2016 Alfa Romeo Giulia: Official Specs and Images

That’s a proper way of celebrating one hundred and five years!

Alfa Romeo celebrated its first century of history by taking the top off the Giulia Quadrifoglio – a brute conceived to take on the Germans and their super-sedans. On the brands’ 105th anniversary, it unveiled one of its hardest, meanest and angriest automobiles ever constructed.

The recipe which spawned the ultra-performance automobile follows five fundamental principles: distinctive Italian design, state-of-the-art, innovative engines, perfect 50/50 weight distribution, unique technical solutions and the best weight-to-power ratio.

Equipped with a 510 hp six-cylinder 2.9-liter turbo petrol engine, inspired by Ferrari and using the Italian supercar maker’s technology and expertise, the Giulia already cemented its place in the motoring world of fame thanks to the sheer number it produces. The potent engine ensures blistering performance levels, accelerating the car from 0 to 62 mph in 3.9 seconds – thanks to its incredible 442 lb-ft torque figure – and it keeps thrusting until the car reaches its maximum velocity: 307 km/h.

All this while remaining one of the best in its class regarding emission level, with 198 grams of CO2 per km.

Still… the car figures don’t stop here, as the entire creation pivots around the driver, trying to overwhelm him with pure performance output. For instance, the Giulia’s perfect 50/50 weight distribution across the two axles combined with the sophisticated suspension system makes it a dynamic masterpiece, but the power-to-weight ratio, lower than 3kg/hp, is the primary element that transforms it into a beast.

By using ultra-lightweight materials in this construction, including carbon fiber, aluminum composite, and plastic, the car weights only 1,524 kg, which combined with the massive power output transforms it into blistering performance figures.

The car uses carbon-fiber propeller shaft, hood, and roof while aluminum was used for the engine, the brakes, and the suspension, in addition to many other components, in order to achieve the desired goals. And despite the Giulia’s strict diet, it boasts the best torsion rigidity in its class to guarantee comfort and handling even under extreme stress conditions.

As beautiful the Giulia’s body is, it was studied to achieve an excellent Cx, the perfect balance between downforce and streamline. The car even has an Active Aero Splitter – active aerodynamics which manages downforce for higher performance and better grip at high-speed scenarios. The car dynamic behavior isn’t only controlled by active aerodynamics, but by Alfa’s very own DNA (Dynamic, Natural, Advanced Efficiency) mode, specially conceived to set the car temper. These state-of-the-art features are controlled by the Chassis Domain Control (CDC) – a technology developed jointly with Magneti Marelli – which coordinates all the onboard electronics.

The Giulia’s design is the perfect balance between the sublime Italian design and raw, visceral power. Alfa Romeo says the car encapsulates three particularities of Italian design: a sense of proportions, simplicity and care for surface quality; and judging by its looks, they do have a point.

The dimensions are based on the car technical specs, as the essential elements where its perfect 50/50 weight distribution and rear-wheel-drive. To balance the weight perfectly, the powerplant and the mechanical components are arranged between the two axles, giving the car a “retracted” passenger compartment, short overhangs, and a long hood.

Its overall design has a powerful approach – a rare attribute to Alfa Romeo-designed cars – but with a simpler, cleaner style, which we can only expect from an Italian-tailored automobile.