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Alfa Romeo Giulia, new SUV delayed

Damn it, Alfa Romeo. You had one job. One job. Just return to the North American market. That's it. And just when we thought that long-awaited event was actually in sight, thanks to the new, high-performance Giulia Quadrifoglio sedan, we're being forced to report what we've reported so, so many times before – Alfa's US return has (probably) been delayed. Citing supplier sources, Automotive News Europe reports that not only has the new Giulia's European launch been delayed six months, to mid 2016, but the Italian brand's first SUV also won't arrive until at least early 2017. That's six and nine months later than each vehicle was expected, respectively. US on-sale dates for both vehicles were slated for at least three to six months after hitting European dealers. If ANE's report is correct, this virtually guarantees we won't see the Giulia Quadrifoglio before autumn 2016/winter 2017, while the Giulia-based SUV's US arrival is effectively pushed back to spring or summer of 2017. The delay in the Giulia is being blamed on additional work on safety and ride characteristics, ANE's sources claimed. The Quadrifoglio was to be followed by four-cylinder variants in March, but this delay means the high-performance Giulia will be on its own until the end of 2016 in Europe, and early- to mid-2017 in the US. It's unclear if these issues are to blame for the delay in the SUV, although considering it's based in part on the Giulia, that seems like a reasonable assumption. Naturally, and we're guessing annoyingly for Fiat Chrysler executives, this latest delay is raising further questions about the company's long-term plan for its troubled Turin-based brand. ANE quoted multiple analysts who called out Sergio Marchionne's overly ambitious plans for Alfa, although Morningstar's Richard Hilgert said it best: "I would be impressed if the brand sold 200,000 [units per year]," Hilgert told ANE. "I think Marchionne set an overly-lofty target as a shock treatment to a patient in cardiac arrest. The idea being to get an immediate dramatic response, but his plan for 400,000 units in 2018 would have the patient immediately get up and run a five-kilometer race." Related Video:

Alfa Romeo turns it up to 11 with Harrison guitars and Marshall amps

To American enthusiasts, nothing might say rock n' roll quite like a classic muscle car. But that doesn't preclude the Europeans from trying. Volkswagen has partnered with Fender for its premium audio systems, and now Alfa Romeo is teaming up with some rocking powerhouses as well. The Italian automaker is collaborating with Harrison Custom Guitar Works to create the limited-edition axe you see here. The electric guitar is designed around Alfa's iconic grille and uses automotive materials like aluminum and carbon fiber as well as traditional guitar woods like poplar, maple, ebony and Korina. The cross-bars, pickups, tail piece and bridge are CNC-machined from aluminum billet. Only 11 examples will be made, each taking eight months to construct, and priced at GBP4,000 (about $6,800 at current exchange rates). At the same time Alfa has also created a one-off MiTo concept car together with Marshall Amplification. The hatchback packs a custom Marshall JVM 50-watt amp and a pair of 12-inch 75-watt speakers, but has also been decked out with gold-mesh trim on the grille, head- and taillight surrounds, side mirrors, door handles and lower bumper – just like a Marshall stack – while the interior has been worked over with Marshall treadplates, white piping and gold trim. The shift knob has even been replaced by a Shure SH55 microphone. Though the collaborations look like something straight out of This Is Spinal Tap (with a touch of The Graduate thrown in for good measure), they'll both be showcased at a special screening in London of another rock documentary: Sound City, directed by Foo Fighters frontman (and former Nirvana drummer) Dave Grohl. You can, however, check them out in the pair of image galleries and the press releases below. CRAFTED FOR PERFORMANCE: HARRISON CUSTOM GUITAR WORKS UNVEILS ULTRA-EXCLUSIVE ALFA ROMEO-INSPIRED GUITAR - Harrison Custom Guitar Works create the 'Alfa Romeo' – an ultra-limited edition Alfa Romeo-inspired guitar - The 'Alfa Romeo' integrates traditional craftsmanship with performance materials such as carbon fibre and aluminium - Hand-built to order for GBP4,000 with each guitar taking eight months to create Harrison Custom Guitar Works based in Yorkshire (UK) has created an ultra-exclusive electric guitar inspired by Alfa Romeo's design and heritage. The 'Alfa Romeo', is a completely custom-made design that draws inspiration from the style, materials and technology of the Italian brand's road cars.

2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale First Drive: An electrifying Italian alternative

MILAN, Italy – Chicken or egg? ItÂ’s often a matter of perspective. In this case, the 2023 Dodge Hornet is based on the 2024 Alfa Romeo Tonale – itÂ’s even built in Italy – yet it was the Dodge that arrived first on American shores. By the narrowest of margins, true, but it happened nevertheless. That leaves the Tonale (pronounced "toe-nal-ay," not "toe-nail") to carve out a premium niche for itself above the buzzy Italian-American.   How? For starters, the Tonale is exclusively available as a plug-in hybrid in the United States. Only Canada and Mexico will get the lower-output, gasoline-only variant. Producing 285 horsepower and 347 pound-feet of torque combined, the plug-in powertrain consists of a 1.3-liter turbocharged four-banger and six-speed automatic transmission up front and a 121-horsepower electric motor on the rear axle. ThereÂ’s no physical connection between them, so power from the gas engine canÂ’t be sent rearward or vice versa. That means the Tonale is effectively rear-wheel drive when in electric-only mode. It can run like that for more than 30 miles if the 15.5-kilowatt-hour battery is fully charged, which requires about 2.5 hours on a level 2 setup. Provided you donÂ’t ask more of the powertrain than the battery and motor are able to deliver, it will putter along in combustion-free silence. Mashing the throttle will engage the gas engine no matter what hybrid mode youÂ’re in; more on those below. The standard Tonale is equipped with a MacPherson strut suspension with Frequency Selective Damping (FSD) shocks. They may sound like fancy electronic dampers but FSD shocks do their magic without any digital intervention. While not as sharp as performance-tuned shocks, nor as comfortable as those engineered to deliver the best ride, they offer a solid balance that is much less costly or complex than the adaptive setup that comes standard on the range-topping Veloce model. The VeloceÂ’s adaptive suspension is incorporated into Alfa's "DNA" drive mode selection system, tightening up in “Dynamic” and backing off in “Natural” and “Advanced Efficiency.” The TonaleÂ’s other sporty add-ons — aluminum steering column-mounted paddle shifters, aluminum pedals and red Brembo calipers with white Alfa Romeo script — are part of the “High Performance Driving Package,” which is optional on the mid-range Sprint and baked into the Veloce. The hybrid modes mentioned earlier exist outside the D-N-A dial.