Alfa Romeo Sprint, page #8

Auto blog

2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti

It is the cover car of the moment for enthusiast publications across the country. And the introduction of the 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio deserves the notice. With it Fiat Chrysler Automobiles marks the real return of Alfa Romeo sales and service to the North American market. Alfa's two-seater – the 4C – preceded it, but the target market for those coupes and roadsters could be fitted into a commuter jet. The new Giulia is aimed at the midsize sport sedan audience currently occupied by the BMW 3 Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, and Audi A4. The sales potential is huge and historically underserved by Italian brands. While the Giulia Quadrifoglio, with its 505 horsepower and track-ready suspension gets the ink, we think it's the more pedestrian Giulia sedan that's deserving your attention. And by pedestrian we don't mean prosaic; the Giulia is an exciting sedan built atop a competent platform and propelled by a responsive turbocharged drivetrain. With a base price in real-wheel-drive form (all-wheel drive is optional) of under $40,000, the Giulia is accessible in a way the $72,000 Quadrifoglio is not. On Alfa's Build Your Own site we studied the options, selecting an upgrade with Alfa's Giulia Ti. It constitutes a $2,000-bump over the Giulia's $38,000 base, and gives you 18-inch alloy wheels (vs. the 17-inchers on the standard Giulia). The Ti also provides dark gray oak interior accents and the availability of both Sport and Lusso (luxury) appearance packages. Other adds included the Vesuvio Gray exterior ($600), additional leather interior trim ($995), the Ti Performance package ($1,200) and the Ti 18-inch Sport Package ($1,750). The Sport package adds more aggressive alloy wheels, paddle shifters, and aluminum pedals, while Performance supplied the active suspension and limited slip differential. The end result is a net price of $45,535 including applied offers. We think we'd lease it. In talking with an Alfa dealer in suburban Washington, an advertised lease special on a $44,000-Giulia resulted in 39 payments at just over $500 per month, with roughly $7,500 out of pocket and a residual value of $21,239. At the end of that 39 months you have the option of returning the car to FCA or buying it for the residual. We think the Giulia, with an MSRP of between $40,000 and $50,000, is a screaming deal. And to buy your own 'used' car at the end of three years for $21,000? That's a crazy good deal. Related Video:

Is your new-car warranty good at the race track?

We've all heard the horror stories. Your buddy knows a girl that was dating a guy whose best friend's brother once broke his brand-new, recently purchased performance car while making runs at a drag strip or laps at a track day, and the manufacturer wouldn't cover the repair under warranty. True story? Urban legend? Complete crap? Yes, no, maybe. One thing's for sure: Automotive warranties have always come with caveats. In 1908, an ad in the Trenton Evening Times clearly stated: "All Ford Cars Guaranteed for One Year." Although it changed over time, by 1925 the Ford New Car Guarantee only covered 90 days on material and 30 days on labor, and it clearly stated that that there was "No guarantee whatever on Fan Belts, Glass, Bulbs, Wiring, Transmission, Bands, Hose Connections, Commutator Shells, Rollers, Spark Plugs or Gaskets." Whether or not Ol' Henry would pay to fix your Model T if you broke it shaving a tenth off your lap time at the local board track seems to be lost to history. We're guessing no. But what about today? Do new-car warranties in 2017 cover cars when they are driven on race tracks? We researched the warranties of 14 auto brands to find out, and the answer is yes, no, maybe, depending on the brand, in some cases the model, and whether or not your car is modified from stock. Acura has been out of the high-performance car game for a number of years, but jumps back into the party in 2017 with its hybrid-powered $173,000 NSX supercar. And Acura's warranty, as well as Honda's, clearly states that it does not cover "the use of the vehicle in competition or racing events." View 33 Photos So we asked Sage Marie, Senior Manager of Public Relations for Honda and Acura. "If the car is stock, the warranty covers it on a track just as it does on the street. No question," he told us. "However, if the car is modified, say with slick tires or other components that would put higher stresses on the vehicle's parts and systems, then we would have to investigate the circumstances further." Marie went on to say the same would be true for any Acura model or Honda vehicle, including the new 2017 Honda Civic Si. This became a common theme. Chevrolet actually started this practice with the fifth-generation Camaro on the high-performance ZL1 and Z/28 models.

Top Gear's latest trailer shows off a golden Bugatti Chiron

Top Gear is returning on March 5, and after a lackluster first series with the new hosts, the new group seems determined not to hit a sophomore slump. Chris Evans is gone, and the latest teaser trailer shows the new trio of Matt LeBlanc, Chris Harris, and Rory Reid strapped into some pretty fantastic cars, including the Bugatti Chiron and the Ford GT. All of the typical Top Gear segments appear to be present, though the quick cuts don't give us many details. The trailer shows a copious amount of powerslides from an assortment of cars, and even Chris Harris racing around Daytona. Aside from the Bugatti and Ford, cars from Porsche, Lamborghini, Ferrari, BMW, Aston Martin, and Alfa Romeo are all present. Co-hosts Eddie Jordan and Sabine Schmitz don't appear at all, so it seems their roles may be downplayed to focus on three guys, as was the case pre-reboot. We have some hope for this re-relaunched show and will be keeping an eye out for more details in the lead-up to the series premiere. Related Video: News Source: YouTube Celebrities TV/Movies Alfa Romeo BMW Bugatti Ferrari Ford Lamborghini Porsche Top Gear chris harris Bugatti Chiron matt leblanc

Alfa Romeo cancels plans for Giulia wagon to focus on Stelvio development

Automotive enthusiasts can talk all day long about the benefits of wagons over their respective crossover stablemates, but despite our protestations the case for the wagon seems to fall on deaf ears, especially in America. That seems to be the reason cash-strapped automaker Alfa Romeo has nixed any plans for a wagon variant of the new Giulia. According to Car, Alfa manufacturing chief Alfredo Altavilla believes the company can engineer the Stelvio SUV to drive as well as a Giulia wagon would – so no need for both. Porsche has shown with the Cayenne and the Macan that an SUV can be an excellent performance machine. That being said, as good as performance crossovers have shown themselves to be, the higher weight and center of gravity puts them at a fundamental disadvantage to a wagon. Killing the Giulia wagon is disappointing, but it's a pure business move. The company needs to focus on expanding it's lineup, not building variants of already existing models. Alfa is hoping to boost sales into the hundreds of thousands, and building a low-volume performance station wagon is not the way to do it. Despite the loss of the wagon, rumors persist that a two-door version of the Giulia is set to debut in Geneva. Related Video:

Alfa Romeo's Super Bowl commercial is about dreams and reinvention [UPDATE]

Update 2: Alfa Romeo keeps rolling out the Super Bowl ads. The post has been changed to include the third ad and information about it. Update: Alfa Romeo had not one, but two new Super Bowl commercials, and this post has been edited to include the second one. Alfa Romeo's Super Bowl commercial talks about the things we've dreamed of since we were kids, like riding on dragons and flying cars. It also covers the various life lessons many of us learn, including how to be true to oneself. All the while, images of childhood, growing up, and vintage Alfa Romeos are spliced together. It covers some heartwarming ground, but it's all a bit broad and borderline vague. The idea seems to be that Alfa as a company has learned the same lessons we do growing up, and that it all pays off with its new models. The second ad is much better, and is all about Alfa's strengths: driving enjoyment, passion, and other cliched Italian automotive characteristics. It shows a new Giulia Quadrifoglio cruising some gorgeous mountain roads, and the driver talking about being one with the vehicle and loving the experience. The bit about letting something go if you love it was cheesy, but this was a commercial that really showed what Alfa Romeo is all about, and we liked it. Check it out above. Alfa's third Super Bowl ad of the night continues what the second one started. This one focuses on the most powerful Giulia's beauty, and, well, power. It's apparently both breath-taking and breath-giving. Check out the commercial above. Related Video: Image Credit: Alfa Romeo / YouTube Alfa Romeo Super Bowl Commercials Videos super bowl li

Alfa sprints toward Geneva with two-door Giulia

Alfa Romeo is poised to add a two-door version of the Giulia to its lineup, according to a report from Motoring out of Australia. The coupe could be called the Giulia Sprint and be revealed at the Geneva Motor Show, the website says. The Sprint name has been used on a variety of sporty Alfas, like the 1965 Giulia Sprint GTA shown above, over the years. The move would broaden Alfa's lineup which currently stands at just the Giulia sedan and the hard-edged 4C sports car in the United States. The 2018 Stelvio SUV joins Alfa's portfolio this year. The company's five-year plan indicates two specialty vehicles will join its lineup in the coming years, though they're unspecified. An Alfa spokesman declined to comment to Autoblog on future product. The Giulia two-door would likely share powertrains with its sedan sibling, which offers a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder making 280 horsepower and a turbo 2.9-liter Ferrari-derived 505-hp V6. The coupe would take aim at the Mercedes-Benz C-Class Coupe, BMW 4 Series, Cadillac ATS coupe, Audi A5, Infiniti Q60, and others. Related Video:

2017 Alfa Romeo Model Year Preview and Updates

Having taken a twenty year sabbatical from the U.S. market, Fiat Chrysler Automobile's Alfa Romeo returned for the 2015 model year with the ALFA ROMEO 4C COUPE, a singularly two seat, mid-engined sports car with a carbon fiber monocoque chassis, high-performance 1.7 liter turbocharged four-cylinder powertrain and competition-inspired bodywork. Although the 4C's price point isn't inexpensive, the amount charged is pocket change relative to what is required by Ferrari, Lamborghini and Porsche. The 4C Spider was introduced for 2016, while 2017 brings a modest list of modifications to the sporting two-seater, including Alpine Premium audio, the addition of Giallo Prototipo (yellow) to the 4C Coupe, an available carbon fiber roof treatment and updated wheel selection. GIULIA/GIULIA Ti and GIULIA QUADRIFOGLIO: Although the 4C Coupe may have taken the figurative lead in Alfa Romeo's return to the US market, the substantive start will be taken in the 2017 model year by Alfa Romeo's midsize sport sedan, the Giulia. All variants of the Giulia combine a balanced chassis, responsive drivetrains and Italianate bodywork in a compelling four door package. And with a turbocharged V6 drivetrain, sub-4 second 0-60 and a record-setting lap (for a 4-door) of the Nurburgring, the Quadrifoglio will battle BMW's M3 in Europe's super-sedan segment. STELVIO (2018): While final specs are still TBD, following the Giulia later in the 2017 calendar year will be Alfa Romeo's 2018 Stelvio. Based on the Giulia platform and formally introduced to the public at the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show, the Stelvio will tap into the country's appetite for compact and midsize crossovers with an upright – albeit curvaceous – platform, responsive four cylinder power and performance-oriented all-wheel drive. The Stelvio should arrive in US showrooms sometime in the 2017 calendar year.

On Broughams and Alfas | Autoblog Podcast #501

On this week's podcast, Mike Austin and David Gluckman discuss the odd history of the oft-recycled Brougham name. (Did you know some people pronounce it "broom" and they're not wrong?) There is of course discussion of what they've been driving lately, and things wrap up with Spend My (Your) Money buying advice to help you, our dear listeners. The rundown is below. Remember, if you have a car-related question you'd like us to answer or you want buying advice of your very own, send a message or a voice memo to podcast at autoblog dot com. (If you record audio of a question with your phone and get it to us, you could hear your very own voice on the podcast. Neat, right?) And if you have other questions or comments, please send those too. Autoblog Podcast #501 The video meant to be presented here is no longer available. Sorry for the inconvenience. Topics and stories we mention 2017 Honda CR-V 2017 Porsche Macan GTS 2018 Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio Brougham the guy and Brougham cars Used cars! Rundown Intro - 00:00 What we're driving - 02:51 Brougham - 37:39 Spend My Money - 47:28 Total Duration: 01:07:02 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Feedback Email – Podcast at Autoblog dot com Review the show on iTunes Podcasts Alfa Romeo Cadillac Honda Porsche alfa romeo giulia alfa romeo giulia quadrifoglio porsche macan gts

Ralph Gilles talks minivans, Millennials, mobility, and kissing Alfa Romeos

We sat down with Ralph Gilles, the global head of design for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, at the 2017 Detroit Auto Show. The veteran stylist has worked for the company for 25 years, and oversees the design of all of the products in the FCA portfolio – everything from mobility pods to Maseratis. This serves Gilles just fine, as his personal automotive interests are exceedingly diverse. The FCA stand was unusually quiet (until Vice President Joe Biden stopped by at the end of our time there) and Gilles was willing to weigh in on a wide range of subjects. Autoblog: We're seeing all of these autonomous mobility pods like Portal being presented at auto shows like CES or NAIAS, but we're not seeing any adoption of this kind of small vehicle in the market. What's your perspective on our pod-like autonomous future versus our truck-centric present? Ralph Gilles: Obviously I pay attention to the industry as much as your readers and yourself, and everyone has a take on the future. We had a debate, we could have done a supercar or something for pure sex appeal [ apparently that's also in the works], but we chose something practical, to really look at the future in a different perspective. We have these Millennials, a huge swath of people born between 1982 and 2004, and the oldest ones are turning 35 right about now, and a lot of them are having families later in life but when they have them they have a little more buying power, so it makes for an interesting cocktail. The one stipulation we had on the Portal project was that everyone had to be a Millennial to be on the team. So that excluded me, I had more of a coach role on the team. And to your point, the Portal in its current state as you see it is not going to be on the road tomorrow. But there's a lot of ideas, a lot of connectivity ideas, a lot of styling ideas, even lighting and technologies that will absolutely find their way into vehicles in the next few years. AB: Being a Detroiter, all of this attention we've had recently in Vegas, CES – I heard that they're maybe going to be running the show at the same time next year. Do you feel a little protective of the Detroit Show? RG: Yeah, it's something to watch. I hope it's not an aggressive thing on their part, by moving the shows on top of each other. They're both important shows. CES, I've been going to for the last five years, and it's changing. There's a lot more automotive content, but there are a lot more start-ups too, and it's interesting to watch.

Jeep and Alfa Romeo join the already exotic Italian police force

Police departments in Italy are blessed with some of the most iconic cop cars on the planet. Where else will you see a pale blue Lamborghini Huracan LP 610-4 emblazoned with "Polizia" on the road? FCA decided they couldn't let Lamborghini steal the show and have handed over the first Jeep Renegade and Alfa Romeo Giulietta to the Police Academy in Rome. FCA is also loaning two Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloces that will join the two Giulia Quadrifoglios medical cars that are already in service. The Renegade is an four-wheel drive Italian-spec model with a 2.0-liter, 120 horsepower inline four-cylinder engine that we don't get in the United States. The current Giulietta is a small-hatchback that isn't sold in America. On the other hand, the new Giulia and its 280 horsepower turbocharged inline-four and the Q4 all-wheel drive system goes on sale next month. In polizia guise, it's one of the most formidable and beautiful pursuit vehicles on the road. FCA is no stranger to police cars and supplies Dodge Charger Pursuits to fleets all across the US. We spent some time in one a while back and learned all the pros and cons of driving a black and white cruiser. Related Video: Featured Gallery FCA Italian Polizia Cars View 10 Photos News Source: FCA Alfa Romeo Jeep SUV Off-Road Vehicles Police/Emergency Performance Sedan police car alfa romeo giulia jeep renegade