Alfa Romeo Giulia Starts Under $40,000, Unless You Need 505 Horsepower

Alfa Romeo claimed the Giulia would start under $40,000, and the automaker has kept its promise.

It may be time to start getting cautiously optimistic about Alfa’s comeback, especially considering what the sedan offers for the money and where this price point places it in the market.

The base model Giulia comes with a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder producing 280 horsepower and a juicy 306 lb-ft of torque, which makes its four-banger more powerful than those found in its German rivals. For an extra grand, Mercedes-Benz will sell you a C-Class with 241 hp, less torque, and less extravagant styling.

In fact, if you want similar numbers to the Alfa at a competitive price, you must abandon cars with a European pedigree and consider Cadillac’s ATS — or test drive a Nissan Maxima and stop worrying so much about your image. Otherwise, you’ll be required to start shelling out extra cash for the added horsepower or get comfortable living with your entry-level luxury car’s power deficit.

The Giulia’s $38,990 initial price tag may come in higher than the Audi A4 or Jaguar XE, but the performance jump makes it easy to rationalize. Alfa claims a 5.1-second 0-60 mph time for the base model.

Things become a little more even with the Giulia Quadrifoglio. At $73,595 (including destination), it’s only a shoulder-shrugging $130 dollars less than the AMG C63 S Sedan. The top-flight Alfa’s 2.9-liter biturbo V6 churns out 505 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque, with comparable performance figures. The Quadrifoglio also comes with specific exterior styling, 19-inch aluminum wheels, Brembo brakes, a carbon fiber hood, roof, custom spoiler, side sill inserts, carbon fiber active aero front, a selectable racing mode with adjustable suspension, and performance leather seats.

The base model and slightly more expensive Giulia Ti are both obtainable with all-wheel drive for an additional $2,000. For an extra $2,250, the Giulia Ti is available in Ti Lusso — Italian for luxury — and Ti Sport packages. Lusso brings plusher leather seats, 18-inch wheels and different wood trim. The Sport package essentially gives the vehicle the outward appearance of the Quadrifoglio, with an optional limited-slip differential and adaptive dampers.

Every version of the Giulia comes equipped with FCA’s eight-speed automatic transmission. There is no stick shift and no plans for one (for North America), so don’t ask.

On paper, Alfa Romeo seems to have avoided screwing this one up. Assuming the company has its distribution issues sorted out, the entire Giulia family should be on dealer lots in January 2017.

[Images: Fiat Chrysler Automobiles]