Alfa Romeo UK Adds New Diesel with 140HP and 62.8 MPG to Giulietta Lineup

A newly developed 2.0-liter JTDM engine has made its way under the hood of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta in the UK. The four-cylinder turbocharged diesel unit, which delivers 140HP at 4,000 rpm and 320Nm of peak torque in 'Normal' mode and 350Nm in 'Dynamic' mode, gets the latest generation JTDM-2 MultiJet Common Rail system that is already present on the 105HP 1.6 JTDM-2 and the 170HP 2.0 JTDM-2 engines.

Alfa Romeo says that with this diesel engine, the Giulietta can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 9 seconds en route to a top speed of 127 mph (204 km/h), while returning a combined fuel consumption of 62.8 mpg UK (52.3 mpg US or 4.5 lt/100km) with CO2 emissions of 119g/km.

The new engine is Euro 5 compliant and is equipped with DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) and Start&Stop as standard.

On-the-road prices for the Giulietta 2.0 JTDM-2 in the UK are set at £20,144.47 for the Lusso model and £21,444.47 for the better equipped Veloce.

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Euro NCAP's Best and Worst Performers of 2010

The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP), which is similar to the American IIHS testing regimen, has released a list with the safest car in each vehicle category and the two worst performers overall of 2010. The cars that attained the coveted five star rating and achieved the highest overall score in their respective segment are:

------ Executive category: BMW 5 Series
------ Small Family category: Alfa Romeo Giulietta
------ Supermini category: Honda CR-Z
------ Small off-road 4×4 category: Kia Sportage
------ Small MPV category: Toyota Verso

On the other side of the fence are two models that achieved the poorest results of 2010. These are the Citroen Nemo with three stars and China's Landwind CV9 that received only two stars.

The European body noted that the cars in the top list "accomplished a high combined score based on the scores in each of the individual four areas of Euro NCAP’s assessment, while notably exceeding the thresholds for a 5 star overall rating". Along with the five top achievers, Euro NCAP said that the Suzuki Swift, Kia Venga, BMW X1, VW Sharan/Seat Alhambra, Citroen C4 all exceeded the 80% mark in overall score putting them on the runner-up list for the safest cars of 2010.

Commenting on the results, Dr Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP Secretary General said: “Every year, car manufacturers constantly work to innovate and make their cars better and safer for the driver, whatever the size of the vehicle. The presence in these categories of high performing 5 star cars demonstrates car manufacturers’ commitment to safety for all sizes of vehicles.”

In early 2009, Euro NCAP implemented tougher crash testing procedures that make it more difficult for vehicles to receive a five-star rating. Last year, the European body crash tested a total of twenty-nine vehicles from numerous categories, of which 65 per cent reached the five star rating, compared to 90% in 2009.

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Marangoni's Green-Footed Alfa Romeo Giulietta G430 iMove with 286HP

Italian tire manufacturer Marangoni has teamed up with tuning firm TRC Italia to create a demo version of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta 1750 Quadrifoglio Verde () and showcase a new series of eco-friendly tires which will soon enter the market.

Dubbed the Giulietta G430 iMove, the demo car is fitted with special tires sized 235/35 R19 tires boasting a fluorescent, green pigment, which glows in the dark. The compound is rich in silica content and other materials, minimizing rolling resistance and, thus, improving fuel consumption. The car rides on 19-inch Barracuda Karizzma wheels, painted in a contrasting black tone.

Like Marangoni's previous demo car, the Alfa Romeo MiTo M430, the G430’s exterior makeover was also inspired by the Ferrari F430. The front bumper has two enormous F430-like air intakes channeling airflow to the brakes, while at the rear we can find a carbon fiber diffuser. Lowered side skirts and a discrete roof spoiler complete the aero kit.

Under the bonnet, a new bearing-mounted turbocharger boosts the four-cylinder unit's output to 286 hp, an increase of 51hp over the standard model.

Engineers also lowered the car by 4 cm (1.6 inches) and fitted KW threaded strut housings that allow multiple height adjustments and shock absorber calibration. The standard brakes were ditched in favor of 330 mm 10-pot Tarox B360 composite disks.

Inside, golf apparel provider Conte of Florence used a combination of leather, Alcantara and carbon fiber, with the seats and door panels trimmed in a quilted theme that evokes Scotland’s golfing tradition. The only problem is that the G430 doesn’t seem like your ideal golfer’s car and there’s not much space left in the boot because of the Segway. But, hey, I guess times are changing and the two-wheel EV could make your life much more easier on the golf course.

TRC Italia said it will offer all components designed for the Giulietta G430 iMove, starting from next year.

The Giulietta G430 iMove will be officially unveiled at Bologna Motor Show in Italy this week.

By Csaba daradics

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