Alfa Romeo. If you have watched any Top Gear, Fifth Gear, /Drive, or read any magazine within the past 60 years, the Italian brand stands forefront as the true car-lover’s machine. Everything written on Alfa Romeos since the 60s tells that despite its flaws and mechanical/electrical issues, owning an Alfa is a special experience as it becomes the car you love and adore the most. It is a car company with passion, flair, pedigree and heritage, and lots of soul. If you noticed, Super Bowl XLI’s sponsorship came from Alfa. I found this quite impressive considering the company has only recently resurfaced here in the United States a decades-long hiatus. Fiat, it seems, must be pouring tons of money into the brand not just with advertisement dollars but with a real product to compete in what is probably the toughest segment of the car industry: the Giulia and Giulia Quadrifoglio. With the likes of the BMW 3-Series, Mercedes-Benz C-Class, Audi A4, and numerous other entries from companies such as Cadillac, Jaguar, and Infiniti, the market space is super tight and competitive.
If you do a quick Google or YouTube search for the Giulia, you will see it has received massive applause – they say this is Alfa Romeo’s return to its former glory. They say this car trumps the big German three. The Giulia remains Alfa’s third entry since returning to the States, and it needed to get it right to make a permanent market space for themselves in the automotive world here but also in that particular segment of sedans. While I have not had a chance to test one, I will say this: it is beautiful (just like 99% of the Alfa Romeos out there). It ticks the right buttons: beauty, Italian, and unique. What do you think of Alfa Romeo’s resurgence in the States? Is it a sign of a new and returned juggernaut in the automotive world? What of Fiat’s leadership and goals with the company? Please comment below!
Drive Spiritedly.
-JRB
The Spirited Drive 