1990 Alfa Romeo Quadrifoglio on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Alfa Romeo Giulia runs the Nurburgring

Usually when spying a pre-production car, the goal is to figure out what it looks like underneath the camouflage. However, that's not a concern with his video of a heavily concealed Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio because the design was already fully revealed. Instead, this is an opportunity to listen to the upcoming sports sedan lapping the Nurburgring. For a vehicle with just 2.5 years of development by only 11 people, the Giulia certainly makes all the right noises. The twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 engine has a growling note as the sedan speeds away, and there's no audible turbo whistle – at least in this clip. The sound is angry but still somewhat subdued for a mill making 510 horsepower. The test driver here is really pushing things, and the tires are squealing through practically every corner. The Alfa's rear end even steps out a little a few times. The Giulia is slated to arrive in the US in the first half of 2016. In the meantime, we look forward to seeing the sedan again at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, where some additional powertrains are rumored to debut. Related Video:

Stellantis to offer electric versions of most of its European lineup by 2025

Newly merged automaker conglomerate Stellantis will offer electric versions of almost all of its European lineup by 2025, it said on Thursday, as the auto industry faces regulatory pushes in Europe and China to accelerate the shift to zero-emission cars. Formed in January by the merger of France's PSA and Italian-American group Fiat Chrysler, Stellantis is the world’s fourth largest carmaker with 14 brands including Opel, Jeep, Ram and Maserati, and like its peers faces an investor community keen for a road map to an electric lineup to rival Tesla . Speaking during Stellantis' first annual shareholders meeting, Chief Executive Carlos Tavares said that in 2021 the carmaker expects sales of electrified vehicles — that is, both plug-in hybrids and fully electric models — to more than triple to over 400,000 units in 2021. By 2025, electrified vehicles should make up 38% of European sales, a huge jump from the 14% of sales it expects in 2021. Tavares said by 2030 electric models should make up 70% of European sales and 35% of U.S. sales. He said Stellantis will use four electric platforms for passenger vehicles across its 14-brand empire — small, medium and large sizes for cars, and "frame" for high-margin SUVs and pickup trucks. Sweden's Volvo said this month its lineup would be fully electric by 2030, and Ford Motor Co said in February its lineup in Europe would be too. BMW has said at least 50% of its car sales should be fully-electric models by 2030. Sales of electric and plug-in hybrid cars in the European Union almost trebled to over 1 million vehicles last year, accounting for more than 10% of overall sales. Green Alfa Romeo Fiat Jeep Maserati Citroen Lancia Opel Peugeot Vauxhall Electric Hybrid Stellantis

Alfa Romeo Tonale is the last new gas-powered Alfa for U.S.

Speaking to journalists yesterday, Vincent Noirbent, vice president of marketing and product for Alfa Romeo North America, talked about Alfa's electrification plans for the U.S. He confirmed the brand's plans to go to only electric introductions for 2025 and beyond. And he also revealed that the plug-in hybrid Tonale is the last new gas-powered model for America. We take that to mean the last new mainline model, since Zagato teased a special Giulia coupe that might be available to America that's slated to come out in 2023. That's undoubtedly going to be a very limited-production vehicle and could be regarded as just another version of the existing Giulia. But that aside, the Tonale is the last new internal combustion Alfa for the U.S. And that also makes it the last major model introduction until the first of the EVs is introduced for 2025. Apparently there's a smaller internal-combustion Alfa coming for Europe between now and 2025. But Noirbent said that it wouldn't be a good fit for the U.S. Apparently it will be a smaller model than the Tonale, and we would be inclined to agree with Alfa's decision. Vehicles the size of Tonale are about as small as any of the major premium car companies go in this country. Following the introduction of the 2025 Alfa EV, the brand will have additional models released every year through 2030. So Alfa's electric lineup will grow impressively quickly. The brand will still have a few gas-powered models overlapping, though, as existing vehicles won't be discontinued immediately. So Tonale, and likely Giulia and Stelvio, will stick around for a few years during the transition. Related video: A Night With Giulia