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Mike Sinclair26 Jun 2015
NEWS

Alfa Romeo ready to take on the Germans

Fiat Chrysler group boss Sergio Marchionne says Alfa Romeo is ready to re-establish itself as a premium brand

The unveiling of the all-new Alfa Romeo Giulia overnight in Milan has delivered the wherewithal for the iconic Italian marque to “re-establish itself as one of the world’s leading premium car brands”.

They’re the words of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO, Sergio Marchionne, delivered to a mostly adoring crowd at Alfa Romeo’s Arese headquarters and museum outside Milan overnight.

Marchionne, Alfa CEO Harald Wester, design chief Lorenzo Ramaciotti and the head of the renaissance brand’s Skunk Works development centre, Phillippe Krief, delivered speeches that were heavy on rhetoric but light on facts at the event which even boasted opera great Andrea Bocelli as a headline act.

And while Nessun Dorma was a smash hit with the crowd, just a handful of the technical aspects of the car were revealed and arguably even fewer facts and figures.

Nonetheless, Marchionne seems confident the new car, unveiled as a single, range-topping Quadrafoglio Verde version, has the goods to take on the likes of BMW’s 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

“What they have created is extraordinary,” Marchionne said of the car’s ‘Skunk Works’ development team.

“I could describe the car by giving you some of its performance specs… But that would make it sound as though it were unremarkable and easy to copy… That’s why I’d rather tell you why the Giulia is different and why the new Alfa Romeo is different… Different from what it was just a few years ago and very different from any of its competitors [now],” the FCA boss enthused.

Marchionne says the Giulia represents “the beginning of the rebuilding of the brand with its original DNA… The fact that Alfa’s exclusive thoroughbred character is so recognisable is something that few other brands can claim.

“From ice princess and perennial quest to a triumph of art and passion…. The brand is on the verge of retaking its rightful position in the market.

“It will once again be one of the leading symbols of Italian engineering and style, an icon of Italy’s technological excellence and creative spirit,” Marchionne stated.

Marchionne said the merger of Fiat and Chrysler delivered the resources to relaunch Alfa Romeo.

“The truth is until recently the former Fiat was not equipped to implement the strategy [to relaunch Alfa],” he stated

As noted in our news on the new Giulia, the front/mid-engined rear-drive sedan will feature a 380kW twin-turbocharged V6. It was revealed at the unveiling that the 3.0-litre engine will also get cylinder deactivation to help improve fuel economy.

Tech chief Krief says turbo lag will be “non-existent”.

There were no details offered on other engine variants, nor the expected model line-up. As Giulia will be expected to square up against the growing number of prestige mid-sizers, eventually the range will need to span from sub-2.0-litre four-cylinder models up.

A quick examination of the high-spec cars on display at the launch yielded a few more details. The Giulia QV rolls on 19-inch wheels with 245/35 front tyres and 285/30 rears. Brakes appear to feature six-piston front callipers and four-piston rears. Separate callipers are fitted for the electric park brake.

Inside, the car features a small flat-bottomed steering wheel which includes a start/stop button and the normal range of audio, phone and cruise controls.

The centre console features a drive mode selection dial and a second larger control that activates the infotainment system.

Adding drama to the cabin are the carbon-fibre backed front seats. There’s enough legroom and width for three in the rear (just).

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