Fingers crossed for 620hp GTA-badged Giulia

Fingers crossed for 620hp GTA-badged Giulia

Monday 24th February 2020

620hp GTA-badged Giulia set for Geneva | Update

Rumours of new headliner given massive boost by latest Alfa tweet...



News that Alfa Romeo scrapped plans to reinvigorate its sports car lineup with revived iterations of the GTV and 8C nameplates was greeted with widespread disappointment at the end of last year. The Giulia Quadrifoglio-based GTV coupe, in particular, was a car we could all get behind, given the sensational blend of power, performance and panache offered by the saloon.

Now, though, the Italian marque has dropped the strongest hint yet that it hasn't abandoned its enthusiast ambitions altogether. A brief video posted to Twitter on Saturday features a raspy exhaust note alongside the tagline "a momentous comeback".

Fans of the brand will be hoping that the combination reveals some truth in the recent rumours (detailed below) of a Giulia-based return for the GTA badge. With word of up to 20kg of weight savings and a significant increase in output from the Quadrifoglio's 510hp V6, noteworthy improvements on the existing car's 3.9-second 0-62 time and 190mph top speed surely ought to follow.

Further details remain scarce for now, although that won't stop us getting excited about the prospect of an even more potent take on what is already an excellent driving machine. Expect all eyes to be on Hall 5, Booth 5111 of the Palexpo centre come March 3rd.



Of all the automotive rumours floating around the internet at the moment, speculation that a 620hp Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA is on the cards has to be among the most tantalising. Consider: a Giulia QF saloon with a 110hp boost from its 2.9 twin-turbo V6, a chassis further honed for maximum performance underneath and steroidal Italian design on top. That’s what Mopar Insiders reckons is coming in June, and while that may yet prove codswallop, it does also feel like the sort of thing Alfa would do in the face of the new BMW M3’s arrival…

Certainly, it looks like a cost-effective way of appeasing fans disappointed by the culling of two-door GTA, which was affected by a decision to focus on only the most profitable models. Turning up the wick on the V6, making some suspension changes and slapping on appropriate exterior trim will obviously require significantly less investment than the production of a new body shape. While conveniently still making fans go all weak at the knees.

The same sources suggest that a 20kg reduction in the QF’s kerbweight plus the retention of an eight-speed automatic are likely. It doesn’t seem impossible that Alfa might choose to send said beast around the Nurburgring in an attempt to steal back the four-door record from Jag’s SVO-tuned XE SV Project 8. The original QF time is now 14 seconds off the 600hp SV’s time, although the claimed bump in Alfa output ought to be well placed to bring Green Hell honours back to Turin.

Alfa would no doubt benefit from such achievements. While the ‘regular’ Giulia QF and its identically-engined Stelvio sibling have successfully rejuvenated the brand’s image, the fast-approaching arrival of BMW’s next M3, not to mention the following launch of a hybrid four-pot C63 in 2021, will leave Alfa’s sports models adrift of the spotlight for some time. Cooking up a proper, hairy chested 600hp plus performance machine - even a low volume special edition one - sounds like a sure-fire way to keep enthusiast interest bubbling. Here’s hoping anyway. 


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Author
Discussion

Paddy78

Original Poster:

208 posts

145 months

Thursday 23rd January 2020
quotequote all
I hope it depreciates as much as I'm drooling right now! cloud9

Hairymonster

1,419 posts

104 months

Thursday 23rd January 2020
quotequote all
Oh yes please!

generationx

6,645 posts

104 months

Thursday 23rd January 2020
quotequote all
Interested!

Greg the Fish

1,410 posts

65 months

Thursday 23rd January 2020
quotequote all
Oh. My. God.

rxe

6,700 posts

102 months

Thursday 23rd January 2020
quotequote all
Surely the arrival of a 4 pot C63 would be very good for the Giulia?

No one buys these cars to save the planet, so its a much easier decision to choose the V6 over the 4-hybrid. Right now V6 vs V8 is a tough one...

FlopperV60

220 posts

207 months

Thursday 23rd January 2020
quotequote all
Love it cloud9

Jaroon

1,441 posts

159 months

Thursday 23rd January 2020
quotequote all
Very nice but with a stage one remap producing circa 585bhp, a few suspension mods and body work I wonder how much of a premium these with command?

20kg reduction in weight is not enough but hard to acheive as the did such a good job with use of cardon fibre and aluminium on the cooking version, Suffice to say a Giulia is top of my want list atm, stretching my budget from an M4 and not going into hock for a R8 V10. 997.2 C4S not fast enough (yup I'm that guysmile) and Turbo, well they both have held their money too well so, it might lack a little bit of visual drama but I hope to be in one by summer.

Branch666

250 posts

74 months

Thursday 23rd January 2020
quotequote all
Love these. I have a thing about V6s though, I swore to myself I would never have own one after having the pleasure of working on so many omega V6s back in my mechanic days, (I know they’re very different - it’s more of a V6 phobia I have) IMO the omega V6 was one of the worst engines ever made.

sh33n

194 posts

186 months

Thursday 23rd January 2020
quotequote all
Expect this to be the same price as that stupid Jag XE and therefore pointless for the masses.

The Nurburgring edition is pricey enough.

urquattroGus

1,845 posts

189 months

Thursday 23rd January 2020
quotequote all
With my Giulia Quad coming up to three years old I've started dribbling at the prospect of replacing with a GTA version.

If not I'll just keep this one for another two years. The best everyday car I've ever had, enjoying it as much as ever.

sxmwht

1,548 posts

58 months

Thursday 23rd January 2020
quotequote all
urquattroGus said:
With my Giulia Quad coming up to three years old I've started dribbling at the prospect of replacing with a GTA version.

If not I'll just keep this one for another two years. The best everyday car I've ever had, enjoying it as much as ever.
Very jealous. What do you reckon will be the going rate in a couple of years? I see they've dropped a fair bit already

bloomen

6,854 posts

158 months

Thursday 23rd January 2020
quotequote all
Jaroon said:
Very nice but with a stage one remap producing circa 585bhp, a few suspension mods and body work I wonder how much of a premium these with command?
Look at how much they charge for the Nring. That's a different colour and some scraps of carbon. The price may not be pretty.

forzaminardi

2,281 posts

186 months

Thursday 23rd January 2020
quotequote all
Credit to them for continuing to develop an alread pretty mental car even further (even if the coupe models are binned) but you have to wonder what Alfa's product planners are up to - they have a fantastic halo model with this, F1 presence (albeit a bit second hand), some OK-to-pretty-good products in the mainline Giulia and Stelvios but virtually nothing else. I'm pretty worried for Alfa's future - where's the Guilietta replacement? The next Mito? If a 'real' Alfa sportscar isn't an option how about an Abarth 124-based convertible?

Terminator X

14,921 posts

203 months

Thursday 23rd January 2020
quotequote all
Jaroon said:
Very nice but with a stage one remap producing circa 585bhp, a few suspension mods and body work I wonder how much of a premium these with command?

20kg reduction in weight is not enough but hard to acheive as the did such a good job with use of cardon fibre and aluminium on the cooking version, Suffice to say a Giulia is top of my want list atm, stretching my budget from an M4 and not going into hock for a R8 V10. 997.2 C4S not fast enough (yup I'm that guysmile) and Turbo, well they both have held their money too well so, it might lack a little bit of visual drama but I hope to be in one by summer.
The one in the article will have a warranty though wink

Yes pls Alfa, do it!

TX.

998420

900 posts

150 months

Friday 24th January 2020
quotequote all
sxmwht said:
Very jealous. What do you reckon will be the going rate in a couple of years? I see they've dropped a fair bit already
The price they drop will be largely affected by the reliability they have.. If owners are constantly having warranty niggles, many will want to get out ASAP, so many go on sale, people hear about the issues, price drops.

But if it is a great car, owners are happy, then they will keep them, far less will be on sale, and the price will stay much higher.

Sadly..

Nicks90

543 posts

53 months

Friday 24th January 2020
quotequote all
rxe said:
Surely the arrival of a 4 pot C63 would be very good for the Giulia?

No one buys these cars to save the planet, so its a much easier decision to choose the V6 over the 4-hybrid. Right now V6 vs V8 is a tough one...
Why would you say that?
Its a lighter engine and lower CofG, meaning it should handle better. Its got oodles more instant torque at all revs, so should feel faster in real world driving and with much lower emissions and better mpg - it means the market opens up to those who want a fast car but squeal at the ridiculous tax and fuel costs of wanting to use it as a daily whip.
Instantly broadened its appeal and possible market share. Those that dont care about the planet will still buy it, because its damned fast and they want a merc badge. It might even be as cheap to run as a C300de for those wanting to take the plunge on BIK or lease hire.

1974foggy

669 posts

143 months

Friday 24th January 2020
quotequote all
Looks great that!

SweptVolume

1,090 posts

92 months

Friday 24th January 2020
quotequote all
Branch666 said:
Love these. I have a thing about V6s though, I swore to myself I would never have own one after having the pleasure of working on so many omega V6s back in my mechanic days, (I know they’re very different - it’s more of a V6 phobia I have) IMO the omega V6 was one of the worst engines ever made.
Why? It was just a pretty standard 90's DOHC lump, wasn't it?

bilo999

121 posts

98 months

Friday 24th January 2020
quotequote all
998420 said:
The price they drop will be largely affected by the reliability they have.. If owners are constantly having warranty niggles, many will want to get out ASAP, so many go on sale, people hear about the issues, price drops.

But if it is a great car, owners are happy, then they will keep them, far less will be on sale, and the price will stay much higher.

Sadly..
I think if you compare values of say pre-reg C63's against a three year old QF - depreciation has been low for the Alfa in this segment.

Re reliability - from my limited view on the main Alfa forums, also from the discussions I've had with the senior tech of my local Alfa dealer, problems have been minimal. Most common problem across the Giulia range is the petrol flap going out of shape.

My view actually is that when you look at what you get in a pre-reg C63, against a three year old QF, the biggest problem with the QF is that they appear quite expensive! It is however the best car out there, however they missed some of the extra tech the competition has, but the 2020 model range looks to almost rectify that.

Gio G

2,945 posts

208 months

Friday 24th January 2020
quotequote all
I think they are missing a trick not having a coupe version of this car, it would look lovely!! Alfa is so limited under FCA, just like Maserati..

G