Malaysian Alfa Romeo fans have yet to see the brand make its official return, but their star Quadrifoglio variants of the Giulia and Stelvio are steadily progressing with updates in other markets.
Late last year, the North American market got its share of updates, and now the European market is getting its 2020 model year tweaks.
In a nutshell, here’s what is being improved in both the Giulia Quadrifoglio and Stelvio Quadrifoglio:
- Improved digital driver displays (8.8″) with Performance Pages
- reworked centre console
- upgraded driver assistance systems (ADAS)
- LED taillights with burnished lenses
- glossy black exterior badges
- Retro colour options like Rosso 6C Villa d’Este, Ocra GT Junior, Montreal Green
- Akrapovič titanium exhaust system with carbon fibre tips
- Mopar accessories line
The Stelvio Quadrifoglio also gets its own set of new 21″ wheels.
Here’s the press release with more details.
PRESS RELEASE
Today, at a time when circumstances have required a break in the usual fast pace, the Alfa Romeo Giulia and Stelvio Quadrifoglio, with their 510-hp 2.9 V6 Bi-Turbo engine, are not slowing down, augmenting their supercar-level performance for MY2020 with exclusive, Brand-new features and a wide range of technology, connectivity and safety upgrades.
An ideal expression of the vitality and passion at the heart of Alfa Romeo, alongside the impetus to engage Alfisti and fans of beautiful cars, Alfa Romeo – celebrating its 110th anniversary this year – has always been marked by its unique ability to excel, both on the racetrack and on the catwalks of beauty pageants.
Before it is possible again to sit behind the wheel of a car, where the driver’s seat and the pleasure of driving take center stage, Alfa Romeo has decided to announce its news at a virtual press conference. While words cannot express all the emotions aroused at the wheel of a Quadrifoglio, it can still be fascinating to delve into a model’s foundations, to learn how the extraordinary Quadrifoglio project was conceived and developed.
Another step forward in Alfa Romeo’s identity
The new 2020 Giulia and Stelvio Quadrifoglio are a showcase for Alfa Romeo excellence and an even stronger expression of performance, winning DNA and unmistakably Italian style. The overhaul of the line-up is completed by this concentration of sophisticated technical and performance solutions, in vehicles that embody the most refined expression of functional Italian design, all in inimitable Alfa Romeo style.
Their class-leading performance is guaranteed by the powerful 2.9 V6 Bi-Turbo powerplant in 100% aluminum, capable of unleashing no less than 510 hp and 600 Nm maximum torque at 2,500 rpm. Delivery to the wheels is the responsibility of the Alfa™ Active Torque Vectoring system, assisted in the Stelvio Quadrifoglio by the innovative Q4 all-wheel-drive system. The 8-speed automatic transmission is calibrated to optimize fluidity and comfort so the vehicles can easily be driven on all terrains. Only in RACE mode do the cars express their full potential with lightning-fast gear changes in only 150 milliseconds.
Each Quadrifoglio is fitted with a range of systems designed to enhance the pleasure of driving, and offer the motorist the most authentic, engaging experience behind the wheel. These include Alfa™ Active Suspension, Alfa™ DNA Pro selector with RACE mode, and the Alfa™ Active Aero splitter in the Giulia. The systems are all coordinated and adapted in real time by the Alfa™ Chassis Domain Control unit, constantly ensuring the ideal conditions for vehicle and driver to make the most of the exceptional performance of the Giulia and Stelvio Quadrifoglio.
The soundtrack accompanying the Quadrifoglio customer driving experience is provided by a four-output Dual Mode exhaust system, even bolder and more engaging in Race mode. In the year 20 model and higher, customers can opt to fit the Giulia and Stelvio Quadrifoglio with a new Akrapovič exhaust, another dual mode system, in titanium with carbon fiber tail sections, featuring an even more sophisticated sound.
Quality and style
Alfa Romeo’s Italian style expresses a simplicity that conceals the complexity of the creative design process. The result – an ergonomic, harmonious series of lines and instruments, volumes and spaces enveloping the driver – is a complex, sophisticated piece of work. In the interior, the new design of the center console has great tactile and visual impact, and offers more storage space. The steering wheel and leather-trimmed gear stick are also new, as are the safety belts, now available in red or green as well as the classic black version.
Coming soon, a new upholstery option for the electric sports seats, with perforated leather throughout. This new option expands the possibilities for customization of the Giulia and Stelvio Quadrifoglio, still fitted with sports seats with leather and Alcantara throughout, as always as standard in these versions. Sports seats with a carbon shell structure by Sparco are still available. The on-board technology includes an all-new infotainment system with 8.8” central touchscreen display, featuring connected services and a new interface design.
Other exclusive new features on the Quadrifoglio include Performance Pages, specific screens for the driver to view vehicle status in real time – from the temperatures of the main mechanical components to torque delivery, turbo pressure and power used in real time, as well as digital chronometers to measure acceleration and maximum speed performance levels. New features on the exteriors of the Giulia and Stelvio Quadrifoglio include new LED rear light clusters with dark lens and a new glossy black finish on the front trilobe and rear badges.
The Stelvio features Brand new 21” wheel rims, exclusive to the Quadrifoglio version.
The thrill of the racetrack and an easier everyday life: Level 2 ADAS
With the MY2020, the Giulia and Stelvio Quadrifoglio introduce new ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance Systems), developed in conjunction with Bosch for level 2 autonomous driving, leaving the pleasure of sitting behind the wheel intact, only intervening to ensure total safety and increase comfort in heavy traffic or on longer trips. The highest level of autonomous driving in a perfect balance between driving pleasure and assistance systems: this is level 2, achieved by definition when the driver gives the car control of the accelerator, brakes and steering under certain conditions. The feature uses electronic systems that require continuous monitoring of the driver, at the same time providing the support of greater comfort on long journeys. Nevertheless, the driver must continuously remain in control, always keeping their hands on the steering wheel.
The main enabling technologies in the Quadrifoglio MY2020 are:
Lane Keeping Assist: detects whether the vehicle is veering off from its lane if one of the direction indicators has not been triggered, and advises the driver using visuals and haptics, with active intervention to steer the vehicle back into lane.
Active Blind Spot Assist: monitors rear blind spots but also reports any approaching vehicles and corrects steering to avoid a collision.
Active Cruise Control: automatically adjusts the car’s speed to maintain a safe distance from the vehicles in front. In conjunction with the traffic sign recognition system, this technology adjusts the speed to within the set limit, for a more comfortable drive.
Traffic Sign Recognition and Intelligent Speed Control: this system uses the on-board camera, recognizes traffic signs, reports them on the display, and alerts the driver of the current speed limit.
The system therefore suggests the driver reduce their speed to the limit detected. If the driver accepts, the cruise control settings are automatically adjusted.
Traffic Jam Assist and Highway Assist: To complement Active Cruise Control, these features monitor lateral positioning, keeping the car in the middle of the lane in heavy traffic (Traffic Jam Assistant) or on the highway (Highway Assist), while also adjusting the speed according to the current limits.
Driver Attention Assist: monitors driver drowsiness and triggers an alert, if necessary.
Colors, combining tradition and communication
The international media campaign surrounding the launch of the new Giulia and Stelvio MY2020 included a presentation of the many new product features and explained how the reasoning behind the choice of colors has evolved. Alfa Romeo designers have now opted for an approach that aims to arouse emotions, categorizing the liveries by “class,” not only by technology. The four categories are: Competizione, recalling the Brand’s sporting tradition; Metal, emphasizing its dynamic spirit; Solid, dedicated to those seeking stability; and Oldtimer, which recalls and reinterprets Alfa Romeo’s heritage.
The new Oldtimer colors are: sophisticated Red 6C Villa d’Este, breathtaking Ocher GT Junior, and new Montreal Green for the exterior, making its debut on the Quadrifoglio MY20. The latter hue pays homage to one of the Brand’s icons, the Alfa Romeo Montreal, launched 50 years ago. Color choices have always been one of the hallmarks of Alfa Romeo, including in-depth research with innovative results: the Oldtimer range harks back to a prestigious heritage, combined with technological innovation. In the Alfa Romeo laboratories, new effects, new pigments and new application techniques are constantly being explored, to accentuate the sculptural effect of the Giulia and Stelvio’s lines. The colors, linked as they are to the Brand’s cultural and historical heritage, are closely related to Italy. The palette therefore fits perfectly into the architectural context of some of Italy’s best, in a visual dialog between car and country, a major feature of the recent marketing campaign developed in conjunction with AD Italia, a Condé Nast monthly magazine and an authority in the world of architecture, art and design, and style.
The project fuses the design world with the automotive industry, offering a photographic account of Giulia e Stelvio in combination with the courtyards and interiors of prestigious homes, carefully selected in conjunction with our partner AD Italia. Italy is an irrepressible force, as shown in the creativity of its extraordinary people, and in the private, rarely seen corners of its unique towns and cities. In this project, AD Italia takes Alfa Romeo on a journey, considering its cars as a veritable work of art and the epitome of Italian beauty. Style has a vernacular of its very own, as does color – a strategic, distinctive feature of Alfa Romeo in addition to the aesthetic aspect. This was the key motivation for choosing the locations used in the project. Among so many other reasons, that’s why Alfa Romeo remains a timeless Italian icon. Even more so, the campaign also addresses the ultra-contemporary topic hashtagged #stayathome, with a hint of elegance and irony, needed now more than ever before.
Sportsmanship at the highest level, with the new and exclusive Quadrifoglio Accessories Line by Mopar®
To bring out the sporting nature of the Alfa Romeo Giulia and Alfa Romeo Stelvio, the Mopar Brand®has created the new and exclusive Quadrifoglio Accessories Line, to captivate visitors with an exclusive high-performance exhaust system made in conjunction with Akrapovič, a burnished rear light cluster kit, and exclusive paintwork. The widespread use of carbon fiber – a lightweight, safe technical material – enhances aerodynamics, performance and weight-to-power ratio, as well as accentuating the elegant, bold aesthetics of these two Alfa Romeo icons. As part of the exclusive Quadrifoglio Accessories Line, Mopar is therefore offering a front grille with “V” insert, with mirror caps and rear spoiler also in carbon fiber.
