2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Sedan 4d on 2040-cars

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The new Alfa Romeo Giulia needs to be a BMW beater

The introduction of the Alfa Romeo Giulia as a BMW challenger is a claim that historically has meant that it will not be as good as a BMW. Mercedes, Audi, Lexus, Infiniti, Cadillac, and a few others have tried to loosen BMW's grip on the sports sedan market with little success. It was BMW that was doing the copying when in the early sixties they looked to Alfa Romeo's sport sedans for inspiration. Alfa Romeo's pre-war racing pedigree was second to none, and series production Alfas were sporting twin cam engines, and fuel injection years before BMW. What the post-war Alfa cars did not offer was reliability and an North American dealer network that knew how to service or sell their products. Consequently in 1995 Alfa abandoned the US market. Now it is the Alfa Giulia taking aim at the BMW 3-series. The Fiat/Chrysler group has a lot of resources (think Ferrari), and the engineering chops to beat BMW at its own game, but it will take a long time to build a reliable dealer network, not to mention the quality issues that have dogged them for decades. Alfa will follow what has become a familiar recipe to challenge the 3-series. With 3 sets of trim available, the most affordable model, the Giulia, and further upscale, Giulia ti, both with a turbocharged 4-banger and 276 HP compares favorably with the BMW 328i and the Audi A4. The 505 HP Giulia flagship is shooting for the M4/3. Good luck with that, Alfa. A delayed introduction hints of troubles to come. Unfortunately for Alfa both the Audi A4 and BMW 3-series have millions of dedicated fans, most of whom do not have to be reminded about their automobile's pedigree. Millennial have never had the chance to aspire for an Alfa, and the older generations that still remember them are only a very small share of the market. Alfa has to avoid joining the automotive graveyard of models that have tried to attain BMW's status. Just to be cruel I will mention the Cadillac Cimarron. If you are too young to remember, it was the cheapest Chevy front wheel drive platform with a Cadillac badge. Panned by both GM management and the automotive press, it was a spectacular flop. I hope that the executives of the Fiat/Chrysler group remember it well. We do not need a Fiat in a stylish suit.

Watch Alfa Romeo reveal its mid-engine supercar here live

This gorgeous red supercar is the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale. The name “33” has several references, the first being to the design, as this new 33 Stradale borrows from the famous Tipo 33. Secondly, Alfa is only producing 33 examples of this supercar, and all of them are already sold. The powertrain strategy for the 33 Stradale is perhaps the most interesting part of it, as buyers can choose between a twin-turbo V6 and a fully electric version. AlfaÂ’s gas-powered 33 Stradale produces 620 horsepower, is shifted via an eight-speed automatic dual-clutch gearbox and puts its power down exclusively to the rear wheels via an electronic limited-slip differential. Its top speed is 206 mph, and the 0-62 mph time is “less than three seconds.” The engine itself is said to be a derivative of the Ferrari-developed V6 you find under the hood of the Alfa Quadrifoglio models. The battery-electric 33 Stradale produces “more than 750 horsepower” and goes 0-62 mph in under 2.5 seconds, but Alfa isnÂ’t saying much else about the powertrain. We presume it will be all-wheel drive due to multiple electric motors being necessary. Range is currently estimated at 280 miles on the optimistic WLTP test cycle. The platform is a combination aluminum H-frame and carbon fiber monocoque that shares plenty with the Maserati MC20, and the roof is engineered with the same materials, supporting the butterfly doors. A front-axle lift system comes standard, and you also get a drive mode selector to choose between Strada (road) and Pista (track). Launch control is activated via a “Quadrifoglio” button. Big Brembo carbon ceramic brakes do the stopping, with six-piston calipers in front and four-piston units in the rear. While there may be a lot underneath that is shared with the MC20, its design is pure Alfa Romeo. Its interior is just as impressive as the beautiful exterior, too. The controls in the center stack are all about physical engagement, as they feature the most beautiful design that just makes us want to turn, twist and toggle them. Above that rests a widescreen touch display powered by Uconnect5 in a similar layout as the MC20. The cluster features a “3D telescope display,” which Alfa claims is the first of its kind. Plus, the steering wheel purposefully doesnÂ’t have a single button on it for maximum driving enjoyment.

This Alfa Romeo Spider is a four-wheeled fountain of youth

For some, the only real way to experience a direct connection with nature while driving is to be piloting a convertible. Keith Helmetag is one such individual. His 1969 Alfa Romeo Spider fulfills his desire to commune with the outdoors on the road, while simultaneously reminding Helmetag of his youth. The Spider's flowing lines especially appealed to Helmetag's eye as a designer. He loved the nose's pointed shape and the boat-tail rear's downward arch to the narrow taillights. To make it his own, he removed the badges and added plastic headlight covers to bring the Alfa's look closer to the original clay model it was styled after. Helmetag's design tweaks pair with a few engine modifications to create a roadster that perfectly fits its owner's relaxed style. Check out this Alfa as Petrolicious takes a drive along tree-lined roads, which are great surroundings to match the Spider's green paint. Related Video: