2018 Alfa Romeo Giulia

By Alex Forrest

When Alfa Romeo launched the high performance Giulia Quadrifoglio nearly two years ago, most enthusiasts were completely blindsided. 

You see, while Alfa Romeo is renowned for building some of the most gorgeous and soulful cars the world has ever known, it had never built a car to directly challenge the likes of the BMW M3 and Mercedes-AMG C 63. 

So the launch of the Giulia Quadrifoglio was preceded with cautious anticipation. As it turned out, the Quadrifoglio not only challenged the German and English competition, it blew them away. 

However, at $143,900 the price of that car could also blow you away. Far more affordable is the Giulia Veloce, which has a 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine in place of the Quadrifoglio’s ferocious twin-turbo V6. 

Priced at $71,895 plus on roads, the Veloce looks as just as beautiful as its high-priced sibling, but is half the price. 

Of course, the Veloce doesn’t have the same supercar-like performance of the Quadrifoglio but it’s no slug either. 

The 2.0-litre engine in the Veloce makes 206kW of power and 400Nm of torque, and is more than enough for a spirited drive where conditions allow. 

For context, the Veloce weighs about the same as a Mazda6 GT, but has an extra 36kW. With a rear-drive platform which includes an eight-speed auto, a limited-slip differential and light but positive steering, the Veloce is an impressive sports saloon in its own right.  

Alfa’s DNA system manages three driving modes (Dynamic mode, Natural mode and All Weather mode) which can be selected depending on driving conditions and the intent of the driver.

The Giulia Veloce’s rivals in the premium medium sized car segment include the BMW 330i Sport Line, the Audi A4 2.0 quattro and the Mercedes-Benz C 300. 

The Veloce comes well stacked with safety gear, including autonomous emergency braking, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert, eight airbags and two sets of ISOFIX anchor points in the back. 

While its interior fit and finish is still a notch behind its competitors, the Giulia range as a whole is an exciting and welcome addition to the premium mid-sized car segment.