When searching for Alfa Romeo Dealers, NY drivers will inevitably find themselves reaching out to Alfa Romeo of Albany. In doing so, they take the first step towards becoming part of something truly exclusive; a heritage that extends back more than a century.
From the foundation of the Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili (A.L.F.A.) in June of 1910, what began as the Alfa-Milano brand has evolved to transcend simple vehicle design. Constantly shedding its own skin, Alfa has continually empowered itself to become something new. This is evidenced by its own emblem, which includes the image of a man reborn from the mouth of the Visconti ‘serpent’. Evocative of the phoenix legend, entry into the world of Alfa Romeo is meant to signify rebirth.
Does such a romanticized narrative create lofty expectations on the part of a prospective buyer? Certainly. But that expectation contributes to the inherent cache of investing in a luxury vehicle. And expectations are not something that Alfa Romeo runs from; expectations are what Alfa Romeo is designed to exceed.
Giulia
Alfa describes its Giulia as ‘a convergence of engineering and emotion’. This dramatic and idealist word choice is the type of ‘passione’ you’d never expect to see from BMW, Mercedes or Audi marketing.
Sleek and heavily styled, this compact performance sedan marked Alfa’s triumphant return to the attention of U.S. buyers. Available in three trims: base, Ti and Quadrifoglio, Giulia brings a little something for everyone.
With base and Ti trims powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine paired to an eight-speed automatic transmission, you can enjoy 280 horse and 306 lb-ft of torque. The top-of-the-line Quadrifoglio creates, even more, the joy of driving courtesy of its biturbo 2.9-liter V6. Wrangling 505 horse and 443 lb-ft, there is no mistaking this for anything other than an Italian sports car. This is only refined by its lightweight design and near perfect power-to-weight ratio, as well as its torque-vectoring technology and front aero splitter.
Granted, the base Giulia’s $37,995 MSRP jumps quite a bit in its journey to the Quadrifoglio level, but a $72,000 price tag (to start) is to be expected for such a vehicle. Regardless of trim level selected, you can enjoy Alfa’s DNA Pro Drive Mode Selector. Choose from ‘Dynamic’, ‘Natural’, ‘Advanced Efficiency’ or ‘Race’ and you can create a near-bespoke driving experience, adjusting the Giulia’s response as needed for daily driving, efficiency or sports driving.
Stelvio
What would any line of vehicles be without an SUV offering? Alfa Romeo offers a well-composed and refined response in its 2018 release of the Stelvio, a new compact luxury crossover. Priced to start at $41,995 it’s somewhat of a game-changer within Alfa’s offerings
With the Giulia serving as its muse, the Stelvio is clearly more ‘performance crossover’ than ‘utility vehicle’. And like its inspiration, there are immediate plans to release a turbocharged 2.9-liter V6 Quadrifoglio variant that will generate up to 505 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque.
In the meantime, the base and Ti trims are powered by a 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder paired to an eight-speed automatic and rated for 280 horsepower and 306 lb-ft of torque. Offering speed and precision, the Stelvio is every bit an Alfa Romeo, albeit one that splits the difference with traditional crossover styling to create something a little sexier.
4C Coupe
Epitomizing the perception of an Italian sports car, the 4C Coupe manages to simultaneously appear both aerodynamically sculpted and boldly articulated. And its unapologetic aesthetic only serves to highlight its equally unapologetic design and performance.
Make no mistake, this is a sports car. With minimization of weight a primary focus, the (2500 LB) 4C has no interest in offering comfort or luxury amenities. Of course, our definition of ‘bare bones’ might be misleading, since the 4C is Bluetooth enabled, and has an infotainment system built around a 7-inch display and Alpine sound system, with HD & Satellite radio, CD and USB input.
Considering that it is powered by a 1.7-liter engine (albeit a turbocharged four-cylinder) its numbers are impressive. Mated with a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission the 4C churns out 237 horse and 258 lb-ft of torque. With a 4.2 second sprint from 0-60 mph, there’s no lack of quality performance.
Just understand that you won’t find comfort, spaciousness or ease of entry/exit with the 4C Coupe. If that’s an acceptable concession to make, you won’t be disappointed. But if you want something a bit more ‘open’…
4C Spider
And if you like the Coupe, but would prefer a vehicle that allows you to feel the wind in your hair, well…enjoy the convertible ‘Spider’ variant. With nearly all the same specifications as the Coupe it’s just another way that Alfa Romeo caters to the more passionate of both potential and current customers.
The difference will run you another ten-grand (to start) but a 160 mph top speed should deliver all the wind-blown exhilaration you can handle.
Follow Your Heart
In an Alfa Romeo, you will not find the emotionally-distant engineering of a German sports car. You will not experience the unfeeling detachment of alpha-numerical naming of models. Alfa’s offerings are designed with one goal in mind. Regardless of which one catches your eye, and regardless of whether or not you’re actively considering buying one, the sight of an Alfa Romeo is meant to stir the soul. Appealing to your senses, it evokes passion; and like the sunrise, or a brisk wind, it is designed to take your breath away.
Because an Alfa Romeo will do many things. Reshaping you, and elevating your expectations of what a car can be, just happens to be among them. So if you’re considering an Alfa Romeo, embrace the romance of driving one and the experience will be everything you’d hoped for.
