[Closed] Alfa Romeo Giulia

just doesn't look like it works in that colour.

White works 🙂

[img] ?itok=4KShabJE[/img]

Lotsa glass, refreshing.

Looks like a 3 series in a party dress

Red works so much better than white 😉

Will keep my fingers crossed they do a Sportwagon variant. A 500bhp, rwd Italian estate in Proteo red would tick all the boxes I think.

ElShalimo - Member

Looks like a 3 series in a party dress

Looks like an up-to-date 156. Love it.

The 3 series and C class look so tacky in comparison.

cynic-al - Member

Lotsa glass, refreshing.

+1

Beemer 3 series with an Alfa grill/lights is what jumps out at me. Maybe different in the flesh. And also not a bad thing anyway

Looks like an up-to-date 156

Like it a lot!
If pushed I would go for the red one, I see what others are saying about looking like a 3 series I can see hints of it around the front wings/Lights but you see this in a lot of cars now, take a look at the profile of a Megane Coupe and Astra GTc both very similar in outline.

3-series from the side, Audi from the rear and Jag headlights. Maybe a bit too 'me too', but they're obviously looking to take sales from these buyers.

[url= http://sniffpetrol.com/2015/06/25/new-alfa-promises-unmatched-disappointment/#.VYu7J0CUzRZ ]Sniff Petrol[/url]

Actually looks better in that picture. Stunning. I want.

I want to see that on the Top Gear track pasting an M3/M4 (or whatever they're calling it these days) with fancy camera tricks and possibly Audioslave as the soundtrack

@StevieD - thanks for that, I used to own a red 156 and I've just bought a silver/grey 159!

Long term Alfisti here. I owned a 156 V6 Sport for a while until I couldn't afford the fuel bills. I replaced that with a 2.0 litre 147, which was pleasingly rorty and I've just taken the plunge and bought a 159 - a turbodiesel this time.

The 156 is by far the better detailed car, properly lovely and well proportioned from any angle.

But that Giulia...Oh my God...

It has to be red, no question. And that noise...it's like my old 156 V6, only better.

Just looks like BMW to me with a Mondeo rear end. The Start button on the steering wheel is just odd, and not in a good quirky Alfa way.

TBH I can't see them selling many, especially as it isn't due till September 2016, by which time rivals will have moved on further. All of which is a concern for Alfa's longevity, as this car is supposed to be a major part of the big Alfa come back.

ooo, hello.

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Snap 😉

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TBH I can't see them selling many, especially as it isn't due till September 2016, by which time rivals will have moved on further.

Can't agree there, the 2017 A4 looks Rumple Fugly. Like they've tacked a new style low front end onto the old car. The new BMWs all carry the same corporate look which is to say 'bulbous lumps everwhere with big nostrils', the new Mercs have big faces and weird swoopy, melty lines that don't really work at the back.

I just hope they sell plenty of petrols so I can buy one cheaply in 3 or 4 years time. 😀

Will keep my fingers crossed they do a Sportwagon variant

Apparantly, that is the plan. Despite my prior thread of impatience, if that happens I'm hopeful now that'll be my next car in 18 months time.

Nope, all I get is 3-series dressed in D&G dahhhhling..

So, no likiee.

Have all Afla designers been brought in from Germany ?

The need for a bluff front end is dictated by aero efficiency and pedestrian safety. Sloping bonnets and narrow bumpers are long gone, I think the likes of Alfa and Jaguar have the best interpretation of the rules possible from a stylistic point of view.

Have all Afla designers been brought in from Germany?

No bad thing if you want the oily and electrical bits to work properly. The old, Magnetti-Marelli wired Alfas were a tad 'eccentric' at times. Since 2000, they've used Bosch electrics which has improved reliability no end.

It really wasn't all that long ago when a required test on a nearly new Alfa was to make sure the electric windows worked.

Since 2000, they've used Bosch electrics which has improved reliability no end.

It really wasn't all that long ago when a required test on a nearly new Alfa was to make sure the electric windows worked.

*Admittedly, not nearly new

Sure, ok the underpinning engineers have strengthened the marque no end, what I really should have said was the crayon practitioners.. Have They been brought in from Korea or Japan. Most cars these days are a variant of Mazda designs of 5 years ago.
Whilst I like BMW's foray into Brants swoops/shark (was he wasn't it?) all I get these days is watered down Mazda moulds.
This Alfa is just another variant of that.

Shame.

I just hope they sell plenty of petrols so I can buy one cheaply in 3 or 4 years time.

They won't as this is band is primary rep car territory, so it'll be mostly diesels sold (if any are, as I can't see Alfa being on many companies approved car lists).

Aside question, who even buys saloons now? It's all about hatchbacks, SUV's and Crossovers.

The first photo looks like an Autocar design rendering, not a finished new Alfa. It looks OK, as good as anything else out there, but it doesn't look as individual or interesting as Alfa saloons of old.

dragon - Member

They won't as this is band is primary rep car territory, so it'll be mostly diesels sold (if any are, as I can't see Alfa being on many companies approved car lists).

Depends how good the private lease deals are. I see a lot of 135i, Fiesta ST, Focus ST & Golf R about. All of which (barring a handful of Focus ST diesels) are petrol and have had pretty decent deals available.

Was thinking more along the lines of if the Jag XF was designed by Italians.

Wasn't it?

Wasn't it?

A quick Google tells me it was the exceedingly Italian sounding Ian Callum 😉

Whether he's just the man who takes the credit and has an Italian design company behind him or not, I've no idea.

I can't open the passenger window from the driver's side control panel (I can close it though) on my Bosch-wired 2005* 156SW

Snap 🙂 Though to be fair mine feels more like a mechanical than electrical problem - i.e. something snapped and jamming the switch.

Looks good. Hope it drives better than the current car though as that is so far behind even the budget alternatives it's not funny.

It looks liek a 3 series with a body kit on it TBH ...
It will have a lovely engine and superb handling ...

And really off set pedals, electrics that like to surprise you and terrible build quality.

I had a 156 for a while ....

I've been waiting to see this for quite a while, and am a little under-whelmed with the looks TBH. Too much BMW / Jag for my liking.

Love the spec on paper, RWD, 50:50 weight distribution and a V6, but i was just hoping for those features mated to a 159 (best looking saloon / sport-wagon ever?)

Either way, I hope it does well, otherwise I fear the honcho's at FIAT may consider chopping the AR brand.

Ultimatly the Giulia's sucess will come down to Alfa's ability to produce a 2.0l diesel that does a genuine 65MPG and <£30/VED, IMO.

Im convinced the 159 would have sold better if the 1.9 diesel could have done more than 45mpg combined(when the German saloons would do 55mpg without trying)

Ultimately the Giulia's success will come down to Alfa's ability to produce a 2.0l diesel that does a genuine 65MPG and <£30/VED, IMO.

This hits the nail on the head, the Giulia Cloverleaf will appeal to a tiny proportion of a crowded sector, but the hope is that the trickledown glamour will sell a lot of diesel saloons.

Note that Jaguar has replaced the competent, but unimaginative X-Type with a RWD platform.

Before Alfas, I owned a couple of VWs. I had no end of shocking issues with build quality and dealerships alike, the VWs went expensively wrong every few months. I've also ran a Toyota Yaris too, which was hardly a paragon of bulletproof reliability either.

I can't help thinking that this would have made for a prettier Giulia
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Agreed. The 159 was leaps ahead of the 156 in terms of looks (and reliability) but this does look like a 156 but just waaaaay better.

the 156 was far better - I just felt the front could have been a little 'stronger'.

And why did they get rid of the rear door handles of the 156 - it was because of the change of design shop.

Alfa should have kept hold of Walter de'Silva, not let him go to VAG 🙁

I can't open the passenger window from the driver's side control panel (I can close it though) on my Bosch-wired 2005* 156SW

Snap Though to be fair mine feels more like a mechanical than electrical problem - i.e. something snapped and jamming the switch.

Electrics on my 2004 GT aren't great either - had an 'episode' that took out the cruise control (no matter - never gets used) and one of the window motors.

Now the windows switch between which one drops the furthest when you open the doors, and the passenger one occasionally decides to only go down in discrete increments.

My S and V reg 156s were better electrically, although the V reg was a lot better than the S reg for other areas of reliability.

Ultimately the Giulia's success will come down to Alfa's ability to produce a 2.0l diesel that does a genuine 65MPG and <£30/VED, IMO.

Agreed, that was kind of the point I was trying to make (badly) before. Unfortunately I can't see Alfa managing to do it and within a competitive price.

I can't help thinking that this would have made for a prettier Giulia

Wow, what's that? What a difference. Dripping in Alfa heritage and style; distinctive; "light" looking. I'd certainly pay for one of those.

I can't help agreeing with the general negative tone of the thread though. I always want to love a new Alfa, but not since the 156 Sportwagon have I been anything but disappointed. At least it isn't boss-eyed like the most recent lot I guess.

Wow, what's that? What a difference. Dripping in Alfa heritage and style; distinctive; "light" looking. I'd certainly pay for one of those.

I think that was one of the original 'concepts' for the Giulia back in 2008/9 - one of several that couldn't be built because of changes to regulations around the front end of cars re pedestrian safety & other issues.

All manufacturers suffer the same but IMHO Jag & Alfa are the two that have dealt with them the best.

I actually like it & think that the way it has polarised opinion for many shows it's not another meh product from Germany. If it drives as well as it should (on paper) then it will be a serious contender.

Alfa also stated at the launch yesterday that there will soon be another 7 models released globally which could be interesting. I hope they do a coupe version (a 6C?) of the Giulia which would give them a bit more room to be creative.

Anything that makes that noise can't be all bad..... 🙂

If it drives as well as it should (on paper) then it will be a serious contender.

I missed the launch and haven't googled for the detail - is it still using a Maserati chassis?

actually like it & think that the way it has polarised opinion for many shows it's not another meh product from Germany. If it drives as well as it should (on paper) then it will be a serious contender

I think its polarised opinion BECAUSE it looks like another meh product from Germany. 😕

People want /expect wow factor with an alfa (and handling / engines that live up to the brand heritage)

This doesnt have "wow" looks, IMO, the bi-turbo V6 may provide it in abundance though 🙂

brand heritage

So we are agreeing now this exists? 😀

It still has nowhere central to mount a number plate, symmetry is totally ruined by an off centre plate, I can't get past that!

It still has nowhere central to mount a number plate, symmetry is totally ruined by an off centre plate, I can't get past that!

Oddly was discussing exactly this recently with a friend who is really into cars and won't buy an Alfa for that reason.

Nothing stopping you sticking a number plate on each side if you want symmetry 🙂

Although, unless your current car has letters and numbers that mirror then the number plate won't be symmetrical anyway. Not to mention windscreen wipers resting to one side rather than the other.

so pretty

Although, unless your current car has letters and numbers that mirror then the number plate won't be symmetrical anyway. Not to mention windscreen wipers resting to one side rather than the other.

Fair points 😉 although palindrome plates is a market no one has ventured into!

But yeah, I think it's probably more something I expect to see (the central plate even without the symmetrical lettering) so when I don't it just feels 'off'.

I think its polarised opinion BECAUSE it looks like another meh product from Germany.

People want /expect wow factor with an alfa (and handling / engines that live up to the brand heritage).

I think the problem is that to be an economical success in the market at the moment they've got to produce a car that will appeal to the masses and is more inline with what the big German manufacturers are doing. This unfortunately is never going to be the car that people who have loved Alfa over the years are looking for.

As for the front plate positioning, they're utterly hideous things where ever they end up... the passenger footwell is my favoured position.

It is a nice nod to some of their earlier work though from when front plates were an afterthought ...
[img] ?rev=1[/img]

The only thing wrong with the side mounted number plate is when entering a pre-paid car park where they scan your plate, like at gatwick airport.

You always have to go to the payment office on the way out as it has not scanned a couple of the digits - even if you drive as close to one side of the entrance as you can 🙁

Otherwise it is where it should be.

Ew.

Those 'twisted' sills are awful
As are the TR7 side swages.
Looks like someone gave Lexus a crashed 75 Cloverleaf and said 'modernise this'.

Individuality is important to Alfa buyers, but an anathema to fleet managers.
Ugly seems to be in amongst private buyers though - can't move for Jukes round here.

I missed the launch and haven't googled for the detail - is it still using a Maserati chassis?

A re-engineered version to take an exclusive suspension set up & rear diff/axle that means they've been able to forget some of the electronics that make other cars driveable. All that with an (alleged) perfect 50/50 front/rear weight distribution, getting the engine behind the front axle and some wizardry in the steering dept makes me think it still has a genuine Alfa soul.

To be fair, I think anything that makes a noise like that does is going to get my vote. 😳

I've owned one of these, when they start doing pretty again I'll buy another 8)

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Electrics on my 2004 GT aren't great either - had an 'episode' that took out the cruise control

the cruise monitors the position of the pedals by switches on the brake and clutch pedal. when the pedal is not pressed the switches are engaged.

the springs on the switches on the pedals go a bit saggy so it thinks you are pressing something switching the cruise off. put a little magnet on the pedal arm to counter the slack so the contacts move again.

I got an extra 750 off mine because of that. fixed it with a fridge magnet.

Loved my old 159 Sportswagon and if I was ever to buy a car again I would consider this, Italian style and German engineering, not a bad mix as the recent Lambo's testify to.

To be fair, I think anything that makes a noise like that does is going to get my vote.

Thing is, perhaps the one you and I might buy won't sound like that, it'll be close to M3 money. But anyway, I'd have one on the basis its not (yet) commonplace, it's an Alfa and it's red, as long as mine has a leather interior with air con and nav, and a large boot for the bikes to go in.

Speak for yourself - I'm doing the maths based on keeping my new one for 3 years & picking up a second hand QV. The dealers will, no doubt, be financially encouraged to put them on the road so there shouldn't be a shortage.... If not, then I believe they will be putting the little 240bhp lump from the GQV/4C in one model & that sounds perky enough 🙂

I'll be changing my 159 in the next 6 months so I wish they'd release some details on the models/prices and when they'll be available. MrsD is trying to get me to go for a Mondeo 👿