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2020 Alfa Romeo Giulia Luggage Test | Time for an Italian vacation

When it comes to handling and being fun to drive, the 2020 Alfa Romeo Giulia is right at the top. From its engaging and tossable Ti trim, to the totally bonkers Quadrifoglio, Alfa Romeo has some excellent options for those who love to drive. However, we aren’t exploring 0-60 mph times or steering feel today, so letÂ’s see how the Italian sedan holds up when it comes to suitcase stacking. Alfa Romeo doesnÂ’t list an official trunk capacity on its media website or its consumer-facing site, but itÂ’s very similar in size to the last luxury sedan I luggage tested: the 2020 Volvo S60. WeÂ’ll place the estimate to be around 12 cubic-feet. Just by eye-balling it, Alfa appears to be on the smaller side of the spectrum here, with its competition being the BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and several others. Note that I use different equipment than Riswick out in Portland: Two carry-on suitcases sized (24 inches long, 15.5 wide, 10 deep); one carry-on suitcase (21.7L x 13.7W x 9 D); one medium-size suitcase you have to check (24.5L x 16.8W x 11.5D) and two larger, full-size suitcases (33.8L x 21.5W x 13D) and (28.1L x 18W x 10.5D). It's not a power trunk, but you can pop it via the fob, a button by the driver footwell or a button on the trunk itself. Once open, I started with the carry-on suitcases. All three of those fit when turned on their sides, but a fourth would be impossible to squeeze in using that formation. ThatÂ’s due to the GiuliaÂ’s trunk becoming more restrictive in both depth and width deeper inside of it. YouÂ’ll notice the curved intrusions at the back of the trunk pictured below. They make shoving a suitcase all the way back in there impossible, as there isnÂ’t enough space next to the other three suitcases. The opening itself is rather small, too, forcing me to contort the suitcases as I lay them in. Instead, I decided to stick the fancy bag (22L x 8.8W x 12D) in there. ItÂ’s smaller and better suited to the space that remains, fitting perfectly within that nook. ThatÂ’s not ideal, but plenty of room for two people on a longer getaway. Next up: full-size suitcases. One of them fit right in without issue, but the second full-sizer I use for testing would not. Once again, this is due to the width restrictions imposed by the trunk walls coming in on both sides at the back. I did manage to fit the medium-size suitcase next to the one full-sizer if both were turned on an angle.

The 2016 Alfa Romeo 4C should sound even better

We love the raw simplicity of the Alfa Romeo 4C – it is first and foremost a driver's car, and a great one at that. So while there are a number of updates for the 2016 model year, none of them mess with the 4C's inherent enthusiast-centric nature. In fact, these enhancements should only, well, enhance the overall driving experience. The thing we're most excited about is a new Akrapovic dual-mode titanium exhaust. Not only does this option relocate the exhaust tips to the center of the 4C's rump, it uses asymmetrical mufflers and a link pipe with a built-in resonator to create what we assume is an even better exhaust sound. The Akrapovic setup works with the Alfa's DNA drive select modes – in Dynamic and Race, things are loud and resonant, but in Natural and All-Weather settings, there's a quieter tone. Other 4C updates are less obvious. There's some more carbon fiber trim both inside and out, some new color combinations for the leather sport seats, and the Spider's premium audio system and lockable storage containers are now standard on the Coupe. Pricing isn't confirmed in Alfa's release, but from what we find on the company's consumer site, the Coupe starts at $55,900 and the Spider comes in at $65,900. Based on the 2015 models we tested, that means the added content has bumped up the Coupe's price by $2,000, and the Spider sees a modest $405 hike. Read all the details in the press blast below. ALFA ROMEO 4C AND 4C SPIDER ADD MORE PERSONALIZATION OPTIONS FOR 2016 New for 2016, Alfa Romeo is offering even more carbon fiber: - All-new carbon fiber halo offering elevates the 4C Spider's technical look, while hinting at its exclusive carbon-fiber monocoque chassis - All-new Carbon Fiber Trim Package further proliferates 4C and 4C Spider's use of carbon fiber on interior vents, instrument cluster surround and instrument panel and shift bezels - Bespoke Italian style: A new premium leather interior with Tobacco and Black sport seats paired with a Black leather interior with Tobacco accent stitching is now available - All-new Akrapovi?

For his last act, Marchionne will outline an EV/hybrid roadmap this week

MILAN/LONDON — Fiat Chrysler (FCA) boss Sergio Marchionne is expected to outline new plans for electric and hybrid cars in a strategy presentation on Friday, aiming to ensure the world's seventh-largest carmaker remains in the race in the absence of a merger. The 65-year-old will present FCA's strategy to 2022, his final contribution to the company he turned around and multiplied in value through 14 years of canny dealmaking. After failing to secure a tie-up he said was necessary to manage the costs of producing cleaner vehicles, Marchionne needs to show the group can keep churning out profits on its own, even as emissions rules tighten, SUV competition intensifies and worries around his succession abound. Marchionne had long refused to jump on the electrification bandwagon, saying he would only do so if selling battery-powered cars could be done at a profit. He even urged customers not to buy FCA's Fiat 500e, its only battery-powered model, because he was losing money on each sold. But Tesla's success and the need to comply with tougher emissions rules have forced Marchionne to commit to what he calls "most painful" spending. "FCA is way behind rivals in terms of hybrid and electric vehicles and they need to hit the accelerator to convince investors they can close that gap," said Andrea Pastorelli, a fund manager at 8a+ Investimenti. Germany's Volkswagen, Daimler, BMW and U.S. rivals GM and Ford have committed to spending billions of euros each in coming years to try produce profitable cars powered by cleaner fuels. FCA needs to present a clear roadmap, just like Volvo Cars, which ditched diesel from its best-selling XC60 SUV, launched a new electric brand and pledged to shift all brands to hybrid by 2019, a banking source close to FCA said, noting: "The tech divide determines winners and losers in the industry." Marchionne has already said half of the wider FCA fleet will incorporate some elements of electrification by 2022, while luxury marque Maserati will spearhead FCA's electrification drive by making all new models due after 2019 electric. But its plans remain vaguer and less advanced than most big rivals and some investors wonder about the capital required to make vehicles compliant, and what share of spending can go to electrification given FCA's numerous demands.