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.
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