Alfa Romeo unveils the Giulietta

The name was chosen after Alfa Romeo’s original choice of Milano was vetoed by Alfa Romeo employees working in Milan when the company moved to Turin. The new hatchback will replace the 147 and will be officially launched at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show

The Giulietta is aimed at cars in the Volkswagen Golf class, and features the latest in engineering, technology and safety systems from Alfa Romeo, wrapped in a sporty-looking coupe-esque bodyshell, with its hidden rear door handles that has become an Alfa Romeo trademark since the late 1990s.

The Giulietta measures 4350mm long, 1460mm high and 1800mm wide and has a wheelbase of 2630mm. Alfa Romeo has high hopes for the Giulietta, and hopes that it will become the best selling Alfa Romeo model ever.

Four engines will be available for the Giulietta at launch, with all of them turbocharged. The entry-level engine is the 1.4-litre TB unit with 120bhp, followed by the 1.4-litre TB Multiair engine that produces 170bhp. The other engines are diesels, with a 1.6-litre JTDM version producing 105bhp, while the most powerful engine is the 2.0-litre JTDM with 170bhp. A high performance Quadrifoglio Verde petrol model with 235bhp is expected to be launched at a later date.

The Giulietta boasts Alfa Romeo’s DNA (Dynamic, Normal and All Weather) system which gives the driver three options for different driving situations, as well as a Q2 electronic differential and a stability control system (VDC). The new Giulietta is expected to go on sale in Europe during the first half of next year.