This latest incarnation of the Giulietta shares the ‘stage’ at Melrose Arch with seven of its iconic predecessors: ranging from a superb 1982 Giulietta 1.8 to an extremely rare 1959 Giulietta Sprint Speciale (Low Nose) owned by renowned Alfa Romeo collector Dawn Manelis with an estimated value of around R1 million.

The Giulietta story began in the 1950s when this extrovertly-styled sedan caught the imagination of the driving public with its racy appeal, attractive looks and accessible pricing. Now, over 50 years later, the Italian sporting car manufacturer is celebrating its centenary with an all-new namesake which goes on sale in South Africa. (All 16 Alfa Romeo dealers across the country will shortly have demonstrator Giuliettas – sales, however, only begin in earnest in January 2011).

The latest incarnation of the Giulietta has been designed to beat the best in the mid-size C segment – and that’s no easy task considering the excellence of the competition in a category that now accounts for the second largest number of passenger sales in South Africa.

To take on this challenge, Alfa Romeo has penned an all-new car that its the first to sit on the new Compact platform. This employs a combination of advanced engineering and sophisticated technical solutions to ensure the Giulietta can accommodate the needs of all customers in this category. The result is a model that combines impeccable safety credentials, Italian style, comfort and functionality with the dynamic qualities taken for granted in Alfa Romeos.

In addition, every customer can adapt the new car to their specific driving requirements thanks to Alfa Romeo’s D.N.A. (Dynamic, Normal or All-Weather) selector. But this is just one of the electronic systems that the Compact platform was designed to integrate and exploit. Others, fitted as standard to every model in the range, include the Electronic Q2 differential and the VDC (Vehicle Dynamic Control) system.

At launch in South Africa, the new local market Giulietta range will comprise three turbocharged petrol engines (all Euro 5 compliant) with complementary high levels of kit: 1.4 TBi Progression – 88kW @ 5000rpm /206Nm @ 1750rpm; MultiAir 1.4 TBi Distinctive – 125kW @ 5500rpm/ 250Nm @ 2500rpm; 1750 TBi Quadrifoglio Verde – 173kW @ 5500rpm/340Nm @ 1900rpm.

Highlighting the eco-friendliness of the new Giuliettas, it’s noteworthy that both 1400 turbo variants combine Start&Stop technology and a gearshift indicator to enable drivers to achieve the best economy possible. The most powerful petrol engine in the range is the 1750 TBi, a twin overhead camshaft, direct injection, variable valve timing engine that brings the classic 1750 capacity back to the Alfa Romeo range but with a modern twist. This innovative turbocharged unit provides more horsepower and torque per litre than any other four-cylinder petrol engine found in this class of car. The resulting performance is equivalent to a three-litre while economy remains in line with a compact four-cylinder engine.