The brand-new Alfa Romeo Giulia QV created quite a stir among high-performance sedan->ke142 enthusiasts, but it turns out that the BMW M3->ke2366 fighter won't arrive in dealerships anytime soon. According to Automotive News, quoting "two supplier sources," the Giulia'->ke3472s European launch has been delayed six months, to mid 2016. And, because the U.S. was supposed to get the sedan three to six months after hitting European showrooms, the sedan won't cross the pond sooner than autumn 2016.

The Giulia's market launch was reportedly delayed because Alfa Romeo->ke1386 is elbows deep in refining the car's ride characteristic and improving its safety. Competing against the BMW M3 and the Mercedes-AMG C63 isn't easy, and Alfa definitely wants the Giulia QV to be up for it in every department. Perfection comes at a price, and in this case it's a delayed market launch.

Unfortunately, the Giulia isn't the only vehicle that's being delayed. The same source claims that the brand's first SUV, based on the Giulia, will not arrive in Europe until at least early 2017, which is a nine-month delay. As a result, the SUV'->ke145s U.S. arrival is pushed back to spring or summer of 2017. There's no word as to what caused the SUV's delay, but considering it's based on the Giulia, the same issues are likely to be blamed.

Alfa Romeo declined to comment on the matter, but we'll keep you updated as soon as new information surfaces.

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Why it matters

Market launch delays are always bad news for automakers, and not just because it will annoy potential customers. In the middle of a business plan overhaul that includes a global expansion and a North American relaunch, Alfa Romeo will find it hard to reach its goals due to these delays. With both the Giulia and the SUV arriving later than planned, the Italian brand is likely to sell below the 400,000 units outlined in its business plan for 2018. According to IHS Automotive, Alfa Romeo will reach slightly more than 230,000 annual sales by 2018 -- about of third of which will be Giulia sedans and Giulia-based SUVs. Surely Marchionne is also aware of that and FCA will most likely review Alfa's original business plan, which might have been overly ambitious.

Alfa Romeo Giulia

Read more about the Alfa Romeo Giulia here.

Alfa Romeo SUV

Read more about the Alfa Romeo SUV here.