COVER Alfa Giulia hits UK
FIRST UK DRIVE Italians finally deliver with their best car in a generation
Why M3 beater is Alfa’s finest car for decades
IN recent years, few car manufacturers have relied on the goodwill of buyers as much as Alfa Romeo. The Italian brand used to be a byword for style, performance and driver thrills, but over the past decade or so, its line-up has flattered to deceive, with bold looks hiding below-par quality and lacklustre driving dynamics. Even the dazzling showroom shine of the flawed 4C sports car failed to revive the firm’s fortunes.
However, that’s all set to change with the all-new Giulia. Designed as a rival for the Jaguar XE and BMW 3 Series, the handsome rear-wheel-drive saloon impressed us when we sampled it in Italy earlier this year, but how will it fare on UK roads? To find out, we grabbed the keys to a left-hand-drive example of the Quadrifoglio flagship.
This scorching supersaloon is powered by a 503bhp twin-turbocharged 2.9-litre V6, and it has models such as the BMW M3 and Mercedes-amg C 63 firmly in its sights. Yet you don’t need to read the car’s mechanical specification to know the newcomer means business. The standard Giulia’s flowing lines and neat proportions get a muscular makeover, courtesy of some larger air intakes below the trademark heart-shaped grille, a subtle carbon fibre rear spoiler and a diffuser that houses a quartet of tailpipes. Other visual enhancements include small vents set into the front wings, while the ‘teledial’ 19-inch alloys are a classic Alfa design cue.
The exterior displays typical Italian design flair, and the interior impresses, too, because the contrast stitching for the leather and soft-touch plastics for the dashboard give the car a premium look and feel. Traditional Alfa additions such as the cowled dials and eyeball air vents add to the cabin’s appeal. Yet it’s still far from perfect, with flimsy column stalks and cheaper materials lower down. Still, there’s plenty of room for passengers, while the low-slung driving position is spot on, and optional £2,500 carbon fibre seats offer superb support.
Prod the red starter button mounted on the chunky three-spoke steering wheel, and the V6 engine bursts urgently into life. The car in our pictures is fitted with a six-speed manual gearbox that won’t be coming to the UK – we get an eight-speed auto – but in all other respects, the car is identical to those British buyers will get their hands on next month.
The DNA Pro system switches between Dynamic, Natural, Advanced Efficiency and Race driving modes, with each one altering steering weight, throttle and diff response. Whichever setting you choose, the Giulia
“It fires down straights with an elastic energy, and twin-turbo V6 delivers a decent soundtrack”
feels fast – although not quite as quick as its claimed 0-62mph time of 3.9 seconds.
There’s 600Nm of torque on tap from 2,500rpm, so the Alfa fires down straights with an elastic energy. The twin-turbo V6 delivers a decent soundtrack, too, turning from a growl to a howl as the revs climb torwards the 7,000rpm red line. It’s not as bombastic as the C 63 AMG’S V8, but it’s sweeter than the M3’s artificially generated sound.
Turn into a corner and you’re immediately aware of the quick steering, which is well weighted and points the Giulia’s nose towards the apex with almost laser-guided accuracy.
There are huge reserves of grip from the double wishbone front suspension, while the multi-link rear does a fine job of putting the power down as you exit a bend. Race mode relaxes the stability and traction control, allowing you to indulge in the car’s beautiful rear-wheeldrive balance, but even with the aids switched on, the Alfa’s line can be altered using the steering and throttle, giving it a more natural feel than an M3.
Adaptive dampers are standard, and in Dynamic and Race settings they deliver strong body control without being too firm. Switch the suspension into Natural and the Giulia feels remarkably supple on the UK’S broken and bumpy roads. It thuds through deeper potholes, but overall it’s more comfortable and composed than the BMW.
This feeling of refinement is backed up by reasonably low wind and road noise. The only real criticism is reserved for the grabby action at low speeds of the £5,500 carbon ceramic brakes. In all other respects the Giulia really is a car that’s as easy to live with every day as it is entertaining on a Sunday afternoon blast.