The new Alfa Romeo Giulia

ZCanadian

Yeah, I don't know.
I like Alfa, and I want them to succeed.
I'm not married to them or the Giulia (though I do have a 4C - and the service manual for it, so far un-opened).

I just think that Giulia is a very nice car, that shouldn't be saddled with the baggage of the past (much of which is made up - the kind of thing that Clarkson & Company like to play up for entertainment value, the same as Harris says Lambos are supercars for people who cannot drive - it sells). There are enough 25 year old Spiders and GTV's still running in the USA and Canada to make me think that the cars are not 100% garbage. For every reported horror story, I can introduce you to a real Alfa owner who has never done more than routine service. But the latter isn't nearly as entertaining to report on. One can say the same about any make, and almost every model.

Alfa's brand was in need of a re-boot in 2015. Not so much because of an imagined reliability issue, but rather the fact they produced many years worth of uninspiring machines - hard to spark the passion of Alfisti with something like the MiTo. When you read the real history of the marque, it's the kind of stuff that gives you goosebumps. The Giulia and Stelvio are meant to bring some of that back. Alfa has always been about affordable performance, and I hope that this comes to fruition. Of course, that has to be balanced against profitability - the company no longer has the national purse to back-stop it. It will have to find the sweet spot, but if it does, there is room in the marketplace.

The Giulia is not just a horsepower number and a price. It's a complete package, and a darn nice one. Yes, there are lots of other, equally good cars our there. That's great. Not sure which one I'd rather have, but that's personal preference. Your mileage can vary - it's all good.