The Alfa Romeo Giulietta Is The Coolest Hatchback We Wish Made It To America
Alfa Romeo hasn't had too much of a presence in the United States as an automaker. At any given time, the brand only offers a few models stateside — and given the fact that the automaker is a relatively small Italian company that makes primarily sports cars and luxury SUVs, Alfa Romeo definitely doesn't have the impact of other foreign manufacturers like Toyota or Honda. Alfa Romeo's lineup today consists of the Giulia sedan, Stelvio SUV, and the upcoming Tonale hybrid SUV.
The Alfa Romeo Giulia is a competent and handsome track car that's capable of putting down 505 horsepower and reaching 191 miles per hour when properly kitted out with the Quadrifoglio trim. The Stelvio Quadrifoglio is no slouch either, and will reach 176 miles per hour with the help of its 505-horsepower engine. The brand's lineup may be limited, but can hold its own in the performance department. One car, however, was noticeably absent from Alfa's foray into the United States. That's the Alfa Romeo Giulietta hatchback.
Close, but not close enough
The most recent generation of the Giulietta — debuting for the 2010 model year — was a hot hatchback in the same vein as the Audi A3 and Volkswagen Golf. It had a turbocharged four-cylinder engine that many reviewers at the time adored.
Way back in 2010, as the Alfa Romeo brand was thinking of making its triumphant return to the United States under the then-new umbrella of the Fiat-Chrysler partnership, execs at FCA very nearly released the Giulietta Stateside. According to MotorTrend, the Giulietta was even seen driving around Michigan. Despite rumors galore and several automotive reviewers getting Giuliettas to drive around the track, the car never made its way to the U.S. The would-be American Giulettas were slated to be equipped with a 1.4L powerplant that made 120 horsepower or 170 horsepower for the "Multiair" variant.
It did, however, still sneak its way over to the States unofficially. The most recent Dodge Dart that Chrysler revived in 2013 used the same Fiat-owned platform as the Giulietta, and even the same turbocharged Multiair engines (per Motortrend).
It's a shame that the Giulietta never made a full-fledged appearance in the States. Aesthetically, Alfa Romeo cars are heralded as some of the best-looking cars on the market, and having a classically Italian styled hatchback with a spicy turbocharged engine is never a bad thing.