Sensuous Giulia Drives Alfa’s Return to the States

NAPA, CA – Since its departure from the North American market two decades ago, Italian brand Alfa Romeo has seen a series of fits and starts. The ’17 Giulia represents its latest start, but one parent company FCA hopes is a good fit.

Reid Bigland, Alfa Romeo CEO, doesn’t make any sales projections, but says the all-new Giulia offers competitive powertrains and agile chassis wrapped in Italian style, providing a distinct alternative to the Germanic hegemony over the lower-luxury segment in America.

The WardsAuto lower-luxury market, representing 4.3% of U.S. light-vehicle sales and 740,000 units annually in 2015, is dominated by the Mercedes-Benz C-Class and BMW 3-Series, followed by the Lexus ES and IS, Nissan Maxima and Toyota Avalon.

“The best thing about Alfa Romeo is it’s not German – and that’s not a slam against the Germans,” Bigland says. “But this is a car that’s meant to be driven, versus cars that drive you. It’s an engaging feel as opposed to a cold, mechanical feel.”

Arriving in three guises with two powertrains, the Giulia introduces FCA’s ground-up, purpose-built, rear- and all-wheel-drive Giorgio platform, variants of which eventually will underpin up to eight FCA models, including the Alfa Romeo Stelvio SUV debuting at the upcoming Los Angeles auto show, the next-generation Dodge Charger/Challenger and even a future Jeep model, according to FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne.

That said, the Giorgio architecture for the Giulia is specific to the Italian model, Bigland says, offering a high level of specialization and chassis refinement.

“Are there components and parts that could spin into other parts of the FCA portfolio?” asks Bigland. “Yes, but as is, this is unique to Alfa.”

Keeping weight in check and balanced, and maintaining a low center of gravity, are paramount in the Giulia’s version of the Giorgio platform. Aluminum abounds, including front and rear subframe, suspension components and front shock towers, brake calipers, doors and fenders. Front suspension is double wishbone; rear suspension is the brand’s trademarked AlfaLink 4-and-a-half-link setup, with vertical rods helping provide planted rear wheels and ride comfort regardless of conditions.

Standard across all models is the Alfa DNA selector allowing a choice of Dynamic, Natural or Advanced Efficiency driving modes. The system controls steering weight and throttle and transmission response. Steering incorporates a rack-mounted electrically assisted motor with a highly direct 11.8:1 ratio.

In the interest of further lightweighting and to achieve 50-50 front-rear weight distribution, all models use a carbon-fiber driveshaft, while the range-topping Quadrifoglio incorporates carbon fiber in its hood, roof, front-seat frames, front splitter, rear spoiler and rocker-panel trim and gets carbon-ceramic brakes. Overall, the rear-drive 4-cyl. Giulia checks in at approximately 3,500 lbs. (1,588 kg) and 3,600 lbs. (1,633 kg) in AWD guise, while the Quadrifoglio pushes the scale to 3,800 lbs. (1,724 kg).

Unique to the Quadrifoglio are active torque vectoring across the rear axle, an active front splitter capable of generating up to 220 lbs. (100 kg) downforce from 62 mph (100 km/h) to 143 mph (230 km/h) and a “Race” mode added to the DNA switch that shuts down virtually all driver aids.

Italian-Tuned Powertrains

Under the hood are two globally designed, Italian-built engines, a screaming 505-hp, 443-lb.-ft. (601 Nm) 2.9L twin-turbo V-6 in the Giulia Quadrifoglio, and the meat-of-the-market 2.0L turbo I-4 making a capable but more mundane 280 hp. Both send power to the rear wheels via a paddle-shifted ZF 8-speed automatic transmission, with all-wheel drive optional on the 4-cyl. Giulia and Giulia Ti models.

While the Quadrifoglio features the halo engine and is the track star, FCA expects the 2.0L, codenamed GME T4 for Global Medium Engine, will be the engine of choice for up to 90% of buyers. The Giulia application represents the first 200,000 units of what will become a family of engines, Bob Lee, FCA’s global powertrain coordinator, tells WardsAuto. The 2.0L is a nominee for 2017 Wards 10 Best Engines honors.

The 2.0L MultiAir engine features an intercooled, twin-scroll turbo and central-direct gas injection, designed for responsiveness via a 2-into-1 integrated manifold that channels exhaust-gas pulses from pairs of cylinders into the turbo.

The engine produces 280 hp and 306 lb.-ft. (415 Nm) of torque from a 309-lb. (140.6-kg) unit. Alfa says that gives the engine class-leading output at 140 hp/L, with its closest competitors at 126 hp/L in the Audi A4 and 124 hp/L in the BMW 330i. The net effect is a segment-topping 0-60 mph (97 km/h) time of 5.1 seconds.

For buyers tired of seeing the same four rings, tri-stars or propeller badges in their neighborhoods, the Giulia offers a refreshing, Italian-bred change of pace, with its distinctive triangle grille, broad lower air intakes and sleek headlamps merging into creased fenders, a low and tight greenhouse, sculpted sides and a short, muscular rear flank with wraparound horizontal taillamps. Twin or quad chrome exhaust outlets complete the rear view.

Inside, more Italian style awaits, with sporty horizontal-bar seat design and stitched-leather trim and aluminum, wood or carbon-fiber accents finishing off a driver-focused interior featuring a flat-bottom steering wheel fitted with a Formula 1-racing inspired, spoke-mounted engine start button. Large, column-mounted aluminum paddle shifters are optional.

Twin analog gauges frame a center-mounted 7-in. (17.8-cm) information screen, while infotainment is managed via either a 6.5-in. (16.5-cm) or 8.8-in. (22.3-cm) center screen, controlled by a simple rotary knob and a few key buttons and a volume knob.

Materials, fit and finish are excellent, but like many Euro-designed models, rear seat room is tight and trunk space limited. A 40-20-40 split-folding rear seatback standard in Giulia and Giulia Ti is unavailable in the Quadrifoglio.

Involved Driver

Driving the new Alfa Romeo is a glorious experience, regardless of engine choice. The 4-cyl. suffers from some clatter at cold start-up and idle, but is an eager performer out on the road. The boosted engine reacts quickly and runs rapidly to redline, ripping off 100-millisecond-after-100-millisecond shift on its way to illegal velocity.

The suspension feels adept, if not a little rigid, even in its softer Natural mode, but the steering precision is stunning. While steering heft rises when clicked from Natural/Advanced Efficiency to the Dynamic setting, steering torque doesn’t build up in cornering.

That’s by design to maintain a lighter and more agile driving character, says Christian Pollazzon, brake and vehicle dynamic systems engineer. “The steering doesn’t need a high load to be sporty,” Pollazzon says. “It is lighter and more precise, and more comfortable to drive.”

Drivetrain setup also affects handling, Pollazzon says, with torque vectoring capable of shifting 100% of available power – up to 738 lb.-ft. (1,000 Nm) – across the rear axle in the Quadrifoglio. The RWD Giulia uses an open or limited-slip differential, while AWD models employ a transfer case that drives the rear wheels 2% faster than the fronts to deliberately induce oversteer for a sportier driving feel, he says.

The V-6-powered Quadrifoglio is the hard-charging option, with more than enough power and excess handling ability to make any trip feel special. We drove the uplevel model on both road and track and found it exceptional, with robust acceleration at all but the lower part of the rpm band, assured braking and an ability to carve tight high-speed corners without losing composure or grip.

The Giulia also provides safety and driver-assistance measures including an artificial rumble-strip sound to warn of lane departure and adaptive cruise control capable of bringing the car to a full stop. Fuel-saving engine auto stop/start is standard.

Unique to the Giulia, Pollazzon points out, is the car’s forward collision warning and automatic-braking system. The camera- and radar-based system is guaranteed to bring the car to a stop at least 3.3 ft. (1 m) from an obstacle at any speed up to 31 mph (50 km/h).
“Nobody in the market can do that,” he says.

[email protected] @bobgritzinger

'17 Alfa Romeo Giulia Q4 Specifications