Friday 28th February 2014

Alfa Romeo Giulietta gets 4C boost

240hp turbo engine gives Giulietta power to go chasing down Golf GTIs

---

Golf GTI too predictable? SEAT Leon Cupra gone all Audified? If you can't quite stretch to an Alfa Romeo 4C but like the sound of its 240hp turbocharged engine and are nerdy enough to appreciate the significance of its 1,750cc displacement (1,742cc in reality) you can now have it in the Giulietta. Further plucking of heartstrings assured too with the corresponding return of the esteemed Cloverleaf badge to both Giulietta and the MiTo. Try it in Italian - Quadrifoglio Verde. Rolls off the tongue rather more sensuously than 'GTI', doesn't it?

Giulietta with taste of 4C and Cloverleaf on top

That direct-injected 4C drivetrain means it shares the sports car's six-speed dual-clutch TCT gearbox too, 0-62mph delivered in 6.6 seconds, top speed over 150mph and a 'new intake system highlighting Alfa Romeo's typical full, enveloping engine sound' included. Alfa Romeo doesn't mention it in the initial press release but you'd have to expect the package also includes the 4C's Q2 e-LSD system. The interior gets jazzed up too with enough four-leafed clover dotted around to trick you into thinking you were lost in a field in Tuscany. Not sitting stationary on the M25.

The MiTo version gets a revised 170hp MultiAir 1.4-litre turbo, as well as the aforementioned foliage on its flank. 0-62 comes up in 7.3 seconds and it'll hit 137mph but still return 124g/km. It's a little behind the closely related 180hp 'Twincharger' Polo GTI/Audi A1 1.4 TFSI/Skoda Fabia vRS/SEAT Ibiza Cupra family but close enough to be getting on with and fast enough to be described as 'nippy'.

Warm rather than hot but step in right direction

Launching at the Geneva show, both models will no doubt shimmer voluptuously in their three-coat Competizione Red paint (for the Launch Edition cars) and be accompanied by suitably glamorous chaperones, as is the Alfa Romeo motor show tradition. But will the Giulietta actually be good enough to give class heavyweights like the Golf and Focus ST reason to be worried? As ever you want to think so but the proof will be in the driving. To be continued.

[crispyshark]

well thanks for dismissing my original post on this one mods.....surely if you re-edit your article it's worth taking over people's comments?

[Buff Mchugelarge]

Certainly looks the part, I just hope it sounds like an Alfa should

[Axionknight]

I like the idea of it, but I hope the dashboard and centre console are nicer than the standard models, they look awful to my eyes.

Also, whilst I like the car, no doubt about that, how many people are actually going to pass by their Ford or VW dealerships and their ST's and GTI's for one of these, really?

[Johnnytheboy]

I've only driven a 1.4 Multiair and it was a good drive, so this would be a nice quickish car. Agree the dashboard is a bit Italian.

[Ali_T]

Axionknight said:

I like the idea of it, but I hope the dashboard and centre console are nicer than the standard models, they look awful to my eyes.

Also, whilst I like the car, no doubt about that, how many people are actually going to pass by their Ford or VW dealerships and their ST's and GTI's for one of these, really?

Me. The ST and GTI bore me to tears. If I decide to downsize my daily driver to another hot hatch (and have a weekend plaything instead of the Evo), this will probably be the one.

[Killer2005]

Ali_T said:

Me. The ST and GTI bore me to tears. If I decide to downsize my daily driver to another hot hatch (and have a weekend plaything instead of the Evo), this will probably be the one.

Me too. I'll admit to quite liking the Polo GTI but I'd have the Mito everyday over it.

[anonymous-user]

Superb, I like these. My wife had a diseasal one as a company car and (the terrible engine aside), it was a lovely drive and surprisingly was 100% reliable over 20k miles in a year. A fast petrol one really appeals.

[usualdog]

Too many false dawns for this ageing Alfisti. Unless it's a game-changer, which it won't be, it'll sell a few dozen, but will be a cracking deal in three years, once out of the rotten dealer network (Mango's excepted)

Edited by usualdog on Thursday 27th February 19:28

[Alfahorn]

usualdog said:

Too many false dawns for this ageing Alfisti. Unless it's a game-changer, which it won't be, it'll sell a few dozen, but will be a cracking deal in three years, once out of the rotten dealer network (Mango's excepted)

Edited by usualdog on Thursday 27th February 19:28

Mangos - they're certainly don't have the reputation they used to. Chris Variava in Nottingham are superb though.

[14-7]

240bhp and only 6.6 to 60?

Pretty piss poor performance if you ask me and I am an Alfa fan.

After having a 147GTA for 5 years I changed to a BMW. I want another Alfa more than anything but the current engine line up is awful.

[lightthefuse]

Styling of the Giulietta not really being my cup of tea, and a 4C too wide for my garage (would absolutely love one parked in front mind you!), rock and a hard place for this wannabe Alfista. Would love to give the drivetrain the once over though in either.

[SprintSpeciale]

We've had a Giulietta Cloverleaf for more than 3 years, and it already had 235 bhp. Nothing to see here...move along.

[Killer2005]

Just playing on the configurator, the Mito Cloverleaf in the spec I'd like is £20k

[Johnnytheboy]

14-7 said:

240bhp and only 6.6 to 60?

Pretty piss poor performance if you ask me and I am an Alfa fan.

As a yardstick, the Focus ST has 247bhp and 0-60's in about 6.2. Not a huge difference really.

[CooperS]

Killer2005 said:

Just playing on the configurator, the Mito Cloverleaf in the spec I'd like is £20k

Guess you've never spec'd a highly spec'd A1, Cooper S Works, or Clip 200. All take you past 20k

[LuS1fer]

I would like to love modern Alfas but Alfas were all about style and I find the MiTo and Giulietta are rather deficient in that department.

The thing is you can forgove a slight lack of class-leading ability if the car is drop dead gorgeous... but they're really not.

[MajorProblem]

CooperS said:

Guess you've never spec'd a highly spec'd A1, Cooper S Works, or Clip 200. All take you past 20k

My MCS in 2004 was £22k and there were quite a few options left unticked!

[dukebox9reg]

CooperS said:

Killer2005 said:

Just playing on the configurator, the Mito Cloverleaf in the spec I'd like is £20k

Guess you've never spec'd a highly spec'd A1, Cooper S Works, or Clip 200. All take you past 20k

An Audi A1 1.4tsi specced up will touch 30k let alone 20k

[Oddball RS]

I hate to say it but does it matter, Alfa and its two (and a half) car range is not what it used to be, how many newish ones do you see about and dealers who don't even want to PX their own brand back!

[s m]

MajorProblem said:

My MCS in 2004 was £22k and there were quite a few options left unticked!

Did you have stuff like uprated stereo, big wheels, full leather? I thought mine was quite a bit but it was 4k under that ( aircon, sunroof, LSD, heated half leather seats ).