Car of the Year: 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia
The 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia was recognized as an Auto del Año® (Car of the Year) within the mid-size sedan segment during the seventh annual Hispanic Motor Press Awards® (HMPA) at the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show late last week.
"This car is what affluent Hispanics are about - passion, style, comfort - with an elegant design that separates it from the rest," said Ricardo Rodriguez-Long, president of the Hispanic Motor Press. "There are many great luxury sedans on the market, but just like the Hispanic consumer, there is a lot more than passion in the Giulia, which is hard to describe."
A committee of 16 Hispanic automotive journalists and influencers test drove approximately 100 vehicles for the 2017 HMPA Autos del Año. The jurors seek to find the single model in each category that is the best value in the market for Hispanic families. All facets of the vehicles are evaluated, including design, comfort, safety, economy, handling, performance, functionality, environmental requirements, driver satisfaction and value.
Eligible vehicles considered for the awards must be all-new models and available to consumers in all 50 of the United States. This year's panel of experts drove new cars throughout the year to evaluate the attributes best suited for the Hispanic consumer.
As the first of a new generation of vehicles built on an all-new platform, the 2017 Giulia embodies Alfa Romeo's La meccanica delle emozioni (the mechanics of emotion), delivering race-inspired performance, advanced technologies, seductive Italian style and an exhilarating driving experience to the premium mid-size sedan segment.
Alfa Romeo's passion for Italian style, craftsmanship and performance carries throughout the entire lineup. Giulia Quadrifoglio stands as the "halo" model with its 2.9L bi-turbo V-6 engine producing a class-leading 505 horsepower and 443 lb.-ft. of torque. The Giulia and Giulia Ti models feature an all-new, all-aluminum, 2.0-liter, direct-injection turbo engine with an eight-speed automatic transmission delivering a class-leading, standard 280 hp and 306 lb.-ft. of torque.
Through innovation, Alfa Romeo created an all-new rear-wheel-drive architecture that integrates lightweight, state-of-the-art materials that enable and deliver a near perfect 50/50 weight distribution, segment-leading torsional rigidity and the most direct steering ratio on the market. Giulia and Giulia Ti offer even more all-season capabilities and performance with an available state-of-the-art Q4 all-wheel-drive system.
The all-new Giulia was designed to have a commanding presence and a menacing face to take on the world's best roadways. Giulia exudes stunning and functional Italian style with a finesse of Alfa Romeo heritage, athletically taut lines and sculptural details.
Crafted by Alfa Romeo artisans at the Cassino plant in Italy, the all-new 2017 Giulia is the high-performance model in the lineup and a testament to Alfa Romeo's perfect balance of engineering and emotion, creating a premium sport sedan for driving enthusiasts that stands out in the segment.