Alfa USA/Canada 2015/2016 A new beginning

Especially a V6 Quadrifoglio Sportwagen.

 

I heard they will build next 7 seats larger SUV after this in 2018 and the 5 series sedan might depend on the success of the SUV

 

I was at The Classic Motor show at the NEC in Birmingham (UK) this weekend and they had a Giulia on the Alfa stand (I know it's not even available here yet never mind classic ).

It's a very nice car to sit in. The materials used on this (mid range trim) car are superb. Love the dash design though a rather large looking infotainment screen, but I'm told that's quite normal in cars today?.
I love the sweeping dash design which reminds me a little of a late Ferrari styled dash.
The car has been likened to a BMW 5 series, at least on some UK sites. Well in the metal it certainly does not look BMW at all. In fact the car looked smaller than I thought.

The salesman was keen for my details but you'd expect that. Says they will be getting cars in this side of Christmas but I'm sure he said 25 cars. I hope that was one dealership and not all (though 25 seems excessive for one).

This car they were demonstrating was also left hand drive so obviously not for the UK market. What I did find interesting was the on-line configuration I used here suggested the flapping paddles were a £1000 option, he said the configuration I used was based on European and the UK that option would only be £280. Apparently he said the UK configurator (made up word ) was wrong. Seems odd and I'm not sure I believe any of it. Those paddles were metal and not plastic (are they on plastic normally on cars?) and the whole car felt very well put together.

The car was a diesel not a QF (I'm not in the market for a QF) and he said he now believed the 'regular' models would arrive here before the QF. Was that for my benefit? I don't know.

 

The UK launch is this coming weekend Malc and cars will be on display in dealer showrooms from Saturday 19th November. The regular models will arrive here in greater numbers than the QF so he wasn't giving you bad info. UK QF deliveries appear to have slipped back mainly into March next year. The shift paddles are a £275 option in the UK.

 

Also had a similar impression of the interior and find it odd that some journos critisized the cheap plastic parts.

 

Those were all pre-production models, as the actual production cars have address the issue

 

Wow, I'm surprised to know they will have a Quadrifoglio version on the SUV

That Carbon Strut Bar looks amazing though!

 

A few friends and acquaintances looked at the same car. One said it was all great at eye level but below where you normally don't look it was cheap hard plastic. One even mentioned the door cards being cheap. The driver's door was open so when I was sat in the car I never noticed however I did not notice it looking cheap when stood opposite that open door chatting to a salesman.
I currently own a 159 with a cream leather interior. As ever, IMO Italy do leather better than most and in my 159 the materials used look rather good. Maybe I'm too much of an Alfa fan.

 

Looks aside, it should be one hell of a truck with a slick chassis and powerful engine to put the germans in their place. Alfa needs headlines, this should do the trick.

The interior looks nice and improved on the Giulia, apparently it has android auto and apple car play too.

Well done

 

While it's not as sumptuous as some other rivals, I find journalists harp on the Giulia plastics a bit too much. New entry level BMW's use cheap plastics as well, somehow its rarely mentioned.

 

Giulia 280hp launch stock should be complete by this week. Mix of RWD and AWD cars, and base and TI.

 

I'm driving a test Giulia this week and, as much as I hoped that I'd like it, it didn't happen. Simply it doesn't ring the bells in same manner as (to me) 156 and 159 did.
It is a 6-speed manual with 180 HP diesel engine. Performance is adequate, steering very direct but not nearly as „natural“ in driving feel like previous models.
Don't like the gearbox, could be quite hard to get the right gear, especially when it is cold, and reverse is close to 1st gear so you may make a mistake too easy.
Also, almost each time you reach for gearlever you accidentaly press the mail button for the central display and change something on it.
Clutch pedal is a bit tight when driving in winter shoes.
As for quality, ok at the first sight but definitely some things to get improved.
I was waiting for someone outside and leaned on the car in rear dors area just to jump out as I heard really nasty crushing sound.
No traces left but you can hear it even if you press the back doors with your hand…
Front doors don't provoke such sound but they are obviously from completely different material.

But nothing of that is the reason why I don't like it enough – it's the lack of feeling.
156 and 159 always felt just right in more or less the every relevant area, here I simply don't feel right, don't feel special.

 

In the UK this weekend it's an Alfa 'open day'. I have been invited but the dealer is over the Pennines and I don't fancy the trip but there is a much more local dealer to me. I may go and see.

Your post is interesting though. I expect it to be better than the 159 (I have a 2.4 Tractor ) and though it's diesel the 5 pot motor sounds pretty good on full chat. However I do not want another oil burner and fancy at least the 2.0 Turbo.

 

From a business perspective, this makes sense and I honestly think they will sell many Giulia's and Stelvio's.

People doubted Maserati's industrial plan and look at them now, from 6000 units in 2013 to over 45k this year with the Levante.

We may not agree with some of Sergio's decision, styling or other factors, but I'm glad to be able to buy and own Italian cars on North American soil again, from a lowly Fiat to Ferrari.

It's a great time to be alive.

 

What are the sales figures in Europe? How much of production has been sold?

 

No 4c after 2020? Thats when they will end the production run with the 2.0l 280hp Giulia motor and call it the "Final Edition".

 

I think the Coupe ends in MY 2018 because of new regs. The Convertible is exempt so it might continue on.

 

Jim Ellis in Atlanta is going to be selling the new Guilia's. I know that Fiat of Morrow is currently selling the 4c's. I don't think Jim Ellis has a Fiat dealership. Seems a bit odd.
He does have a Maserati dealership though. Looks like Fiat maybe moving it's sales to Maserati. Alfa that is. Follow me?

Dave