Alfa Romeo Giulia and Stelvio Get a ‘Carbon’ Package With Barely Any Carbon

Hanging in There

Despite its rivals being offering models a generation or two older, Alfa Romeo is still holding on to the current iterations of its Giulia and Stelvio. The Giulia debuted in 2015 for the 2016 model year, dusting off a name last used in the early-70s. After that, it was the Stelvio, the Italian automaker’s first true attempt at the luxury compact crossover market.

Today, both are at least a decade old and will be hanging around for a little longer. The two actually received a stay of execution, and despite their ages, sales actually went up (globally) last year. While the two don’t sell in the same numbers as their German rivals, there’s still more than enough interest in those cars to keep them going.

Keeping Interest Up

Now, we’re not expecting all-new generations of these two cars within a year or two. For the time being, the Italian automaker has unveiled a new, limited-edition model to keep interest up and eyes on the aging models. That said, it seems that it’s for the German market only, although it might eventually make its way across Europe.

It’s called the Carbon Performance Package, and despite the name, you won’t find that material anywhere on the outside. It doesn’t get additional horsepower, and it’s worth noting that the German-market Giulia and Stelvio are diesel-only and all-wheel drive-only. Its 2.2-liter lump is good for 207 hp and 347 lb-ft, which brings this car to 62 mph under 7 seconds and a top speed of 146 mph. If anything, it’s really more of an enhanced version of the Veloce package that’s available for both models.

So, what does it get? Well, it gets a few strips of carbon fiber on the dashboard, doors, and center console. But the big deal here is the standard fitment of Alfa Adaptive Suspension, which is typically reserved for Quadrifoglio models. It should make the Stelvio and Giulia drive even better, and that’s not a small feat. A Harman/Kardon sound system is also included in the mix.

The Next-Gen Giulia and Stelvio: What to Expect

Alfa Romeo is likely to unveil the new-generation Stelvio and Giulia before the end of the decade. The sedan could come out first, followed by the crossover a year after, but given that SUVs are the norm these days, the company could do the other way around.

As for the platform, both will likely use the same one as the Charger, so expect those models to grow in size. As for powertrains, there’s a good chance it’ll be a mix of turbo-hybrids for compliance in Europe, and you can bet there will also be an electric option. There might even be a diesel, depending on how things pan out in the future. Details are still relatively murky at this point, but we’re hoping for six-cylinder power under the hood of these cars – and not just for the top-shelf versions.