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Ah, the Alfa Romeo Giulia. Ask any auto enthusiast and they’ll tell you it’s one of the most gorgeous cars for sale right now. In the Quadrifoglio, it’s also one hell of a fun ride, all wrapped in premium luxury and unending style.

Best Italian car of 2023: Alfa Romeo Giulia
2023 Alfa Romeo Giulia | Stellantis

Unfortunately, the current Giulia is also marred by a myriad of problems that give it a poor reputation for quality and reliability. So when it was announced that the next Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio would be a 1,000-horsepower EV, the next question was, “will it work?”. In short, it has to, as the Italian automaker is hanging by a thread in the American market. If the Giulia EV is a bust, it may be the end of Alfa Romeo in the U.S., and that would be a shame.

Alfa Romeo is behind its luxury competition

On numbers alone, Alfa Romeo is lagging far behind its German and Japanese luxury rivals. Brands like BMW, Lexus, and Audi far outstrip the Italian brand in both the sedan and SUV categories. While part of that deficiency relates to the lack of model variety from the Italian outfit, there is no denying the quality issues and falling reputation of Alfa Romeo among luxury buyers.

The new Tonale is a compact electric crossover aimed at improving both Alfa’s brand standing and opening a new segment, but its big luxury cars still make up a majority of its American offerings.

An Alfa Romeo Tonale EV on display at a dealership.
Alfa Romeo Tonale | Nathan Laine/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The 2025 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio as an EV

In the midst of a complete EV overhaul, the Alfa Romeo Giulia EV will be a flagship for the Italian brand, according to Top Gear UK.  Alfa CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato says, “With an EV you speak first of range. A saloon is better for that. The Giulia is back. We have to design a Giulia we will love. A connection with the past without jeopardizing the future.”

Regarding performance of the electrified Giulia lineup, Imparato states, “It starts at 350 horsepower, the Veloce is 800 horsepower, the Quadrifoglio is 1,000.”

Even better than the power figures are the battery and charging estimates for the new Alfa Romeo EV.

The upcoming STLA Large Platform lineup includes 800-volt rapid charging capability and up to 500 miles of total range. In a sleek sedan, those figures shouldn’t be hard to attain. And because range is such a driving force in EV adoption, the upcoming Giulia may give Alfa Romeo the lift it’s been looking for.

Imparato agrees, saying, “I don’t want you to suffer inconvenience from switching to EV. The question for me is not whether to switch to EV, it’s to get the right handling and agility.”

A red 2022 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, like a Dodge Charger Hellcat, uses copious horsepower to attack a test track at sunset.
Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio | Stellantis

Will the Guilia EV help save Alfa Romeo?

If the upcoming Giulia EV meets all of these stated claims, it could well be what the brand needs to stay afloat in the American market. However, it will still have to overcome years of reliability woes to convince current luxury buyers to take a chance. As Mercedes-Benz, Audi, and BMW produce high-quality EV experiences, Alfa will still have to work overtime to rebuild its reputation. 

Related What Does Tonale From the Alfa Romeo Tonale Mean in English?

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