1982 Alfa Romeo Spider - No Reserve on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Alfa Romeo 4C Launch Edition marks a day we never thought we'd see

Alfa Romeo has been teasing its return to the United States for years. Each time, it's seemingly been pushed back for one reason or another. The last time we had our Alfa fix fulfilled was when just a few hundred examples of the 8C Competizione crossed the pond late last decade. Now, though, it looks like finally Alfa will be coming back, showing this, the 4C Launch Edition, at the 2014 New York Auto Show. By now, you should know the brief on the 4C – ultra-lightweight, mid-engined, turbocharged and with non-power-assisted steering. It's a driving instrument, and one we've admired from afar since it hit the European market. The 4C Launch Edition is the opening volley of Alfa's US return and adds a number of items to the already appealing sports car. The 500 Launch Editions will be limited to three colors - Alfa Red, Rosso Competizione or Madreperla White. It sports standard bi-xenon headlamps, which do away with the polarizing covers that highlighted European models. A carbon-fiber spoiler and mirror caps and unique forged wheels round out the changes for first US-spec 4Cs. The suspension is firmer, with performance-tuned shocks and stiffer front and rear sway bars. Meanwhile, a racing exhaust should help the turbocharged, four-cylinder engine make its presence known. It doesn't seem like the power output is changing thanks to the new exhaust, although we're expecting the 4C's already throaty warble will sound even better. You can take a look up top for our full gallery of live images of the new 4C or you can scroll down and take a look at the official press release from Alfa Romeo. Then, hop into the Comments and let us know if you think of the latest Alfa to be sold in the US.

Notes from the 2016 Alfa Romeo Giulia reveal in Milan [w/video]

It's an interesting time for Alfa Romeo. Wednesday marked the brand's 105th birthday, but also a rebirth of sorts. The new Giulia is the first of several new vehicles to come out of the Project Giorgio skunkworks that has been quietly working to reimagine the brand. Fiat Chrysler is banking on these cars to finally turn Alfa around. Before the Giulia was rolled out, Alfa Romeo CEO Harald Wester acknowledged that the brand has had its share of missteps in the past. He then called out today's sporty offerings for having evolved into near-perfect but boring, commoditized cars across the industry. They have no soul, he said, nothing to differentiate one from the next. While I'd argue that each brand in the performance space still has something to differentiate itself from the others, anything that can be done to restore some of the man-machine connection lost to electronics and added weight can only be seen as a good thing. I like what I'm hearing from Alfa so far; below are some notes gleaned from the unveil event that make me think this reawakening might just work. The head of the skunkworks is Philippe Krief, a former Ferrari engineer. This is certainly a good sign for the car's dynamics and powertrain. Krief was quick to note that the Giulia uses "real" torque vectoring, not a brake-based solution like some others use. The rear differential uses a pair of clutches to apportion torque side to side. Alfa claims the car's steering will be the quickest in its segment, which I take to mean the one that currently includes the BMW M3, Mercedes-AMG C63, and Cadillac ATS-V. Immediacy translates to the braking system, as well. Alfa has come up with a new design that combines the stability control and brake servo into one unit; it's said to be simpler than two parts and also improves brake response. I'm pretty sure Krief even called its design beautiful while it flashed briefly onscreen. Quadrifoglio cars get carbon-ceramic brake discs to further improve performance and reduce weight. I didn't get to sit in the car, or even open the door, but I liked what I saw of the interior. The center console is angled to hem the driver in a little, which works well with the canted, sweeping dash. It kind of reminds me of the look in newer Mazdas – clean and simple with a good balance of organic curves and straight edges.

2019 Alfa Romeo Giulia gets Nero and Carbon editions

It feels like the Giulia was only recently introduced, but for 2019, the Alfa Romeo Giulia will get a number of updates. While the engine range remains unchanged – the base Giulia and the Giulia Ti continue with the 280-horsepower turbo four and the Quadrifoglio's engine remains the twin-turbo V6 with 505 horses – there are new packages and specifications for the 2019 model year. To begin with, the Giulia Ti Sport gets 19-inch wheels with a five-hole design as standard, and the Quadrifoglio gets a 40/20/40 folding rear seat as standard, with a third headrest. Heated rear seats are also available for all trim levels, and leather is standard. There are new paint colors for four-cylinder Giulias, consisting of two different greys. But the new packages are interesting, as there's now a "Shadowline" style Nero Edizione available for all Giulias. This clothes the Giulias with dark accents on the Scudetto grille, mirror caps, headlamp bezels, window trim, exhaust tips and wheels. For some model lines, brake calipers are available in red, black or yellow. In addition to Nero Edizione, another new package is the Carbon. It's only available for the Ti Sport and Quadrifoglio, and on the Ti Sport it lays everything full of carbon fiber from the grille to the side skirts, and adds a leather-wrapped dashboard. For the Quadrifoglio, the Carbon is an exterior package, which gives the car a carbon grille, mirror caps and badge. Related Video: Image Credit: FCA Alfa Romeo Luxury Performance Sedan alfa romeo giulia