Throughout its century-long history, every legendary Alfa Romeo model has combined heritage, speed and beauty, making them the highest expression of Italian style in the automotive world, and three all-new models from Alfa Romeo perfectly capture this spirit: The 4C, Giulia and Stelvio.
These stunning new additions to the Alfa Romeo range were unveiled at a special launch ceremony held at the Royal Opera House Muscat by Dhofar Automotive Company.
Hani M al Zubair, Chairman of Dhofar Automotive, said, “The launch of the stunning new 4C, Giulia and Stelvio sees a new page being written for the Alfa Romeo marque in Oman, each offering a perfect blend of the past, present and future and being the most brilliant examples of automotive excellence. It is these very same models that are headlining the Alfa Romeo Brand’s resurgence not just in the sultanate but the world over, and we, as the official dealership of the brand here in the sultanate, are proud to introduce them as part of our new Alfa Romeo model line-up.”
A L F A (standing for ‘Anonima Lombarda Fabbrica Automobili’, which translates as ‘Lombard Automobile Factory, Public Company’ in English) was established on June 24, 1910, in Milan, Italy.
[metaslider id=6548]The company has been involved in car racing since 1911, and has competed successfully in many different categories of motorsport, including Grand Prix motor racing, Formula One, sports car racing, touring car racing and rallies, competing both as a constructor and an engine supplier, via works entries (usually under the name Alfa Corse or Autodelta) and private entries.
The first racing car was made in 1913, three years after the foundation of the company, and Alfa Romeo won the inaugural world championship for Grand Prix cars in 1925. The company established a strong reputation in motorsport and this created a sporty image for the marque.
The reverence people hold for Alfa Romeo has grown with each new automotive masterpiece it has unveiled and each new milestone it has achieved along the way. One of these masterpieces was the 1967 33 Stradale, the homologated version of the racing Type 33, which is considered one of the most beautiful cars of all time. It is also served as the inspiration for the stunning new Alfa Romeo 4C.
Like the 33 Stradale that combined extreme mechanical and functional requirements with undeniable Alfa Romeo style and performance, the 4C coupe shares its body forms and follows this performance tradition with an undoubtedly Italian-styled SMC (sheet moulding compound) body ‘clothing’, a state-of-the-art carbon fibre and aluminium structure and a high-performance turbocharged engine.
Following the same philosophy, Alfa Romeo 4C engineers utilised a monocoque made entirely of carbon fibre to create the ultra-lightweight architecture needed for maximum performance and dynamic efficiency. Attached to the exotic monocoque are front and rear cell structures, roof reinforcements and an engine-mounting frame made from lightweight aluminium. As a whole, the vehicle weighs in at less than 900kg.
The beating heart of the 4C is a 1750cc direct-injection 237hp aluminium engine. It features a new generation turbocharger that provides instantaneous torque delivery, with a peak of 258ft-lb. (350Nm); 80 per cent of which is available at just 1,700rpm.
The all-aluminium 1750cc four-cylinder engine is teamed with a paddle-shifting Alfa TCT twin-clutch transmission, specifically tuned for the 4C. It features a uniquely calibrated software that adjusts with the Alfa DNA selector system where gearshifts are designed to become most aggressive in the Dynamic and Race modes. The Alfa TCT system also integrates a ‘launch control’ mode, delivering the utmost acceleration possible as soon as the driver releases the brake.
Thanks to Alfa Romeo 4C’s advanced technological solutions, the coupe demonstrates its precision, agility and performance credentials with a top speed of 260kmph, 0 to 100kmph acceleration blasts in 4.6 seconds, 1.1g of lateral acceleration on corners and 1.25g of maximum braking deceleration.
Rhett Maxwell, GM of Dhofar Automotive, said, “In fact, the 4C’s performance credentials have been confirmed at the ultimate automotive proving ground – the Nürburgring, where it managed to lap the challenging 22.8km circuit in a time of 8.04, making it the fastest production vehicle ever to lap the ring in the under 250hp category. However, the 4C isn’t the only Nürburgring record holder in the Alfa Romeo family. The Giulia is a best in class sedan that is also currently the fastest ever four-door production saloon to ever lap the circuit.”
The history of the Giuila name dated back to 1962 with the introduction of the legendary Giulia sedan, a vehicle that boldly combined an enormously powerful engine with a lightweight body meant purely for street use, unheard of then.
The new Alfa Romeo Giulia is undeniably inspired by its namesake of a half century ago in its elegant style, alluring details and impressive aerodynamics and its own set of breakthrough innovations. All in all, not only is the thrill of driving back, it’s better than ever. There are five elements that made Alfa Romeo one of the world’s most desirable automotive brands: Distinctive Italian design, state-of-the-art, innovative engines, perfect 50/50 weight distribution, unique technical solutions and the best weight-to-power ratio.
These are the essential ingredients to create an Alfa Romeo and which deliver the ‘meccanica delle emozioni’ (or ‘the mechanics of emotions’ in English). This distinctive line, used worldwide in Italian only, pays homage to the homeland where the legend was born over a century ago. Even today, the brand carries Italian-made pride on everyday roads, on the most famous race tracks and in the hearts of millions of enthusiasts.
The new Alfa Romeo Giulia line-up comprises four trim levels: The 280hp 2l V6 powered Giulia, Super and Veloce models, together with the brand’s new benchmark, the Giulia Quadrifoglio (QV), which is equipped with a powerful 510hp six-cylinder 2.9l turbo petrol engine inspired by Ferrari technology and expertise. Both engine options are made in Italy and built entirely in aluminium.
“With the all-new 2018 Alfa Romeo Stelvio, where other SUVs stop at utility, Alfa Romeo took on the challenge to create the perfect mix of high performance, capability and design. I am confident that the Stelvio, together with the 4C and Giulia, will revitalise and raise the Alfa Romeo brand to new heights,” added Zubair.
For more information, visit www.dhofarautomotive.com
