The Paris Auto Show is usually packed with just about every auto manufacturer under the sun, but this year the show is going to be missing a number of big names. We first learned that Volvo, Ford, Aston Martin, and Rolls-Royce would be missing, and more recently we’ve learned that Bentley and Lamborghini will also be skipping out on the show. That’s a lot of big names, but there’s at least one automaker that will be in Paris in full force with a number of new cars. That automaker is Alfa Romeo, and one of those cars is the new Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce – a model that debuts two new engines (one gasoline and one diesel) and Alfa’s long awaited Q4 all-wheel drive system. These engines represent the basis for two mid-level models with the gasoline-powered 2.0-liter producing 280 horsepower and the 2.2-liter diesel promising 210 horsepower. But, we’ll talk more about the available engines later.

With these two new models, it has become pretty clear that Alfa has quite literally worked backward as far as releasing models. The brand started out balls to the wall with the Giulia QV and its 505-horsepower, 2.9-liter V-6, and then it announced the entry-level Giulia. Now, we’re getting the middle of the spectrum with these new gasoline and diesel powertrains. While it’s a little backward, these new models should be significantly cheaper than the QV and should provide a price point that makes the Giulia attainable for those who can’t afford the $70,000 price tag of that crazy Giulia QV but want to spend more than $50,000 for the entry-level model. With that said let’s dive on into the new Giulia Veloce models and go over all the details.

Continue reading to learn more about the Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce.

Exterior

On the outside, you’re going to notice very little difference between the Giulia QV and the Giulia Veloce Models. Both Veloce models have the same body styling as the base-model Giulia, including the toned down front fascia and that dominating triangular radiator grille. That’s good news, though, as the distinct body lines on the hood, and the sides of the Giulia assert the car’s stylish and sporty characteristics and make it very pleasing to look at. As you can see from the model here, it’s rocking the same wheels that were found on the QV when it made its debut and it also has yellow-painted calipers which really stand out against the blue exterior finish seen here.

And, despite the fact that the Veloce is inherently lower in the hierarchy compared to the QV, it still gets that diffuser-like insert on the rear fascia. It does have a single exhaust outlet on each corner like the base model Giulia, with the extra space around the single exhaust outlet on each side filled in by a weird little mesh insert. You can also find Veloce badging on each side of the Veloce models. All told, Alfa Romeo has managed to create a couple of mid-range models without sacrificing anything in the exterior department, which is a really good thing. The Giulia looks great, and it would be a shame if Alfa toned it down any more than it already is.

Interior

If you’ve taken a good look at the Giulia QV, the interior of the Veloce will look very familiar to you. The Veloce comes with the same flat-bottom steering wheel and the same two-pod gauge cluster with a TFT display in the middle. The center stack is dominated by a 6.5-inch, horizontally oriented infotainment display and two large HVAC vents just below it. The Veloce does get unique grips on the sport steering wheel and a new set of black leather sport seats that actually look better than those in the QV. On top of this, the inserts around the door handles, on the face of the dash, and on the center console have been replaced by some slick looking aluminum inserts compared to the silver inserts found on the QV.

In most cases, it’s nice to see a lot of different interior features among models. But, when it comes to the Giulia Veloce, it looks like Alfa nailed it as far as bring in unique features without toning down or differentiating the interior too much. The new Veloce is just as nice inside as it’s more expensive brother while providing the same left of comfort and refinement at a lower price. Not bad.

Drivetrain

The drivetrain department hosts the biggest news when it comes to the Giulia Veloce. It can be had with one of two different engines: a 2.0-liter, turbocharged, four-cylinder and a 2.2-liter Diesel. The gasoline engine delivers 280 horsepower at 5,250 and 295 pound-feet of torque at a relatively low 2,250 rpm. This kind of power output from a small gasoline engine can be attributed, in part, to the “2-in-1” turbocharger system as well as the high-pressure direct injection. Alfa hasn’t disclosed what kind of turbo pressure the 2-in-1 system runs, but we do now that the fuel system runs at 2,900.75 psi, which is becoming increasingly more common but much higher than fuel pressure systems found in cars made just a few years ago. The use of this 2-in-1 turbocharging system and the extremely high fuel pressure helps to generate a quick response and a high level of efficiency.

On the diesel front, that 2.2-liter oil burner generates 210 horsepower at 3,500 rpm and 346 pound-feet of torque at a low 1,750 rpm. The big news here is the fuel system that is in use. Built on MultiJet II technology, the system uses injection rate shaping and runs at around 29,007 psi – yes you read that right, 29,000 pounds of fuel pressure. There’s also an electrical, variable geometry turbocharger that helps to eliminate turbo lag and provide great throttle response at any engine speed.

Unfortunately, neither Veloce model is available with a manual transmission, with an eight-speed automatic being the shifter of choice. Be that as it may, the Giulia Veloce does come with paddle shifters so some spirited driving isn’t out of the question, but know that if you really want to row your own gears, you still have to go with the QV here in the U.S., as it is the only model available here with the six-speed manual. Alfa hasn’t released fuel economy figures for the gasoline-powered Veloce as of yet, but with the upcoming Advanced Efficiency model pulling a claimed 56 mpg, expect both of the Veloce models to obtain somewhere in the area of 37 to 43 mpg.

What happens to be the biggest news, really comes in the form of four driven wheels that will all be powered by Alfa’s new all-wheel-drive system. The system is built around Q4 technology and uses an active transfer case with that helps to ensure excessively quick torque distribution on demand while keeping efficiency on the higher end of the scale. Part of this can be attributed to the front differential that weighs about 132 pounds. By use of Q4 technology, the AWD system is constantly monitoring the conditions of the driveline while distributing 100 percent of available torque to the rear axle. When conditions require it, up to 60 percent of available torque can be sent to the front axle. In short, you get the benefits of all-wheel drive while being able to enjoy the handling characteristics of a rear-wheel-drive car. You pair that AWD system with the double wishbone suspension and semi-virtual steering axis and you have a machine that will offer highly spirited driving on demand without the need for massive amounts of horsepower or a heavy duty AWD system.

Pricing

Official pricing for the Giulia Veloce has yet to be announced, however, we know that the Giulia QV will start out at $70,000 here in the U.S. while the base model is expected to start out around $50,000. With that kind of pricing schedule, we expect the Veloce model to go for somewhere in the neighborhood of around $57,000 to $60,000. Which really isn’t bad when you consider you also get that awesome AWD system and the option of choosing between two assumingly efficient but powerful engines. The ordering books for the diesel-powered Veloce will open the day it debuts at the Paris Auto Show, so expect to see official pricing in the very near future.

Competition

BMW 3 Series

On the price front, the Giulia Veloce really competes with the BMW 5 Series, however, the 5 Series trumps the Giulia Veloce in every performance spec there is. With that said, we need to look at the cheaper 3 Series to find an appropriate competitor. Priced anywhere between $33,450 and $49,900, the 3 Series is available with a variety of four- and six-cylinder engines, but when it comes to comparing, the gasoline-powered Veloce competes quite well with the 330i xDrive sedan. With all-wheel drive and a 2.0-liter, turbocharged, four-cylinder, the 330i delivers 248 horsepower and a 5.5-second sprint to 60 mph at a price of about $40,750 as of the time of this writing. For the diesel-powered Veloce, you have to look to the 320d xDrive, which delivers just 180 horsepower from its 2.0-liter turbo diesel and a 7.3-second sprint to 60 mph. The 320d xDrive starts out at $42,250. Both models offer comparable performance to their Alfa counterparts but come in just a bit cheaper. So, the real question is, do you want to spend a little more and go with the Alfa, or be like everyone else and buy German while saving a little bit of money while you’re at it?

Read our full review on the BMW 3 Series here.

Mercedes C-Class

Keeping with the German competitor theme, the Mercedes C-Class is the next best competitor in line. We’ve previously compared the Giulia QV to the AMG C63, and for the Veloce, we can look to the C300 4Matic. While it isn’t available with a Diesel Powertrain, the C300 does come with a 2.0-liter, turbocharged, four-banger that delivers a fair 241 horsepower and 273 pound-feet of torque. That torque comes in relatively lower in the powerband and is available from 1,300 rpm all the way to 4,000 rpm while the horsepower does max out until you get the engine speed up to 5,500 rpm. At the time of this writing, the C300 starts out at $40,950 before options taxes and delivery. That should put it significantly cheaper than the Giulia Veloce, but then again, there are tons of C-Class models out there and very few Giulia’s rolling around. In this case, it might be worth it to pony up the extra cheddar to go for Alfa.

Read our full review on the Mercedes C-Class here.

Conclusion

Alfa Romeo has been working hard at reestablishing itself in the Automotive world, and the availability of different drivetrains and models in the Giulia stable goes to show all of that hard work. When the Giulia QV made its debut, I was skeptical. You try to rebuild your brand by throwing a $70,000 car at the public and hoping people bite. Then we got word about the entry-level Giulia, and now these Veloce models, and it’s clear the Alfa Romeo has a good plan in place. Now it has this sexy and aggressive looking sedan than can be had for anywhere between $50,000 and $70,000. I would still like to see Alfa Romeo produce something as classy and sophisticated at a much lower price – after all, just look at the competition. But, for now, I think the company is on the right track, and I’m looking forward to what it comes up with in the future.