Alfa Romeo's on-again-off-again answer to Europe's dominant mid-size premium sedans could be tastier than expected, if a UK report proves true.
According to Auto Express, Alfa will launch its all-new Giulia late next year with a fire-breathing GTA flag-bearer powered by a version of the Ferrari-built twin-turbo 3.0-litre V6 from the Maserati Ghibli.
Aimed directly at BMW's 317kW twin-turbo six-cylinder M3 sedan, the Giulia GTA will deliver somewhere between 480hp (358kW) and 520hp (387kW), Auto Express says.
The petrol Ghibli produces 243kW in entry-level form and 301kW in top-shelf S guise, but is expected to be offered in GTS spec with a more powerful V6.
The rear-wheel drive Giulia would also be a direct rival for a piping-hot SVR version of Jaguar's upcoming XE and the Mercedes-Benz C 63 AMG sedan, which currently packs up to 373kW from a 6.2-litre V8 but will be replaced by then.
Auto Express says Alfa's brand-new rear-drive platform, which will also sire the Italian's brand's first SUV in 2016, will ensure the Giulia – fitted with a dual-clutch automatic transmission and limited-slip differential as standard – is quicker and weighs less than the 1635kg M3. Expect the GTA to be priced in line with the M3 (currently from $156,430), but for lesser versions of the Giulia to compete directly with mainstream BMW 3 Series, Mercedes C-Class and Audi A4 models, all of which start from under $60,000.
Like their German competitors, non-GTA Giulia variants should be powered by turbocharged four-cylinder petrol and diesel engines outputting between 88 and 150kW, plus a beefy 260kW version of the Ghibli's diesel V6.