Alfa Romeo challenges the Germans

Alfa Romeo Australia will challenge luxury car buyers who default to German brands to drive its new Giulia, betting some of them can be won over to the Italian sports sedan by the experience.

That’s the plan as outlined by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Australia chief Steve Zanlunghi, who said getting luxury car buyers behind the wheel of the new Giulia sports sedan would be the closer in shifting many of them away from making the “safe” choice of buying an Audi, BMW or Mercedes-Benz.

The rear-wheel drive Giulia is the first of eight brand-new Alfa Romeo models planned for launch through 2020.

It goes on sale here in February 2017, with the Stelvio SUV set to follow 12 months later.

Zanlunghi hosted a static reveal for motoring media this week of the first right-hand drive Giulia QV flagship in the country at the same time as the model range basics were revealed.

He also outlined how Alfa’s local parent, FCA Australia, planned to regenerate in the brand here, including via a smaller and more upmarket dealer network.

“The closing factor is going to be getting in the car and actually driving the vehicle,” said Zanlunghi.  “The key is going to be to get the vehicles in front of the customers and dare them to compare our cars.

“So anyone who is intending on buying the typical, normal, German safe car [we want them] to take a look at us, because we are fairly confident that if we get the customers into our vehicles they will be impressed.

“The quality and the design and features you are seeing on this car is something you haven’t seen from Alfa Romeo before.”

Pricing is yet to be revealed for the Giulia, but it will directly target BMW. Sales volume is also not being discussed.

“We have volume aspirations but we are not looking to take over the world with this brand,” said Zanlunghi.

While Alfa Romeo is a 106-year-old brand with a magnificent heritage it has been blighted in recent years by a lack of stand-alone sporting cars, the abandonment of rear-wheel drive and little attention to its motorsport history.

In Australia, it has survived on decades of stylish yet forgettable front-wheel drive sedans such as the 156, 159 and 166 and unsuccessful orphans like the GT and Brera coupes. Its current range comprises only the Giulietta small hatch and the niche 4C sports car.

It has not sold a rear-wheel drive sedan since the 75 of the 1980s and sales have slumped 55 per cent year-on-year to just 665 so far in 2016.

But Zanlunghi argues the Giulia, with its bespoke ‘Giorgio’ rear-wheel drive architecture and fire-breathing 375kW QV flagship, can start the reinvigoration of the brand.

“We are going to play on the brand’s values and the brand’s pillars; and that’s passion, its emotion and its Italian heritage. You have heard our CEO [Sergio Marchionne] say no Alfas will be built outside of Italy while he is CEO and that’s something that he has stayed true to.

“This is a car that needs to be seen and felt and driven and to really drive that emotion, that Italian-ness, that really separates the car from its competition.

“It’s getting people into the showroom and also taking the car to people as well, to events and presenting it.”

Zanlunghi revealed the Giulia would be promoted through both television and web-based advertising, as well as being tied into selected events where it would be presented.

For instance, it will make its public debut in Australia at the Porstea Polo in January, an event previously sponsored by FCAA stablemate Jeep.

Another possible promotional tie-up we reported yesterday is that the Giulia could become the new safety car for the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship.

“We are asking the customers to see the car, get in and drive it and compare it to the competition,” he said. “Because we think the product will stand up for itself.”

It’s also apparent that potential Alfa buyers will not only be shopping for vastly different cars, but also a much smaller and upmarket dealer network using a new corporate identity.

Alfa Romeo currently lists 53 Australian dealers on its website, but by the end of 2017 that total will be only 18, with most if not all also hosting a Fiat franchise.

“We are going to our current network first to give them the opportunity [to be involved] and where we have gaps in the network … then what we will look to do is go to competitive makes,” Zanlunghi said.