It is surely one of the most exciting products to come from Alfa Romeo in a number of years, excluding the 4C. The new Giulia has been revealed, and if these pictures are anything to go by, it looks like a very pretty, compact design with sporty design elements everywhere you look.
Along the side of the Giulia the sills contribute to a low stance, while the beefy rear bumper also encircles the double exhaust pipes. In true Alfa Romeo tradition, the alloy wheels feature the Cloverleaf design, while at the front of the car there is an active aero splitter. This system allows for better downforce and grip at higher speeds.
Turbo Power
It is the engine specifications that make for tantilising reason. The top-of-range Quadrifoglio model will feature the a 2,9-litre turbocharged V6 developing 375 kW and 600 N.m of torque. This will allow the car to accelerate to 100 km/h in a claimed 3,9 seconds and go on to reach a top speed of 307 km/h. There will also be all-wheel-drive versions, but that drivetrain will be connected to different engines.
In the press release Alfa Romeo refers to the drivetrain as “inspired by Ferrari technologies”. In order to make the engine more efficient the Giulia has also been equipped with the electronic cylinder deactivation system. Thanks to its aluminium composition the engine itself will also be fairly light.
Lightweight Suspension
The Giulia also claims a 50/50 weight distribution by placing all of the mechanical components in between the front and rear axles. It features a double wishbone suspension with a semi-virtual steering axis on the front end while a multi-link solution will be used on the rear.
To further support the handling capabilities it has been equipped with a torque vector system that delivers a set amount of torque to each wheel in order to adapt to low grip conditions. A chassis domain control has also been added to provide the Giulia so that it can be used in both commuting and racing scenarios.
Based on the Giulia’s less than 3 kg/hp power-to-weight ratio we can assume that it will weigh in at close to 1 524 kg at dry weight. It was able to achieve this figure thanks to the usage of carbon-fiber and aluminum to compose parts such as he propeller shaft, bonnet, roof, engine, suspension, doors and wings.
The main focus of the Giulia has been to achieve a low power-to-weight ratio and an even weight distribution and as a result the Quadrifoglio was able to lap the Nurburgring in an impressive time of 7 minutes and 39 seconds.
The Giulia is expected to launch in European markets at the end of this year at an estimated starting price of R1 185 000 (€79 000). Needless to say, we can’t wait to get our hands on this car and experience the most powerful, series production Alfa Romeo to date.
