2019 Alfa Romeo Giulia on 2040-cars

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2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio and Giulia add special trims, small updates

The 2024 Alfa Romeo Stelvio and Giulia aren't much different from 2023 models, but there are some notable and welcome updates to each line. They include some small styling and feature updates for every trim, a new range-topper for the standard engine, and a super special edition and a performance upgrade for the Quadrifoglio. Every new Stelvio and Giulia gets updated exterior features to match their European siblings, such as LED headlights with smoked housings and a new grille insert. Inside, the analog dials are replaced with a 12.3-inch digital display that can show a variety of information in different layouts, including one that mimics the classic double dial design. The new Alfas also are able to accept updates over the air. 2024 Alfa Romeo Giulia Competizione View 25 Photos One of the more exciting updates to these Alfas is the 100th Anniversary Edition Quadrifoglio. It's available on both the Stelvio and Giulia, and only 100 of each will be offered globally. It's not very different to a regular Quadrifoglio, though except for gold-painted brake calipers, special badging, carbon fiber mirrors and grille, Alcantara seats and gold stitching. But it does benefit from a new feature added to all Quadrifoglio models: an actual mechanical limited-slip differential. That brings us to the Competizione trim. For the normal, four-cylinder Stelvio and Giulia, this is the new top of the line. It takes the former range-topper, the Veloce, and it adds some performance and luxury upgrades. It comes with electronically adjustable suspension and a limited-slip differential, along with sport seats. The interior also gets a leather-wrapped dashboard, red contrast stitching, darker window tint and a 14-speaker Harman Kardon sound system. Buyers can get it with an exclusive matte gray paint and red brake calipers. The Giulia can be optioned with staggered wheels, and the Stelvio gets unique 21-inch wheels. The Giulia Competizione starts at $53,115 for rear-wheel drive and $55,115 for all-wheel drive. The Stelvio is all-wheel-drive only, and it starts at $57,420. They go on sale in the second quarter of this year. Related video:

Mysterious Maserati test mule could be upcoming Alfa Romeo Giulia

Well well well, what have we here? The truth is that we don't know. It seems to be a Maserati Ghibli, but since that model is already out on the market, we're likely looking at something else. Just what is the question, and the answer likely lies in the wheelbase. While this test mule, spied undergoing cold-weather testing in northern Sweden, is clearly wearing the bodywork (and likely most of the mechanical bits) from the Ghibli, it's riding on a shortened wheelbase. Which tells us this could be one of two things: it's likely to be a test mule either for the upcoming Maserati Alfieri sports car, or for the new Alfa Romeo Giulia. The Alfieri was presented in concept form at the Geneva Motor Show back in March, foreshadowing a new sports car to serve as a halo model in the Maserati lineup. The production version is expected to be smaller and nimbler than the existing GranTurismo and positioned against the likes of the Porsche 911, Jaguar F-Type and Mercedes-AMG GT, to name just a few. The Giulia, meanwhile, is slated to be the first all-new Alfa Romeo since the arrival of the 4C last year and the Italian marque's first mainstream model since the launch of the Giulietta in 2010. The new sedan is expected to go after the likes of the BMW 3 Series and the new Jaguar XE, slotting in below the larger Maserati Ghibli that seeks to challenge the 5 Series and XF. If this is indeed a test mule for the new Alfa sedan, the quad tailpipes would seem, as our spy photographers point out, to indicate it's laying the groundwork for the GTA performance version. One way or another, there's something enticing to be coming soon from Italy, so watch this space.

Weekly Recap: Chevy and Alfa plot comeback strategies

Chevrolet and Alfa Romeo were two of the 20th Century's most iconic automotive brands. Chevy embodied America's post-war power and confidence. Alfa was the definition of the stylish Italian sports car. They reached halcyon heights in the 1950s and '60s, before declining precipitously amid new competition, changing consumer tastes, and uneven corporate management. Both say 2015 is the start of something better, and this week Chevy and Alfa laid out ambitious plans and showcased new cars that they hope will make them more relevant this year, and in the coming years. Each brand sits at its own crossroads, and their paths forward are as different as the Chevy Cruze and the Alfa Romeo Giulia. Chevy is still a sales beast, as evidenced by its volume of 4.8 million vehicles sold around the world last year. Chevy executives are fond of saying one of their cars is sold every seven seconds, which illustrates the strength and reach of a car brand that is the fourth largest in the world. "Make no mistake about it, we are a brand for the people," said General Motors North America president Alan Batey. But he wants consumers to want to buy a Chevy for its design and technology, not simply because it's affordable. That starts with all Chevys now featuring a distinctive a family look, with sporty cues from the Corvette or strong lines that riff on the Silverado pickup. "We want people to fall in lust with our cars," said Mike Pevovar, executive design director for Chevy passenger cars. "That initial emotional attraction has to be right on the exterior, and that's where form comes into play." Chevy is also loading up its cars, like the freshly unveiled 2016 Chevy Cruze, with technology to appeal to a younger crowd that prizes connectivity. The Cruze will offer Apple CarPlay and Android Auto with its MyLink infotainment system, and OnStar with 4G LTE and wifi. Seeking out younger buyers is also sound business practice: Millennials now outnumber Baby Boomers as the largest single age group in the United States. Younger buyers also can improve a brand's image, which is another area where Chevy would like to improve. Chevy ranks 82nd on Interbrand's Best Global Brand's list, behind 11 other automakers. Apple is No. 1. "We need our own variation of the Genius Bar," Batey said. 2016 Alfa Romeo Giulia View 3 Photos Meanwhile, Alfa is in different shape.