Photo: sugardesign_1 / Instagram
Today, sports cars are an endangered species. So, we should be doing everything we can to help protect and preserve them.
With the incredible rise to fame and fortune of crossovers, SUVs, and trucks also come a few caveats. Just in case anyone has been living under a rock and was blindsided by (many) other problems, these high riders are more expensive than passenger cars and helped automakers milk customers with even higher MSRPs than imagined. And I fear this trend is not going to be easily reversible or at least revert to more sensible ways of conducting business any time soon.
Luckily, some automakers are trying to both get profits and help the endangered species of sports cars. One example – because it gloriously fits our story here – would be the second-generation BMW M2 (G87), which is a 453 hp hoot with a twin-turbo inline-six mill, RWD, and the option of pairing them to a six-speed manual instead of the eight-speed automatic transmission. It’s also quite expensive, starting at $62,200 in the United States.
And it is mostly without proper competition, at least as far as non-German contenders are concerned. Just think about it – the Audi TT RS is from Ingolstadt, the Porsche 718 Cayman is from Stuttgart, and even the Toyota GR Supra is actually half BMW (Z4) and manufactured by Magna Steyr in neighboring Austria. So, what can be done to break the monopoly?
Well, over in the real world, some people would say there’s a nice little 400-hp 2023 Nissan Z to look stylish and retro-modern at the same time. Meanwhile, across the imaginative realm of virtual artists, at least one author thinks only the Italian style could do the trick. So, meet Sugar Chow, the digital car content creator better known as sugardesign_1 on social media, who is again (for the third time) showing a lot of retro digital love for Alfa Romeo’s sporty Giulia (952) series.
With respect towards its illustrious ancestors (Type 105 Giulia sedan from 1962-1978, 105-115 Series Coupes of the same era) but also a keen eye overlooking the new Tonale future, the pixel master created the next generation modern incarnation of the contemporary Alfa Romeo Giulia out of the figment of imagination. And it was an ICE-infused dream, complete with an initial artistic yet blurry teaser, as well as a cool reveal, unlike the official OEM promises of the upcoming next Giulia going fully electric.
Going along the same CGI thoughts, he also showcased his digital Alfa Romeo Giulia sedan alongside an illustrious predecessor in coupe and Quadrifoglio form. Little did we know that it was not just a ruse, but rather also a hint towards more cool Italian stuff to come. As such, there was a second teaser trying to arouse our expectations towards the high-performance CGI version of the Giulia, though not before also splashing it alongside the Alfa Romeo 155 sedan.
Next up, as we almost burst into tears of happiness (or anger and frustration about the further delay, it all depends on your POV), the virtual artist swayed away from the promised QV and instead presented us with something that could easily rival the BMW 3 Series Touring and other premium compact executive station wagons.
And it also had the added benefit of looking just like a posher shooting brake (or an SUV, again, it all depends on your POV) because the author decided to conceal the rear door handles – much like Alfa Romeo did back in the day on the (Type 932) 156 Sportwagon. Well, that was something that looked both practical for weekend adventures with the kids as well as business meetings during the weekdays.
Now, finally, we also have the promised, unofficial next-gen Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio. Alas, there’s another CGI twist here, as well. As such, instead of the high-performance version going directly after the sedan, this digital build project presents itself here as a cool tribute to the early to mid-1960s Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint and Sprint Speciale.
And, naturally, the imagined Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint Quadrifoglio Coupe does not dwell alone, so cue the classic coupe standing alongside it. As for its potential rivalry with the BMW M2, some say it would be perfect, others that “it almost looks like a BMW.” Oh, well, as always, beauty is solely in the eye of the beholder. As for motivation, we can all probably agree that the current 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 with over 500 horsepower is more than enough, right?
Luckily, some automakers are trying to both get profits and help the endangered species of sports cars. One example – because it gloriously fits our story here – would be the second-generation BMW M2 (G87), which is a 453 hp hoot with a twin-turbo inline-six mill, RWD, and the option of pairing them to a six-speed manual instead of the eight-speed automatic transmission. It’s also quite expensive, starting at $62,200 in the United States.
And it is mostly without proper competition, at least as far as non-German contenders are concerned. Just think about it – the Audi TT RS is from Ingolstadt, the Porsche 718 Cayman is from Stuttgart, and even the Toyota GR Supra is actually half BMW (Z4) and manufactured by Magna Steyr in neighboring Austria. So, what can be done to break the monopoly?
Well, over in the real world, some people would say there’s a nice little 400-hp 2023 Nissan Z to look stylish and retro-modern at the same time. Meanwhile, across the imaginative realm of virtual artists, at least one author thinks only the Italian style could do the trick. So, meet Sugar Chow, the digital car content creator better known as sugardesign_1 on social media, who is again (for the third time) showing a lot of retro digital love for Alfa Romeo’s sporty Giulia (952) series.
With respect towards its illustrious ancestors (Type 105 Giulia sedan from 1962-1978, 105-115 Series Coupes of the same era) but also a keen eye overlooking the new Tonale future, the pixel master created the next generation modern incarnation of the contemporary Alfa Romeo Giulia out of the figment of imagination. And it was an ICE-infused dream, complete with an initial artistic yet blurry teaser, as well as a cool reveal, unlike the official OEM promises of the upcoming next Giulia going fully electric.
Going along the same CGI thoughts, he also showcased his digital Alfa Romeo Giulia sedan alongside an illustrious predecessor in coupe and Quadrifoglio form. Little did we know that it was not just a ruse, but rather also a hint towards more cool Italian stuff to come. As such, there was a second teaser trying to arouse our expectations towards the high-performance CGI version of the Giulia, though not before also splashing it alongside the Alfa Romeo 155 sedan.
Next up, as we almost burst into tears of happiness (or anger and frustration about the further delay, it all depends on your POV), the virtual artist swayed away from the promised QV and instead presented us with something that could easily rival the BMW 3 Series Touring and other premium compact executive station wagons.
And it also had the added benefit of looking just like a posher shooting brake (or an SUV, again, it all depends on your POV) because the author decided to conceal the rear door handles – much like Alfa Romeo did back in the day on the (Type 932) 156 Sportwagon. Well, that was something that looked both practical for weekend adventures with the kids as well as business meetings during the weekdays.
Now, finally, we also have the promised, unofficial next-gen Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio. Alas, there’s another CGI twist here, as well. As such, instead of the high-performance version going directly after the sedan, this digital build project presents itself here as a cool tribute to the early to mid-1960s Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint and Sprint Speciale.
And, naturally, the imagined Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint Quadrifoglio Coupe does not dwell alone, so cue the classic coupe standing alongside it. As for its potential rivalry with the BMW M2, some say it would be perfect, others that “it almost looks like a BMW.” Oh, well, as always, beauty is solely in the eye of the beholder. As for motivation, we can all probably agree that the current 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 with over 500 horsepower is more than enough, right?
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