Tuesday 5th August 2008

Alfa To Revive Giulia Name?

Report: 159 replacement could be called Giulia

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Mag has shown what car could look like

Alfa Romeo is to revive the famed Giulia name for its replacement to the 159, it has been reported. Italy's Quattroruote car magazine has word from sources at Alfa that the company is binning its current numerical naming system in favour of proper names.

Sadly the new car won't be sharing the Giulia's rear-drive layout and will stick with traction from the front thanks to a the use of a modified Lancia Delta platform. However four-wheel drive will be available in some models.

According to images by Quattroruote the car will have similar styling to the MiTo/8C but retaining a similar side profile to the 159.

[Dubmaster77]

The 8c is Beautiful.... But not grafted onto the front of the 159 and Mito!!!! I like the 159 Style face... That looks wrong!

[rickyhad]

I thought i read Alfa were going to go rear wheel drive? Or did i just dream that?

[taldo50]

looks like a new mondeo from the rear? hope thats not the finished article!

[jamieboy]

PH article said:

the company is binning its current numerical naming system in favour of proper names.

This is the 'current numerical naming system' where the three most recent cars* have been 'numbered' Brera, Spider, and MiTo?



*OK, Brera and 159 about the same time, but three out of four still counts.

[jamieboy]

rickyhad said:

I thought i read Alfa were going to go rear wheel drive? Or did i just dream that?

The 169 (the replacement for the 166, a size above the 159) is supposed to be rwd, but still a good couple of years away AFAIK. There's been some talk that the 159 replacement might be rwd too, but I think it's all just gossip at the moment.

[Collaudatore]

rickyhad said:

I thought i read Alfa were going to go rear wheel drive? Or did i just dream that?

you and me both, looks like
http://www.pistonheads.co.uk/news/default.asp?stor...
was wishful thinking.

[nottyash]

I think they make some of the best looking cars you can buy

[Agoogy]

I'm hoping this is lazy guess work by the journo... 8c is gorgeous. MiTo (front end) is not... 159, Brera are... they should develop the 159 theme more before shrinking, expanding, stretching and crunching the 8C look...

[matt3001]

Is it just me or does that look a bit Passat-ish from the back?

[jup]

First of all there is a return of the Cloverleaf badge, and now the Giulia name as well, am I alone in thinking Alfa are just cashing in on the rose-tinted views of their cars of the past?

[Kieran XJR]

I had a good look around the Alfa stand at the motor show, they've a really nice looking range at the moment. I think the current 159 looks better the car pictured above. I really think they should get back to RWD, it would suit the character of their cars well.

[Alfanatic]

Bedazzled said:

IMHO it's tragic that trying to mimic the beautiful 8C has completely ruined Alfa's design direction on it's bread and butter cars.

+ 1. The Brera / Spider / 159 nose works damn well in my opinion, better than the bug eyed MiTo and this Giulia rendition. Not that it matters much to me. There's not much chance of me buying a FWD Alfa any time in the forseeable future.

[dpbird90]

Why couldn't they have put the 159 nose on the MiTo? Would have looked so much better. This new Guila doesn't look good, have the Koreans invaded Alfa Romeo? I don't think it is unreasonable to say that Alfa have not designed a truely good looking car since the 8C and 8C Spider.

I just wish they stopped messing with the looks of their cars and started making them more involving to drive, the world is crying out for the 159 and Brera to be RWD, and also try to make their cars properly.

[Tahiti]

That looks odd. Much like the Cayenne did when that first came out.

Grafting supercar front ends on anything other than a sleek coupe or cabrio tends to look a bit bodged to me.

[wab172uk]

matt3001 said:

Is it just me or does that look a bit Passat-ish from the back?

I was thinking Evo X'ish but without the Spoiler.

[chunkymonkey71]

everything about that car is nice, flowing and in proportion.

Except for the headlights. Whose idea were they?

[gezkc]

wab172uk said:

matt3001 said:

Is it just me or does that look a bit Passat-ish from the back?

I was thinking Evo X'ish but without the Spoiler.

But then, the Evo X looked a bit 156-ish from the back

[mat205125]

The face looks a bit shocked ... as if someone had been naughty and shoved something up the exhaust.

[V6Alfisti]

As a Alfa Romeo enthusiast, I really can't imagine that is the finished product. It really doesn't work from an aesthetics point of view.

[funwithrevs]

rickyhad said:

I thought i read Alfa were going to go rear wheel drive? Or did i just dream that?

A dream. RWD in an Alfa will only be by accident, eg:

169 is from a RWD Maserati, so it will be RWD.
Talk of a mid engined platform shared with Lancia.

Now if Lancia really do create a new Montecarlo mid engined car... thats the one to watch for guys (once Alfa produce an attractive version).