As the world rushes towards an electrified future, Alfa Romeo has turned the steering wheel a hundred and eighty degrees in the middle of the highway. The Giulia and Stelvio will remain with their petrol hearts until 2027, and now they have been given a weapon borrowed from the Quadrifoglio wardrobe. The Italian has a lot to say – and loudly.
Some cars age like bread. Others age like a good Barolo. Alfa Romeo Giulia it is undoubtedly one of the latter – with the added bonus that after eleven years it can still bark louder than most modern German sedans that behave as if they have a PhD in boredom.
When Alfa Romeo solemnly announced five years ago that it would be fully electric by 2027, some of us silently rolled our eyes. Italians and five-year plans? Seriously? And lo and behold – last year, Stellantis realized that the electric wave was not rising quite as expected from the PowerPoint presentation. What followed was an elegant twist: the new generations of the Giulia and Stelvio will be delayed, while the current models will remain on sale at least until the end of 2027Instead of letting them slowly fade away at Alfa, they got the package that every fan of the brand should want – Pack Performance.
And no, it's not just a new brand sewn onto the seat.
Quadrifoglio's magic for mortals
Synaptic Dynamic Control – when the suspension starts thinking
The main star of the package is Synaptic Dynamic Control, an electronically controlled suspension system that has so far been exclusive to the Quadrifoglio. Now it has been added to the regular Giulia and Stelvio versions. The system adjusts the dampers in real time using electrohydraulic valves, which regulate oil flow based on road conditions, driving style and sensor data.
It is associated with the famous selector Alpha DNA:
- In mode Dynamic the suspension compresses like an Italian boxer before the opening gong – maximum precision, without compromise.
- In modes Natural and Advanced Efficiency relaxes and adopts the manners of a Tuscan villa – comfortable, smooth, carefree.
- There is even special button, which allows you to soften the suspension in Dynamic mode when your spine starts to send you into exile.
It all coordinates Chassis Domain Control – a kind of conductor that connects stability, suspension, brakes and the rest of the electronic chassis guard into a harmonious whole. Together with limited-slip differential and the DNA selector gives the driver the feeling that the car understands his intentions even before he is fully aware of them.
Interior: Italian-style drama
In the cabin, the Performance Pack brings:
- black leather seats with red stitching (they are also available individually, because Alfa knows how to sell);
- carbon inserts on the dashboard, doors and center armrest;
- red highlights, which remind you that you are not sitting in a Swedish sauna, but in an Italian opera.
The most beautiful? The dashboard still offers physical buttons and rotary switchesIn a world where a Tesla can't even turn on its turn signal without a screen, the Giulia is like a nostalgic song about the times when cars weren't iPads on four wheels.
Sound like La Scala in Milan: 900-watt Harman Kardon
New 900-watt Harman Kardon sound system with twelve-channel class D amplifier is a weapon against boredom when driving through a tunnel:
- one subwoofer (224 mm in Stelvio, 180 × 270 mm in Giulia),
- four mid-woofer speakers with a diameter of 160 mm,
- five midrange speakers with a diameter of 80 mm,
- four tweeters with a diameter of 25 mm,
- technology Logic 7® Surround for spatial sound distribution.
Verdi's No Sleep It sounds like you're sitting in the box at La Scala in Milan. Poor radio wave reflection through the tunnel? Out of the question here.
Powertrain – a classic without fads
The Performance Pack doesn't compromise on the technical specifications, which is actually good news. Under the hood Giulia still works two-liter turbocharged four-cylinder with power 207 kW (280 hp) and 400 Nm of torque at 2,250 rpm. The automatic transmission has eight gears, the drive is rear or four-wheel drive.
Numbers that count:
- acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h: 5.2 seconds (5.7 seconds to 60 mph),
- Top speed: 240 km/h (149 mph),
- torque: 400 Nm (295 lb-ft),
- power: 207 kW (280 hp).
For those who want a crazy complete experience, here it is Quadrifoglio with 2.9-liter twin-turbo V6 engine: 383 kW (510 hp), 600 Nm (443 lb-ft), acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds and final 307 km/h (191 mph)An engine with Ferrari pedigree that sings like a choir of drunken tenors at midnight.
Stelvio: an SUV for those who don't like SUVs
Stelvio with the Performance Pack, it retains everything that sets it apart from the average SUV: rear-wheel drive as a starting point, a long front engine bay, short overhangs and a stance that is closer to a sports wagon than a classic tall SUV. By all accounts, this is the most driver-friendly SUV in its class, which nevertheless transports family, luggage and dogs, without forgetting that it has the Nürburgring in its veins (the record time of the Stelvio Quadrifoglio from 2017 remains legendary).
Price – and this is where the story gets a little complicated
The Italian price list for 2026 starts at approximately 52,750 euros for Giulia and 57,850 euros for the Stelvio in the basic version. The price of the Performance Pack has not yet been announced at the time of launch – which in practice means that, like everything Italian, it will be a little more expensive than you might expectAcross the Atlantic, the Performance Pack will not be available, which is further proof that we Europeans sometimes get very lucky.
Conclusion: why Giulio is worth buying right now
Without detours: Giulia and Stelvio became classics even before they left the production lines. This is a rare quality. At a time when the world has traded its soul for screens, here is Giulia, guiding you through winding roads as if they were designed specifically for her to drive. After eleven years, her appearance still as handsome as when it was introduced, which only a handful of modern cars in its class can boast. The BMW 3 Series is more technologically advanced, the Mercedes C has nicer screens, the Audi A4 is – well, the Audi A4 is. But none of them captures the Italian soul that makes the Giulia a spectacle every time you drive it.
The Performance Pack is the culmination of a meaningful upgrade: Quadrifoglio suspension, premium sound system and sophisticated interior – and the Italians haven't destroyed a single bit of what makes the Giulia Giulia. After a decade of development, Alfa has mostly eliminated the model's childhood ailments, although the Stellantis still doesn't exactly boast reliability. But there was enough time to solve most of the problems.
If you are looking for a car with soul that you won't want to sell after three years of leasing; if you love physical buttons, gasoline engines, suspension that thinks and design that will still be beautiful in 2040 – then the Giulia with the Performance Pack may be one of the last real ones cars of its class. Its successor will be electrified, hybrid, a compromise, adapted to the new times. This one is unbreakable.
Sometimes the best car on the market isn't the newest one. Sometimes it's the one that knows exactly who it is. Bella, well done, Giulia.
