2020 Alfa Romeo Giulia on 2040-cars

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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.

Marchionne offers belated apology for 'wop engine' comment

Automotive News reports Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne has issued a written apology for his comments regarding his decision to stick with an Italian engine for the upcoming Alfa Romeo 4C. As you may recall, back in January, Marchionne was quoted as saying, "I cannot come up with a schlock product, I just won't. I won't put an American engine into that car. With all due respect to my American friends, it has to be a wop engine." The CEO penned an apology to the Italian American ONE VOICE Coalition for using the racial epithet, saying that he made the comment in jest. Marchionne also said he realizes his remarks were unacceptable.
ONE VOICE, an organization aimed at fighting discrimination and stereotyping of Italian Americans, thanked Marchionne, Chrysler and Fiat for the apology. Marchionne is an Italian-born Canadian citizen, and he's gotten in trouble for other comments in the past. In 2011, he called high interest rates Chrysler was paying to the Canadian government "shyster rates." He apologized a day later.

Green-on-green Alfa Romeo 8C-based Disco Volante Spyder listed for sale

There is no unwritten rule that states an Alfa Romeo must be red, and there is no secret decree that claims an Italian car can't wear British Racing Green. Proving both of these points with aplomb is this rare 2019 Alfa Romeo 8C-based Disco Volante Spyder, which is finished in green with a green interior and listed for sale in Switzerland. Offered by exotic car dealer Niki Hasler, this Disco Volante Spyder is the fourth of seven examples built by Italian coachbuilder Touring Superleggera. When the model made its debut in 2016, we reported that each of the seven cars would be painted in a different color, and our consumer editor Jeremy Korzeniewski wrote that he hoped one would be painted green like an earlier coupe shown at a Geneva show. His wish has come true. British Racing Green works quite well on the retro-styled lines, which were penned as a modern interpretation of the original Disco Volante built in 1952. The person who ordered this Disco Volante also asked for a matching green interior upholstered in a combination of leather and Alcantara. Touring Superleggera added a plaque between the seats to remind occupants of the car's rarity, but most of the parts that the driver sees and interacts with come straight from the 8C Competizione. It's all Alfa under the hood, too. Touring made no major mechanical modifications to the Disco Volante, so it's powered by a Ferrari-derived, 8C-sourced 4.7-liter V8 engine that delivers 450 horsepower and 354 pound-feet of torque to the rear wheels via a six-speed automated-manual transmission. The 2019 example listed for sale in Switzerland has covered 16,000 kilometers, which represents approximately 10,000 miles, so it hasn't spent its life as a garage queen. It recently received new tires and new brakes, according to the dealer. Unmodified, it's equipped with a useful lift system for the front axle; we can't imagine the front splitter is cheap to replace if it loses a fight with a speed bump. As a bonus, this Disco Volante comes with a matching luggage set. Niki Hasler hasn't published pricing information, so we don't know how many organs you'll need to sell before you can add this Disco to your collection. It won't be a bargain, however. Seven units were built with Alfa's blessing, so it's rare enough to make even the standard 8C, which was limited to 1,000 units globally (split evenly between coupes and convertibles), look common.