Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio

By Nick S.

2016 was the first year that Alfa Romeo appeared at the NAIAS (North American International Auto Show) in Detroit. I was excited to see that they had finally made it to the United States and will be establishing their presence in the American Market (although I believe they're too good for us). The Giulia I saw, not to be confused with the closely related 5-door hatchback Giulietta, represented Alfa well at the COBO center this year. She bared the highly-regarded Quadrifoglio symbol, the four-leaf clover, representing the highest model of the Giulia that Alfa offers.











The standard versions lose the big vents and more aggressive look from the Quadrifoglio, but their simplified shape is still gorgeous. Alfa packs the cars with tech, too. At least in Europe, base models get standard forward collision warning, autonomous emergency braking, lane departure warning, and a 6.5-inch infotainment system. The Super adds leather and 17-inch wheels, and an optional Sport Pack includes Xenon headlights, a sport steering wheel, and aluminum trim on the dashboard, center console, and door panels. However, the Quadrifoglio aims for performance with carbon fiber parts on the roof, hood, and front splitter, and the options include carbon-ceramic brake discs, and carbon fiber seats. In Europe, customers will have the option of a 2.2-liter diesel with 150 or 180 horsepower, a 2.0-liter turbocharged gasoline engine with 200 hp, and the terrifying 510-hp 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6, which is exclusive to the Quadrifoglio. Unfortunately, that won't be available in this country, but Alfa says the North American version of the 2.0-liter has 276 hp. The Quadrifoglio will cost you around $70,000 USD. 

What I noticed at the NAIAS was the separate caliper for the e-brake, possibly for descending those steep hills of Europe, especially Italy and Switzerland. That was something worthy of asking the Alfa models about. Anyways, I am very excited to see Alfa enter the U.S. market and for people to realize the true potential of Alfa Romeo. 

Sources

 Bruce, Chris. "Standard Alfa Romeo Giulia Still Looks Beautiful in Geneva." Autoblog. 2 Mar. 2016. Web. 06 Mar. 2016. 

Ready, Owen. "Geneva 2016: With the Alfa Romeo Giulia, Less Is More - Car Design News." Geneva 2016: With the Alfa Romeo Giulia, Less Is More - Car Design News. 01 Mar. 2016. Web. 06 Mar. 2016. 

Images

Giulia Quadrifoglio at 2016 NAIAS: http://motoringrumpus.com/naias-2016-alfa-romeo/
Quadrifoglio symbol: http://www.wheels24.co.za/News/Quadrifoglio-Verde-Alfa-icon-20130604

Giulia wheel: http://www.fiat500usa.com/2015/06/alfa-romeo-giulia-press-introduction.html