There once was a time when Alfa Romeo’s presence in the North American market consisted of nothing more than wayward dreams and nonexistent aspirations. Times sure have changed because the beleaguered Italian marque is making a headstrong push towards relevancy in the U.S., and at the heart of this push is the well-received Giulia sedan.

Right now, the Giulia comes in two forms here in this region. There’s the entry level, 280-horsepower, Ti version and then there’s the Giulia Quadrifoglio and its menacing 505-horsepower capabilities. But what if neither variant suits you? Is there a mid-tier variant that can bridge the gap between the two models? Well, if documents obtained by Auto Evolution come to fruition, we could very well see a new version of the Giulia hit the U.S., one that will carry a more potent output of 350 horsepower, enough to bridge the 225-horsepower gap between the Ti and the Quadrifoglio. Some might say it’s actually more like a canyon-sized gulf.

The table’s been set for the 350-horsepower Giulia to make a significant impression on the U.S. market, especially if the Ti and Quadrifoglio variants live up to the hype they’ve been generating. It’s also possible that the 350-horsepower will carry the “Veloce” name, which is already being used by Alfa Romeo in the European markets to denote a more luxurious trim level sans any performance upgrades. It’s admittedly confusing to get two market-specific Giulia Veloce variants with different power outputs, but it’s excusable if you’re a company that’s looking to make some serious headway in one of those regions.

Obviously, a U.S.-spec Giulia Veloce isn’t a sure thing until Alfa Romeo says it is. But this report is nevertheless exciting to hear, especially for fans of the Italian brand who have long waited for it to once again become a major player in the U.S. market.

Continue after the jump to read the full story.

Let’s hope this happens, for real

I count myself as a fan of Alfa Romeo ever since I first laid eyes on the GTV back in the early 90’s. It’s been tough sledding for the company in recent years and I’ve certainly experience my share of disappointments towards the brand. But this aggressive new expansion strategy is getting my attention, even with the disappointing sales performance of the 4C sports coupe. I still love that car, for the record.

But the Giulia – and the new Stelvio for that matter – is reinvigorating the Alfa Romeo brand and it’s poised to be the first Alfa model in years that has gotten the attention of a lot of people in the industry, competitors included.

That’s a big reason why I’m on board with having a mid-level variant that can slot between the base Ti version and the potent Giulia QV. It makes a lot of sense for Alfa Romeo to do this because it can open up a new segment of potential clients who are in the market for a premium compact sedan that looks the part of one and performs like one too without falling a little short on power or having too much of it.

Think about it. If the 350-horsepower Giulia comes to fruition, it slots in perfectly as a suitable rival to other mid-range variants from BMW, Mercedes, and Audi. Think about the Mercedes-AMG C 43 or the BMW 340i for example. A 350-horsepower Giulia would fit in perfectly there and give those established models a serious run for their money. It’s not like this version of the Giulia is going to be too different either. It’ll still make use of the same 2.0-liter turbo four engine that the base model uses and it’s going to receive all-wheel drive, something that’s optional for the entry level variants and not even available for the range-topping Giulia QV.

I don’t know exactly where Alfa Romeo is on this car, but I sure hope that it’s seriously considering it. Two variants may be enough for some models, but it’s not for the Alfa Romeo Giulia, especially if it’s competing against the C-Class and the 3 Series and their endless supply of trim levels.

Make it happen, Alfa Romeo!

Read our full review on the Alfa Romeo Giulia here.

Read our full review on the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio here.