1978 Alfa Romeo Spider Veloce Convertible 2-door 2.0l on 2040-cars

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Alfa Romeo Giulia police cars will save lives

Oh look, it's another Italian performance vehicle turned into a police car. Evildoers beware, right? Not exactly. As much as we'd love to picture an Alfa Romeo Giulia chasing down bank robbers through the streets of Milan this newest addition to the Italy's national police fleet will be used for less thrilling purposes. Instead of chasing down speeders, two copies of new Giulia Quadrifoglio will transport organs and blood for emergency medical use, as well as serve ceremonial escort cars. The police version here adds the usual cop goodies like radios and lights, a portable defibrillator, LED flashlights in the doors, and one of those round signaling flags that Italians seem to love. There no mention of a cop motor or cop brakes, but that's probably not necessary. 'The Quadrifolgio tops the 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia lineup with a 505 hp twin-turbo V6 capable of 0 to 60 mph in 3.8 seconds. When it eventually goes on sale in the US later this year or early next year, prices will range from around $40,000 for the base model to $70,000 in Quadrifoglio trim. Related Video: Featured Gallery Carabinieri Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio police car View 9 Photos Alfa Romeo Luxury Police/Emergency Performance Sedan police car alfa romeo giulia

You probably won't see FCA's famous Easter eggs on an Alfa Romeo

They started in Jeeps, with images of seven-slot grilles showing up on windshield edges, the text "SINCE 1941" appearing in the clear plastic of headlight units, and a relief map of Moab engraved into a rubber cubby liner. Then a Chrysler got a map of Detroit and the outline of Laguna Seca materialized near the Viper's window switch. We've come to call them Easter eggs, but Klaus Busse points out that they were never really meant to be secrets, just ways to dress up what he calls "dead plastic." He's nevertheless cool with the phrase being applied and likes the enthusiastic response these design details get. Busse is intimately familiar with many of them, having signed off on many of them in his time as head interior designer for FCA's US operations. He recently moved to Europe to lead Alfa Romeo, Maserati, and Fiat design there, so when I caught up with him next to the new Stelvio crossover at the Alfa stand in LA, I had to ask: Are we going to see any of those neat design details in Alfas or Maseratis anytime soon? The short answer is no. But he didn't say it's out of the question. Busse said if, for example, a designer wanted to put an Italian phrase somewhere on a car that was in keeping with the brand, he would allow it. Although he didn't come out and say it, it seems like he might feel this type of fun design element isn't necessarily appropriate for a higher-end brand like Alfa. And I get that. But I'm still going to check all the compartments of that new Alfa crossover for a map of the Stelvio Pass. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio: LA 2016 View 11 Photos Design/Style LA Auto Show Alfa Romeo Jeep 2016 LA Auto Show easter egg

Alfa Romeo's supercar is nearly sold out (but not yet approved)

Alfa Romeo's on-again, off-again supercar is taking shape. It hasn't been approved for production yet, let alone unveiled, but a recent report suggests that enthusiasts who want to add the model to their collection need to reach out to one of the firm's dealers as quickly as possible. Company boss Jean-Philippe Imparato told British magazine Autocar that several collectors have already put a deposit down on the car. There's no word yet on how many examples will be built, assuming the limited-edition model receives the proverbial green light for production, but the CEO suggested that demand will exceed supply. "It will be sold-out before I unveil the car," he told the publication. It's too early to tell what kind of supercar is in the pipeline. Allegedly called 6C, a name that seemingly confirms a six-cylinder engine, the model could feature a heritage-inspired design. "We are working on something that I could put aside the 8C in the museum of Arese, being proud of our contribution to the history of Alfa Romeo. That is what we want," Imparato clarified. He added that development work is ongoing. One of the numerous points that's up in the air is which six-cylinder the car will use. It's reasonably safe to assume that the engine will have a V configuration; Alfa Romeo doesn't have a straight-six engine in its arsenal. Although many of its sister companies do, it's not a layout that has historically been associated with the storied Italian brand while the V6 has been part of its heritage for decades. Using the 3.0-liter Nettuno V6 found in several recent additions to the Maserati range is likely more complicated than it might sound; Autoblog learned that Maserati isn't open to sharing the twin-turbocharged six-cylinder with another company, even one under the same umbrella. That leaves us with the 2.9-liter V6 that powers the Giulia Quadrifoglio, among other models, as the most likely candidate, but nothing is official at this stage. Stellantis executives will decide whether to approve the supercar in April 2023, according to Autocar. We're guessing that if deposits have already been taken and the car is nearly sold-out, there's a good chance that the model will see the light at the end of a production line. Haven't we already seen Alfa's supercar? If the idea of an Alfa Romeo supercar rings a bell, it's likely because coachbuilder Zagato unveiled a one-of-a-kind, Giulia-based model called Giulia SWB Zagato in December 2022.