The Alfa Romeo Giulia has been around for quite some time now, and although global sales might not be what Alfa had hoped them to be, it is still one of their most successful models. It marked a huge return to form for the brand, after several years of essentially reskinning Fiats this was the first real Alfa Romeo built from the ground up by actual Alfa engineers.

No expense was spared in the development of the car, and although there were initially murmurings of this sharing a platform with the Maserati Ghibli, something that would have been perfectly understandable, that wasn’t the case at all. The Giulia was an all new car, it resembles the rebirth of the storied Italian brand and some of the related models have become instant classics.

10 Design

Alfa_Romeo-Giulia_Quadrifoglio
FCA 

Executive cars will usually favor a more neutral design language, but this is an Alfa, so they saw fit to abandon that particular motif.

Alfa Romeo Giulia - Front Quarter
Via Alfa Romeo

Although it was designed in-house by Marco Tencone, it could just as easily have been something outsourced to one of the prestigious design houses, such is its class. It is easily the best looking car in its segment.

9 Independent Development

alfa-estrema-04
Alfa Romeo

One of the biggest factors that contributed to making this particular model so unique is Fiat’s willingness to give Alfa Romeo designers and engineers free rein.

Dynamic Shot of a 2020 Alfa Romeo Giulia
Via: Stellantis

Any modern vehicle will encourage parts sharing with other models, but for better or worse, the Giulia was designed as a stand-alone model. Since then, the Stelvio has joined the fray and shares a platform and all the engine options with the Giulia.

Related: The 2021 Alfa Romeo Stelvio Veloce Ti Is A Stunning Mid-Level SUV

8 Driver Engagement

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Via: Alfa Romeo

All Alfas put the driver first, from the original sports cars to the modern Fiat derived people carriers, all of them make the driver an integral part of the vehicle.

Alfa Romeo Giulia - Rear Quarter
Via NetCarShow

Unlike other manufacturers that prioritize comfort and ease of use, an Alfa wants to be driven, and that is very much baked into the Giulia. Even the entry level model is a lot of fun to drive, with a compliant ride and excellent handling.

7 Rear-Wheel Drive

2017 Alfa Romeo Guilia Veloce
Alfa Romeo

Since the 80s when Fiat took over and phased out the transaxle cars, Alfa Romeo have primarily favored the front-drive layout, infamously making a front-drive GTV in the '90s.

Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce - Rear View
Via Stellantis

It has always been about cost-cutting, as it allowed the brand to share platforms and drivetrains with several other FCA (now Stellantis) models. So moving back to a rear drive and all-wheel drive platforms was a big shift.

Related: The Best Features Of The 2022 Alfa Romeo Giulia

6 Finishing

Alfa-Romeo-Giulia
via Alfa Romeo

In the past, or at least since the financial difficulties of the 70s, Alfa’s fit and finish has never really been up to standard.

Alfa-Romeo-Giulia
via Alfa Romeo

That has changed, with high quality materials used throughout the Giulia. Even the plastics they do use feel solid, and there is an elegant simplicity to the cabin.

5 Build Quality

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Via: Alfa Romeo

The Giulia is not without its problems, but it is a leap forward compared to previous models and is now ahead of most of its Stellantis stablemates and closer than ever before to its German competition.

Alfa_Romeo-Giulia_Quadrifoglio
FCA 

It is still the alternative rather than the staple in this class, it is one of those cars you need to experience and certainly not something you would want to just sit in the back seat of.

Related: Alfa Romeo Introduces Limited-Edition Estrema Series For Giulia And Stelvio

4 Weight Distribution

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Alfa Romeo

Right from the outset, Alfa engineers wanted to achieve a 50/50 weight distribution that helps with both refinement and performance.

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Via Alfa Romeo

On the performance front, that design feature is felt most with the all-wheel drive Quadrifoglio, which has become an instant classic.

3 Incredible Quadrifoglio

Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio 2020
Via: Alfa Romeo 

All-wheel drive grip, a 50/50 weight distribution and one of the most incredible engines to ever find a home in an Alfa make it one of the most desirable performance cars on the market.

2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio - Rearview
Via: Alfa Romeo

Alfa wisely launched this, effectively their halo car, before any of the other models, and it did wonders for their marketing.

Related: 10 Things To Know Before Buying The 2022 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio

2 Ferrari At Heart

Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio - Rear
Via Caricos

The base model is no slouch, making 280 horsepower, but the Quadrifoglio is an entirely different animal.

Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA 2021 engine
Via: Alfa Romeo

The twin turbo V6 is essentially a Ferrari engine with two cylinders less, it sounds amazing, and it has just as much bite as it has bark with it churning out a massive 500 horsepower. It can rocket the big exec from 0-60 in under 4 seconds.

1 They Made A GTA

Alfa Romeo Giulia GTA 2021 on the track
Via: Hitech Glitz

For all the Alfisti out there, the true mark of any Alfa Romeo performance car is if it gets a GTA variant.

Alfa Romeo GTA On A Race Track
Via: Alfa Romeo

The Quadrifoglio was an obvious candidate for this, and the limited edition GTA/GTAm cars are the purest of GTAs. All of which have already been sold, all of which are already collectable.