Alfa Romeo Giulia’s top performing Quadrifoglio has been joined by an entry-level Veloce in New Zealand as the brand has a revamp here.
After parent company Fiat Chrysler Group spent €5 billion on revitalising the brand with the all new platform, Girogio; the Italian marque has used that to create the Giulia four-door sedan, and to be followed by the Stelvio compact SUV that will be on sale early next year.
The Quadrifoglio went on sale in New Zealand earlier this year and is priced from $134,990 for the Ferrari-inspired V6 biturbo 2.9-litre petrol engine rear wheel drive with an eight speed automatic.
It has power output of 375kW and torque of 600Nm.
The Giulia Veloce is priced from $79,990 and has a 2-litre, four cylinder turbocharged petrol engine, producing 206kW of power and 400Nm of torque — it also has the 8-speed automatic.
All Giulia models have the same standard equipment, leather upholstery, alloy wheels,
biXenon headlamps, keyless go, stop/start technology, satellite navigation, dual zone climate control, cruise control, rear parking sensors and a reversing camera.
“The Veloce provides the Giulia with a superb entry price point but also shares in full the unique style, exclusivity and unbridled Italian passion that Alfa Romeo endows all its models with and it is still very much a performance sedan,” said Alfa Romeo NZ’s chief executive officer, David Smitherman.
Photo / Supplied
The company has already pre-sold 40 of the Veloce, which went on sale only late last month, said Smitherman.
“Both the Quadrifoglio and Veloce are both, in their own rights, high-performance vehicles.”
Alfa Romeo NZ is revamping the brand here, promoting it as a premium brand to take on the likes of Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi.
Photo / Supplied
“There is a whole rebirth of the brand,” said Smitherman. He says quality control is important to Alfa Romeo.
Finished cars are tested at the Cassino factory, and then again when they land in New Zealand, as well as at the dealership.
The distribution company is also reviewing its network of dealerships in New Zealand, with an announcement to be made in the next few weeks.