1958 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider 1.3l on 2040-cars

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9 thoughts about the Alfa Romeo Giulia Lusso

The 2023 Alfa Romeo Giulia Lusso is the type of car that reminds you why you love cars in the first place … and why everyone has perhaps gotten a little too practical in their automotive tastes. This is a car filled with life and joy, with controls that speak to you in ways that most other cars and their brands have long ago forgotten. ItÂ’s far from the spiciest Giulia available, but if anything, IÂ’d say the Quadrifoglio overshadowed just how enjoyable the base car is. This was the most time IÂ’ve spent in any Giulia, and whether I was driving my son to school, making the L.A. freeway trek down to the VW ID. Buzz reveal, or whisking through the Santa Monica Mountain roads, the Lusso made the experience extra special. Here are 9 thoughts on the Alfa Romeo Giulia Lusso. 1. All-star steering The steering is just incredible, one of the main reasons I find the Giulia so desirable. ItÂ’s quick and feelsome with a terrific wheel to grip. LetÂ’s talk about D mode, which is the sportiest of the three “DNA” drive modes (N is normal and A is eco). A subtle amount of extra weighting on turn-in is added, and itÂ’s perfect – utterly spot-on and natural. That weighting then lightens as you keep turning through tighter turns, which means the car isnÂ’t fighting against you and allows you to genuinely feel the road free from excess weighting as you make minute adjustments. Steering in N mode is still relatively firm on center, but that turn-in weighting is just a bit lighter. Still great during most of the times youÂ’re driving, but D mode is so, so, so good. All-star, Top 10 board with various Porsches, Mazdas and the surprisingly great Aston Martin DBX on my scorecard. 2. Hey, I actually noticed the brakes! Sadly, the Giulia is not available with a manual transmission. Like a giant tease, though, the brake pedal is closer in size and shape to one from a three-pedal car. Pedal aside, wow are the brakes it's attached to ever good. Wear thin shoes and youÂ’re able to delicately brush the pedal, feeling the calipers brush the rotors in kind. So beautifully modulated. I could see someone finding them a little too responsive resulting in jerking stops, but either stop wearing work boots, try harder or buy a Lexus ES. I donÂ’t usually notice brakes unless theyÂ’re especially good or especially bad/weird. These fall in the former category, and whatÂ’s even more impressive, is that theyÂ’re brake-by-wire.

Mazda engineers urging execs for more RWD models

According to Edmunds, Mazda engineers are pressuring the company to create more rear-wheel-drive models, in an effort to better differentiate itself from its rivals. This push is reportedly coming from middle and senior engineers within the company, and these folks at Mazda believe this rear-drive strategy would allow the automaker to produce more distinctive, fun to drive cars. Mazda discontinued the rear-drive (and rotary-engined) RX-8 a few years ago, leaving the MX-5 Miata as the company's only RWD offering.
As enthusiasts, we're fully on board with Mazda offering more rear-drive cars, but unsurprisingly, the company's top management isn't exactly keen on the idea - and with good reason. First and foremost, the cost associated with redesigning fresh architecture for new models would be very high, and considering the fact that Mazda hasn't exactly been raking in the dough lately, an expensive new venture like this doesn't make a whole lot of sense. What's more, Mazda's latest front-drive models - the Mazda3, Mazda6 and CX-5 - have been very well-received, and are helping the company gain sales momentum.
But that doesn't mean there aren't other options. Edmunds reminds us that Mazda is already partnering with Alfa Romeo on the next-generation Miata, and if this collaboration is successful, perhaps the relationship could bear additional fruit. After all, Alfa Romeo is said to be working on returning to its rear-wheel-drive roots, so Mazda's engineers might be able to make a case for more RWD goodness after all.

Abarth 1000 SP is a retro-styled Alfa Romeo 4C

With the whittled-down Fiat lineup in the U.S., you might've forgotten about the brand's sporty division Abarth. But the brand is still active, still selling sporty Fiats in Europe, and now it has created a one-off roadster to celebrate its racing history. It's the Abarth 1000 SP, and it's styled and named after a 1966 race car that won its class at the 500-kilometer Nurburgring race that year. As other news outlets have noted, it's pretty obvious the Abarth 1000 SP is a restyled Alfa Romeo 4C (also disappearing from both the U.S. and overseas markets), even if Abarth doesn't say so specifically. That's not a bad, thing, though, being both an impressive sports car and one bearing the kind of curves that are perfect for the lines of the original car. The 1966 car's low pointy nose, curvy fenders and myriad vents and scoops fit great, and we also dig the exposed roll bar and cut-down rear cowls. The rear bumper maybe looks a little awkward, but overall, we think it's a well-executed car. Mechanically, it seems unchanged from the 4C. It has the same 1,742-cc turbocharged four-cylinder making 240 horsepower and sitting in the same carbon fiber and aluminum chassis. As such, it should probably be called the Abarth 1740 SP or 1700 SP rather than 1000, since the original was named after the displacement of the modified Fiat 600 engine it used. The car is just a one-off, so you won't be able to purchase one, but you might be able to see it at a European car show or museum someday. Related Video: