Alfa Romeo’s Stunning, US-Bound Giulia Quadrifoglio Is A 510 Horsepower RWD Monster

I admit it, I’m a sucker for Alfa Romeos. While the cars have never been known for their reliability or resale value, they are more often than not incredibly security vehicles — look no further than that 8C and the 4C Spider.

But Alfa Romeo can’t just get along in the United States market with just the 4C and 4C Spider (the 8C has long since been discontinued); so that’s where the new Giulia sedan comes into the picture. It is based on Alfa’s new Giorgio platform which supports both rear-wheel and all-wheel drive. Not surprisingly, this is a compact entry-level luxury sedan that has its crosshairs aimed square at the BMW 3-Series (just like other newcomers to the segment like the Cadillac ATS and Jaguar XE).

Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio

The top-ranging Giulia Quadrifoglio is powered by a twin-turbocharged V6 engine that bellows out 510 horsepower and rockets the vehicle to 60 mph in 3.9 seconds. And in an effort to battle the BMW 3-Series on the handling front (which apparently isn’t too hard to do these days given how “soft” BMWs have become) the Giulia has perfect 50/50 weight distribution. The Quadrifoglio also features a torque-vectoring rear differential and an active front splitter which helps sort out the air flowing over the vehicle when you’re blasting down the autobahn. The Giulia also makes extensive use of weight-saving materials including carbon fiber in the seat frames, hood, roof, and propeller shaft. Aluminum can be found in the suspension subframes, brakes, and engine.

Although no mention is made in the press release, we have the feeling that the 4C’s turbocharged four-cylinder engine which generates 237hp and 258 ft-lbs of torque will be available in lesser models. There’s also word that AWD will be available on the Giulia, although we don’t know if that feature will extend to the BMW M3-fighin’ Quadrifoglio.

As for the styling, you can definitely see the Alfa Romeo familial resemblance from the front and rear. However, the side profile reminds me of a mashup of the current generation 3-Series mixed in with some Infiniti Q60 and Q70. But to my eyes, the Giulia manages to look immensely better than any of those aforementioned vehicles, especially in Quadrifoglio trim. And just check out that interior -- **swoon** -- it’s a nice departure from the “all-business” look of the 3-Series or the “tacked on iPad” look of the all-new Mercedes-Benz C-Class.

That’s about all we know for now. The Giulia will definitely make it stateside, but we’ll have to wait a bit longer for official specs/dimensions and pricing.