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Alfa Romeo is a manufacturer renowned for lightweight cars boasting exquisite handling
and style, sure to stir the soul of their drivers. In fact, it’s become something
of a motoring by-law, that if you’re a true petrol head you have to owned at least one
Alfa. But, recently, there hasn’t been too much
for Alfa fans to get excited about. The 159 was too heavy and underpowered, and while
the Giulietta and MiTo aren’t bad cars, they are based on Fiat underpinnings, and
their handling always fell short of the class leaders.
With the Giulia, Alfa Romeo is trying to put all this right. Compared with the likes of
the BMW 3 Series and Jaguar XE, the Giulia is very light, very high-tech and wonderfully
good-looking. Oh, and did I mention there’s a Quadrifoglio
version with over 500bhp…well I’ll be driving that on track later.
So, what of the standard Giulia. Well, it has either rear-wheel drive or four-wheel
drive and in the UK it comes exclusively with an eight-speed automatic. Now, Alfa hasn’t
adapted its manual gearbox for right-hand drive cars, but don’t worry. This ZF auto
is sublime, and has fantastically aluminium shifters, which stem from the column, so you
always know where they are. Engines are a 2.0-litre petrol with just under
200bhp and a 2.2-litre diesel with 148 or 178bhp, roughly the same as the Jag. We’re
driving the latter, and it’s not bad, even if it’s a little vocal if you rev it hard.
But there’s so much torque, you can make easy, refined progress. It will hit 62mph
in just over seven seconds and 67mpg isn’t out of the question, matching the BMW 320d.
But really, think of this engine as a tool to access the chassis. It has been a long
time since Alfa Romeo built a rear-wheel drive saloon, and it has been worth the wait. With
50:50 weight distribution thanks to some clever use of materials, the Giulia is a real joy
to drive. The steering is really direct, in fact I was worried at just two turns lock
to lock it would feel nervous. But, you soon get used to it, and it’s wonderful to feel
the rear tyres load up as you slice through a corner.
And then there’s the feeling you get in here. Alfas often have some design flourishes
inside, but they haven’t been renowned for the best quality. Well, the Giulia has the
best Alfa cabin to date by a long chalk, with an attractive dashboard layout, lovely steering
wheel and 8.8-inch infotainment system, compatible with Apple Carplay and Android Auto. OK, an
A4 might feel more expensive and tech-filled, but the Giulia fights back with character.
But really, the best place to look at the Giulia is from the outside. There’s something
about its triangular grille, low stance and curvaceous lines which oozes appeal. You just
know you’d love to have one parked on your driveway, painted in blood red amongst a sea
of hatchback’s and crossovers. While the Alfa 4C grabbed well-deserved attention
with its carbon chassis and mini-supercar looks, such a small volume car could never
turn around alfas fortunes single-handedly. No, Alfa has always been most famous for its
nimble saloons, and the new Giuliua is certainly one of them. It feels lithe and agile, it
can be a refined and economical cruiser when you want it to be and the QF is hugely exciting.
I for one, can’t wait to drive it in the UK, because its looking like alfa has well
and truly started its comeback.