One hundred and five years to the day Alfa Romeo began making cars, the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles brand launched an all-new, top-of-the-line sedan.
DETROIT, MI - One hundred and five years to the day Alfa Romeo began making cars, the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles brand launched an all-new, top-of-the-line sedan.
In unveiling the Giulia in Milan Wednesday, the Italian brand described the car as having "distinctive Italian design, state-of-the-art, innovative engines, perfect 50/50 weight distribution, unique technical solutions and the best weight-to-power ratio."
Under the hood, the Giulia has a V-6 turbo engine that gets 510 horsepower. That sends it from 0-62 miles per hour in 3.9 seconds.
The Giulia gets an optimal weight-to-power ratio, Alfa Romeo says, by using carbon fiber for the propeller shaft, the bonnet and the roof, and aluminium for the engine, brakes and suspension.
The Giulia also sports an all-new Alfa Romeo badge on its nose.
The Alfa Romeo Giulia will be available in rear- and four-wheel drive. It comes to the U.S. next year. Pricing has not yet been announced, but it will compete with the likes of Mercedes-Benz and BMW.
FCA unveiled the high-powered sedan on the same date - June 24 - that A.L.F.A., or Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili, was established in 1910.
The Giulia is only the latest in a string of vehicles to be revealed by the brand, according to a report in Automotive News.
It's part of a $6 billion plan by FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne that calls for the release of eight new models by 2018.
In addition to the Giulia, plans call for a new flagship sedan and mid-size SUV.
The goal is to grow Alfa Romeo's global sales from 70,000 last year to an ambitious sum of 400,000 by 2018, and that includes sales of about 150,000 units in North America, according to Automotive News.
In the U.S., the brand has a long ways to go. The 4C is currently the only model sold stateside. The low-volume car, introduced for 2015 sales here, has sold a total of 295 units through May.
David Muller is the automotive and business reporter for MLive Media Group in Detroit. Email him at dmuller@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter