the Quadrifoglio version. The press release says it was inspired by Ferrari technology and technical skills and, for once, that isn't just empty marketing talk. With a block entirely cast in aluminum, the six-cylinder engine was built to minimize the load on the front axle and reduce the car's overall weight, while also making sure the dynamic performances are not neglected. And with the 510 hp and 600 Nm (442 lb-ft) on offer, it can push the mid-sized sedan from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.9 seconds and on to a maximum speed of 307 km/h (190 mph).
Surprisingly enough for an engine with this kind of power-to-displacement ratio, it's not all about the performances. The 2.9-liter BiTurbo is going to be a benchmark in class in terms of emissions as well, with 198 g/km of CO2 when mated to the six-speed manual transmission. Fuel efficiency doesn't get an exact quote, but Alfa Romeo promises decent figures thanks to a cylinder deactivation system.
But since power is nothing without control, the engineers focused on offering the Giulia the perfect weight distribution by carefully managing the materials used and where they went in the car. And it's not just the distribution of the weight that received plenty of attention but also the weight itself. With the help of a series of smart solutions and light materials (carbon fiber driveshaft, aluminum engine block, and suspensions), the engineers managed to give the 2.2-liter 180 hp diesel version of Giulia a dry weight of 1,374 kg (3,029 lb). However, Alfa Romeo insists this was not achieved by compromising on the car's rigidity or its acoustic insulation.
The Quadrifoglio version sees even more use of lightweight materials, with its hood, roof and front splitter made out of carbon fiber, while its doors and wheel arches are all aluminum. Other optionally fitted equipment further reduces the weight such as the ceramic brakes or the sports seats with carbon fiber frame. The result is a car with 510 hp, five seats and a sizeable trunk that only weighs 1,524 kg (3,360 lb).
The rest of the Giulia lineup consists of two four-cylinder engines, one running on gasoline and the other on diesel. The first has a 2.0-liter displacement and a total power output rated at 200 hp and 330 Nm (243 lb-ft), and just like the 2.9-liter BiTurbo, it's made out of aluminum. In fact, that's a bit of leitmotif throughout Giulia's entire engine range, as the same can be said about the 2.2-liter diesel. This unit comes with two power stages, the first stopping at 150 hp while the second goes all the way up to 180 hp. Why Alfa chose to develop 2.2-liter engines instead of 2.0-liter is anyone's guess, but the power-to-displacement ratio isn't that good (there are 2.0-liter engines that go well over the 180 hp mark). In the end, though, it doesn't really matter. Whoever buys this car with diesel engines deserves his miserable fate.
The Giulia will also serve as a support for a lot of new or already existing technologies that we won't bore you with. Suffice to say that it will be on par with the rest of the modern crop of mid-sized sedans regarding its level of gadgetry, and if you want to know more, you can have a look at the press release below.
The new Giulia will be available to order starting this April in three trim levels - Giulia, Super, and Quadrifoglio. The only real question that still needs answering has to do with the Giulia's price, but we'll know all about that as well shortly.
We could beat around the bush and talk about a lot of things, but we know what we're all here for: the 510hp 2.9-liter BiTurbo gasoline engine lurking under the hood of the Quadrifoglio version. The press release says it was inspired by Ferrari technology and technical skills and, for once, that isn't just empty marketing talk. With a block entirely cast in aluminum, the six-cylinder engine was built to minimize the load on the front axle and reduce the car's overall weight, while also making sure the dynamic performances are not neglected. And with the 510 hp and 600 Nm (442 lb-ft) on offer, it can push the mid-sized sedan from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in just 3.9 seconds and on to a maximum speed of 307 km/h (190 mph).
Surprisingly enough for an engine with this kind of power-to-displacement ratio, it's not all about the performances. The 2.9-liter BiTurbo is going to be a benchmark in class in terms of emissions as well, with 198 g/km of CO2 when mated to the six-speed manual transmission. Fuel efficiency doesn't get an exact quote, but Alfa Romeo promises decent figures thanks to a cylinder deactivation system.
But since power is nothing without control, the engineers focused on offering the Giulia the perfect weight distribution by carefully managing the materials used and where they went in the car. And it's not just the distribution of the weight that received plenty of attention but also the weight itself. With the help of a series of smart solutions and light materials (carbon fiber driveshaft, aluminum engine block, and suspensions), the engineers managed to give the 2.2-liter 180 hp diesel version of Giulia a dry weight of 1,374 kg (3,029 lb). However, Alfa Romeo insists this was not achieved by compromising on the car's rigidity or its acoustic insulation.
The Quadrifoglio version sees even more use of lightweight materials, with its hood, roof and front splitter made out of carbon fiber, while its doors and wheel arches are all aluminum. Other optionally fitted equipment further reduces the weight such as the ceramic brakes or the sports seats with carbon fiber frame. The result is a car with 510 hp, five seats and a sizeable trunk that only weighs 1,524 kg (3,360 lb).
The rest of the Giulia lineup consists of two four-cylinder engines, one running on gasoline and the other on diesel. The first has a 2.0-liter displacement and a total power output rated at 200 hp and 330 Nm (243 lb-ft), and just like the 2.9-liter BiTurbo, it's made out of aluminum. In fact, that's a bit of leitmotif throughout Giulia's entire engine range, as the same can be said about the 2.2-liter diesel. This unit comes with two power stages, the first stopping at 150 hp while the second goes all the way up to 180 hp. Why Alfa chose to develop 2.2-liter engines instead of 2.0-liter is anyone's guess, but the power-to-displacement ratio isn't that good (there are 2.0-liter engines that go well over the 180 hp mark). In the end, though, it doesn't really matter. Whoever buys this car with diesel engines deserves his miserable fate.
The Giulia will also serve as a support for a lot of new or already existing technologies that we won't bore you with. Suffice to say that it will be on par with the rest of the modern crop of mid-sized sedans regarding its level of gadgetry, and if you want to know more, you can have a look at the press release below.
The new Giulia will be available to order starting this April in three trim levels - Giulia, Super, and Quadrifoglio. The only real question that still needs answering has to do with the Giulia's price, but we'll know all about that as well shortly.
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