Turin, Italy – With the Alfa Romeo Giulia and Stelvio strongly rumoured to have all-electric replacements in the works, this could well be the last significant update to the Italian brand’s flagship sedan and SUV.
Set to go on sale in Europe in early 2023, with South African sales likely following at a later stage, the refreshed Giulia and Stelvio models gain some styling enhancements as well as a more digitised cabin.
The most striking visual change is a new set of “3+3” headlights that make their debut on models fitted with the new LED Adaptive Matrix headlight option. There’s also a new “Trilobo” grille that takes its design inspiration from the Tonale, and round back we see new tail-lights, with the stelvio getting clear lenses and the Giulia gaining smoked lenses with a glossy black finish.
Inside you’ll find a new, completely digital 12.3-inch TFT instrument panel that combines the traditional “telescope” cowl design with a modern electronic interface. Drivers can choose from three layouts: Evolved, Relax and Heritage. Evolved represents the future of Alfa Romeo design, while Relax keeps the details to a minimum and Heritage takes inspiration from the brand’s iconic models of the 1960s and 1970s, with details like inverted numbers at the end of the speedo.
As with the Tonale, the Alfa Romoe Giulia and Stelvio are now available with Non-Fungible-Token (NFT) technology. Based on the concept of the blockchain card, this takes the form of an encrypted and non-modifiable digital register where the main information on each car gets recorded. Based on the customer’s selection, the NFT generates a certificate where data on the vehicle’s life gets recorded. This certificate, says Alfa Romeo, can be used to guarantee proper vehicle preservation and support its residual value.
To mark the introduction of the 2023 range, Alfa Romeo is launching a Competizione special series model, which is set apart by unique details such as a Moon Light grey matt exterior paint, 21-inch alloy wheels and red brake callipers. Inside it gets red stitching, Competizione badging on the headrests and a Harman/Kardon sound system.
The chassis and engines offered in the Giulia and Stelvio remain as before, with a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol engine, good for 206kW, forming the mainstay of the range, and powering the rear wheels in the Giulia and all wheels in the case of the Stelvio. The latter has a Q4 all-wheel drive system that operates as a rear-wheel drive in normal conditions to boost efficiency.
Stay tuned for more local information when it becomes available.