45: Alfa Romeo Giulia – Not just for Alfa loyalists

It’s dangerous, of course, to live in the past. Dangerous to look backwards with spectacles of pure rose-tint. Dangerous to assume that there was ever an actual golden age. But with Alfa, it’s hard not to hear the names ‘Fangio, Ascari, Andretti, Vacarella…’ whispered into your ear as you reach the for doorhandle.

Thankfully, in the new Giulia, that handle gives you access to a thoroughly modern car that is, wait for it, truly competitive with its Germanic rivals. It’s not perfect (some cabin fittings could do with an upgrade, and the 2.2-litre diesel is only OK) but it’s actually, genuinely, good enough to stand up to the tide of 3 Series, A4s, C-Classes and so on. It’s gorgeous, it’s mostly well-made, it’s practical, and it’s comfortable.

Most will still shun it, citing concerns over reliability, but they're missing out. The 510hp Giulia Quadrifoglio uses three-quarters of a Ferrari engine to astonishing effect, and is way more fun to drive than a BMW M3 or Audi RS4.

The sweetest version, though, is the 280hp Veloce model, which is helpfully half the price of the Quadrifoglio. Hopefully, this is a sign of even better things to come from Alfa Romeo.