2019 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint coupe to belt out 480kW
Two-door Giulia to get Ferrari F1-developed energy recovery system to help outgun BMW M4Alfa Romeo's eagerly anticipated 2019 Giulia Sprint coupe will come with a Formula 1-style Energy Recovery System (ERS) that will boost the power output of the fastest Quadrifoglio version to an incredible 478kW, it has been revealed.
According to Autocar, thanks to its advanced ERS tech, the twin-turbo 2.9-litre V6 Quadrifoglio version will overshadow rivals like the 375kW Mercedes-AMG C 63 S Coupe and the 339kW BMW M4 CS Coupe to set a new performance benchmark in the premium mid-size coupe segment.
That's not surprising, since its power output is higher than even the BMW M5's and just 15kW short of the 493kW Ferrari 488 supercar.
Originally expected to appear at the 2017 Geneva motor show but now due on sale in Europe before the end of this year, the Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint is likely to arrive Down Under in 2019.
The two-door Giulia is the third of eight Giorgio platform-based Alfa Romeo models promised to arrive before 2020, following the Giulia sedan and Stelvio SUV.
The other all-new Alfas set to arrive before the end of this decade include a rear-drive Giulietta hatch replacement, a large 166 sedan replacement, two further SUVs and a small crossover to replace the baby MiTo hatch.
Speaking to sources close to Alfa Romeo, the 2019 Sprint coupe will feature comprehensive sheet metal changes over the regular Giulia sedan.
As well as a longer pair of front doors, this will include different rear quarter panels and a more rakish rear roofline. A fresh, sportier face, meanwhile, will distinguish it from its four-door brother.
At the rear of the car, Autocar even suggests the Giulia Sprint could ditch a traditional boot for a more practical hatch.
This, says the Brit mag, will help it spin-off a further five-door version of the Giulia Sprint in the future to cash in on the success of the Audi A5.
As well as a the ERS-equipped powerhouse for the QV, the Sprint will apply its Formula 1-derived technology to a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine, boosting power from the Giulia Veloce sedan's 206kW to a far more muscular 257kW.
Lesser versions will come with the regular Giulia's engine range, including a less powerful 146kW 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four and even a 110kW turbo-diesel.
It's thought the ERS system to be employed by Alfa is a development of the HY-KERS technology that was developed by Ferrari and Magneti Marelli, and is claimed to be even more advanced that the similar system used in F1.
Focusing on performance rather than emissions, the Ferrari system uses an electric motor to boost low-end torque.
As a result, in normal driving there's less need to rev the engine, meaning it returns better fuel consumption as it remains in its most efficient power band.
According to Autocar, the biggest challenge in incorporating the ERS system is the engineering headache of packaging the electric motor, control system, inverter, battery pack and liquid cooling needed.
It's thought the ERS tech, which may have been the reason for the Sprint's delay, will eventually migrate to the Stelvio SUV and be incorporated in all larger forthcoming models based on the Giorgio platform.
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