Have you ever heard of Alfa Romeo? If you're a car maven, you probably have. And even if you're not, you just might know of its legendary racing history and intoxicatingly desirable sports cars.
But odds are, you're in the dark _ and that's OK.
All you need to know will be answered once you drive the 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia, the company's first mainstream sedan to be offered stateside since the 164 model in 1995, and the first of a new line of vehicles built on an all-new rear-wheel-drive platform dubbed Giorgio.
The first version of the Giulia made available here, the Quadrifoglio, boasts a Ferrari-derived 505-horsepower turbocharged V-6 engine that reaches 60 mph in 3.8 seconds. The setup enables an otherworldly performance matched only by the car's stratospheric starting price: $72,000.
Comparatively, the newly available Giulia ($37,995) and Giulia Ti ($39,995), although simpler, are better buys.
Powered by an all-new 2.0-liter direct-injection turbocharged and intercooled four-cylinder engine designed specifically for Alfa Romeo, the Giulia produces 280 horsepower and 306 pound-feet of torque and speeds you to 60 mph in 5.1 seconds, 1.3 seconds slower than its Quadrifoglio sibling. Most drivers will never notice nor care to spend nearly double the price to recoup it. The engine is available with an all-wheel-drive system that can send up to 60 percent of the engine's power to the front wheels. All Giulias come with a responsive eight-speed automatic transmission.
The Giulia's performance is gracefully athletic, authoritative and entrancing, not to mention remarkably quick and quiet. There's more body lean than in the Quadrifoglio, but the ride is supple and forgiving and yet firm when it needs to be. The steering reacts speedily to inputs and is nicely weighted, although its road feel is negligible. Aiding the car's performance is Alfa Romeo's DNA drive mode selector, which includes dynamic, natural, and all-weather settings. My advice? Leave it in dynamic unless it's snowing. Trust me on this one.
With so much sporting agility, it's no surprise the Giulia can be fitted with a full array of safety nannies when you order the $1,500 driver assist plus package. It helps prevent a front-end collision, keeps you at a safe distance while using cruise control, and nags you when you step out of your lane. It's almost like having your spouse ride shotgun.
Inside, you'll find a cabin with an asymmetric instrument panel anchored by an infotainment screen. Measuring 6.5 inches, it grows to 8.8 inches when the navigation package is ordered. Similar to BMW's iDrive system, it's controlled by a knob located on the center console.
With the $600 sport interior package, the Giulia's cabin offers first-class accommodations, including soft, sumptuous and supportive red leather seats offset by black trim and red stitching; aluminum accents; steering column-mounted paddle shifters; and a leather-wrapped sport steering wheel. The dual-pane sunroof proved to be the perfect finishing touch, endowing the cabin with a greater sense of space, especially in the rear, where legroom seems tight.
Tempted yet? You should be. The 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia proves to be an entertainingly athletic machine, one with a unique flavor that proves irresistible.
Once you try it, you'll find Alfa Romeo and Giulia are words you'll never forget.
