Yes, I have always had a soft spot for Alfa Romeos, as have many ‘enthusiasts’. Always stylish, just that little bit quirky (the off front centre number plate a classic example) and different. But I’ve never actually bitten the bullet and owned one. I looked on enviously when a friend bought one some years back on a ‘really good deal’. Well, this beautiful Giulia may well have me counting the pennies as in Alfa’s 106-year history this car must rate as one of the best.

It has to be said in recent years Alfa has fallen short of its high standards and allowed other marques to gain a march. So why should Alfa’s German competitors now have to take it seriously? To match the Audi A4, BMW 3 series and not to mention the Mercedes C class saloons, it has to be special – well, put very simply, it is.

Let’s start with the Giulia’s breathtaking looks: solid, stylish and powerful. It handles as well as any of its rivals and the full-blooded Quadrifoglio model is effectively a Ferrari by another name.

Built on an all-new, rear-wheel drive platform, with an emphasis on weight reduction, there’s perfect weight distribution resulting in great handling agility. The new Giulia is powered by a range of advanced engines, including a Ferrari-inspired 2.9-litre turbo-charged V6 in the Quadrifoglio version. Sporty underpinnings define the car’s shape and strongly influence its design with stylists wrapping mechanical components in a frame dominated by a long bonnet, short overhangs, strong haunches and a long wheelbase.

Under the bonnet beats the heart of the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio. The V6 produces 510hp with a resultant top speed of 191mph and a 0–62mph time of 3.9 seconds. Despite this, the Quadrifoglio returns a best in class CO2 emission level at 198g/km. This is largely thanks to its electronically-controlled cylinder disabling system and excellent aerodynamics.

Transmitting this performance to the road is a sophisticated and advanced suspension system: the front employs a new double wishbone suspension with semi-virtual steering. This exclusive feature allows higher levels of lateral acceleration due to its always-perfect footprint.

At the rear is an advanced multi-link set up with electronically-controlled torque vectoring on the rear differential allowing the driver to explore the Quadrifoglio’s handling without hindrance from an invasive stability control system. A new Integrated Brake System (IBS) combines stability control and a traditional servo brake for record-breaking stopping distances – from 62mph of just 32m. The new Active Aero Splitter manages downforce and creates better grip at higher cornering speeds.

All systems are governed by the Chassis Domain Control (CDC), a technology developed jointly with Magneti Marelli, which acts as the car’s ‘brains’ and coordinates all on-board electronics. There are four driving configurations available: Dynamic, Natural, Advanced Efficiency (a new energy efficiency mode) and Race on high performance versions.

The same attention to detail is evident with the interior. All main controls, including the start button, are incorporated in the steering wheel, as they would be on a Formula 1 car, while the human-machine interface consists of two simple knobs for adjusting the Alfa DNA Pro selector and the Connect 3D Nav infotainment system.

The Connect 3D Nav offers a sophisticated series of features and functions, including a next-generation HMI human-machine interface. The system is mostly controlled by means of the rotary pad and viewed using the 8.8-inch dashboard display, but it can also be controlled via an advanced voice recognition system and a gesture recognition system.

So, the relaunch of the Giulia does represent a bit of a watershed moment following in the footsteps of the marque’s other handling greats such as the Alfa Sud and 75. The Quadrifoglio is probably the first family car from Alpha to offer this level of extreme performance and brilliant handling. It really is an impressive first attempt at such a car.

Perhaps time to raid the piggy bank? I think so, but I’ll have to wait a little longer until September for final pricing (around £56,000) and exact specifications.

essence info

Website: www.alfaromeo.co.uk

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