VELOCE is Italian for fast and that’s certainly what the 2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce is. Throw in the once in one hundred year flood event earlier this year, and it gave us the chance to put this performance car through its paces in unique circumstances.
Constant rain. There’s nothing like it to create an unusual test environment for a car that’s more than capable of going quick, and we can confirm, the Giulia’s stabilisation and traction control package is exceptionally good, even in extreme weather conditions.
We want to emphasise that this car will provide much joy when driving, whether you’re cruising on a beautiful sunny weekend, or on a spirited run through winding turns and bends, but it was its wet weather capabilities that left a lasting impression.
Alfa Romeo’s active suspension, the Q2 limited-slip differential and its DNA system, work together to make the car feel constantly planted. It provides excellent traction in combination with the Pirelli P Zero tyres and 19-inch 5-hole dark finish alloy wheels.
We know it encouraged our driving. We were constantly feeling the urge to plant the foot and just drive. An Alfa Romeo fan might call it, a passion. Overall, in fact, it was a pleasant surprise just how good the performance of the Giulia Veloce was.
To say the weather thwarted our plans though, would be an understatement. A trip to the Central Coast via Old Pacific Hwy, cancelled – too wet. A replacement trip to the South Coast, cancelled – too wet, and too flooded.
The 2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce felt at home in all driving conditions, with incredible ride comfort across all locations visited (which consisted mostly of places in the Sydney basin). It’s striking stylish appearance had heads turning wherever we went.
The Alfa Romeo is a beautifully crafted and engineered vehicle, from its Bi-Xenon headlights to the front grille that to us resembles a medieval Roman warrior’s shield.
The sweeping lines leading around to the rear end add to the dynamic appearance and the overall aesthetic. It’s a strong yet elegant look, and the taillights also follow this same contour of the body.
Two single exhaust pipes make themselves known at the bottom of the rear diffuser, providing a nice visual pop to the look of the rear of the car. They offer a nice exhaust note too, thanks to the 206kW 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine.
Some 400Nm of torque is also on offer, with the powerplant paired to an 8-speed automatic transmission, with drive to the rear wheels. It runs to 100km/h in 5.7 seconds and has claimed fuel economy of 6.1-litres/100km.
It’s a car that’s all about the driver experience, and it shows in its performance. Inside too, the interior is sporty yet plush, with details that include coloured stitching in the front and rear seats, and an embossed Alfa Romeo badge in the front headrests.
An 8.8-inch touch screen display with satellite navigation, and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, worked faultlessly. The addition of a heated steering wheel, along with heated front and rear seats also added to the comforts on cold, wet drives.
The cup holders are also in front of the gear selector lever. It’s an ideal location, as drinks are kept out of the way of the driver, and you can still rest your arm on the centre console without them getting in the way. There’s some storage in their too.
The 2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce has been awarded a 5-star ANCAP Safety rating, with an overall score of 98 per cent, thanks to its array of driver safety systems, including intelligent speed control, active cruise control, and lane departure warnings.
There’s also traffic jam and highway assist, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross path detection, driver behaviour warning and traffic sign recognition as standard inclusions. It’s priced at $76,927 drive away. It comes with a three-year 150,000km warranty.
The Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce comes in Competizione Red, Alfa Red, Alfa White, Moonlight Pearl, Silverstone Grey, Stromboli Grey, Vesuvio Grey, Volcano Black, Visconti Green, Montecarlo Blue, Anodized Blue, Misano Blue and Trofeo White.
Our test vehicle was provided by Alfa Romeo Australia. To find out more about the 2021 Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce, contact your local Alfa Romeo dealer.
