ALFA ROMEO celebrates its centenary year in 2010 with an ever-growing list of historic events organised around the world to mark the occasion. Of more importance to its survival is the launch of the Giulietta hatchback, writes
SHANE O'DONOGHUE
A car company can only trade on its brand values for so long. Alfa Romeo has relied on its image without doing enough to compete with class leaders. Case in point is the Alfa 147, which was all but forgotten by Irish buyers well before the new Giulietta was revealed. It was never truly a rival for the VW Golf and Ford Focus, as sales figures show.
The Giulietta had to be a contender. While Fiat’s grand plan includes a money-saving pairing of Alfa Romeo with Chrysler, those holding the purse strings are in no mood to subsidise the brand, so successful volume sellers are needed for its long term survival. Its loyal followers, the Alfisti, may hanker after an affordable, rear-wheel-drive sportscar, but the reality is it wouldn’t make money.
First impressions are predictably favourable. It’s a great-looking car. The “hidden” rear door handles lend it a sporty look and the new lights are pieces of modern art in their own way. They’re even more impressive at night thanks to LEDs: the rear lamps, for instance, have a unique spiral design you’ll only appreciate in the dark.
Alfa’s designers kept retrospective tendencies at bay when penning the Giulietta’s exterior but allowed themselves a few reminiscences inside. Notably, the silver ball atop the gear lever and a set of toggle switches on the dashboard.
Elsewhere, it’s modern, with plastics covering most surfaces. Some switchgear and styling is carried over from the Alfa MiTo but the Giulietta’s cabin is higher quality. There’s plenty of space, too. It’s no coincidence the Alfa falls neatly between the Golf and Focus in overall dimensions.
Five engines will be available, including a pair of 1.4-litre petrol units, a 1.6-litre turbodiesel and a 168bhp 2.0-litre turbodiesel. Topping off the range will be the high-performance Cloverleaf derivative, powered by a 1,750 petrol engine producing 232bhp. All engines are turbocharged.
The biggest sellers in Ireland will be the entry-level 1.4-litre petrol engine (118bhp and 206Nm of torque) and the 1.6-litre turbodiesel (103bhp and 320Nm of torque). The frugal-minded buyer will be more interested in the diesel version’s low emissions (114g/km, band A) and fuel economy of 4.4 L/100km. All models compare favourably to direct rivals from Ford and VW in terms of efficiency.
Can the same be said of how the Giulietta drives? First impressions suggest so, with the caveat that only the higher output petrol and diesel variants were on hand to test on the road, and our time in the Cloverleaf was restricted to a smooth, wide test track.
The Giulietta was comfortable on the motorway and refined, though wind noise was noticeable at higher speeds. The chassis has inherent balance and loads of grip in the corners. It’s also stable under heavy braking and change of direction. Under duress, the standard electronic safety systems are deployed rapidly and they keep the car on line.
Alfa’s DNA system offers the choice between dynamic, normal and all-weather settings. It’s a useful way of eeking out a few more kilometres from each litre: normal mode has a less aggressive throttle map and maximum torque is available only in dynamic mode.
The specification for Irish cars has yet to be finalised but it’s likely the range will be split into Turismo, Lusso, Veloce and Cloverleaf. Alloy wheels should be standard, as will a list of safety devices.
Prices are set to start at about €23,000, pitching it straight into the middle of the Focus and Golf line-ups. Is it good enough to occupy that space? In a word, yes.
FACTFILE:
Giulietta 1.4
TB 1201.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine, 118bhp, 206Nm. Six-speed manual gearbox, Front-wheel drive; 0-100km/h in 9.4 sec; top speed of 195km/h
Giulietta 1.6
JTDM 1051.6-litre turbo- charged diesel engine, 103bhp, 320Nm. Six-speed manual gearbox, front-wheel drive; 0-100km/h in 11.3 secs; top speed of 185km/h