I’m guessing for those reading this, the Giulia isn’t something you’ve not heard of before, Alfa’s triumphant return to the FR platform it abandoned years ago and their latest attempt to tackle the German big three.
So after more than two years since its premier in Italy, the automotive Gods have finally decided to grace us with the arrival of the beautiful Giulia into Singapore. And with some time on our hands, we snuck in to have a look during a local launch event.
There really is no doubt about it, she sure is a looker. Beautifully curved and sculpted with bulges in all the right places. The Giulia is a refreshing change from the teutonic design languages we’ve become accustomed to in this segment.
For those interested, there are 3 variants on offer, the Quadri-something-something, the halo car which everyone wants but at close to S$400,000, probably can’t afford, the base model, which most (well almost) can, and the Super, the mid-range offering that everyone can aspire to.
Visually, if you squint just a little, all three might even look the same.
Inside, the cabin design is gorgeous though some of the buttons and materials just don’t feel as up to scratch or as well engineered as the cars from Germany. The plastics at times might even come across as cheap. But i guess for those looking to buy an Alfa, build quality is probably not their top priority.
There are some really really nice touches though, the paddle switches behind the steering wheel are really beautiful to hold and use and even though the infotainment system might not be the best in application, the screen is very nicely integrated into the overall design. The cowled instrument cluster is also very attractive, like a little Ferrari. Overall, it is a nice place to be in, just don’t press the buttons too hard.
So how does it drive? Well, i have no idea, i didn’t take it out on any test drives and pretty much remained a passenger. No doubt being an Alfa, it would have been a pretty good steer.
So all does seem to be pretty fine and dandy for this car right? Well, no, not by a long shot. And it’s not even about its late entry into a hotly contested segment of the market. What i feel really ruins this car here, are the prices, and we’re not even referring to the full on Quadrifoglio. My main gripe with the Giulia, are the prices for the Base and Super variants.
The base lists for S$179,800 and the Super comes in at S$197,800. Smack bang directly into (and even beyond) what their German competitors are asking. I don’t know what the pricing people at Alfa Singapore are smoking but if their aim was to keep this marque a niche, low volume selling product, they are doing a really good job.
I really do want this car to succeed though, not just because i’ve always loved Alfas, but because at these new prices, i do hope there will be some people willing to buy them new to take the initial depreciation hit for us used car hunters.
GARAGE36 