Alfa Romeo Giulietta - new pics

More pictures of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta have been released.

The pictures show more angles of the Alfa Romeo 147 replacement, plus close up details including the front end and lamp clusters.

The Giulietta replaces the 147 and has been through three name changes already. Originally called 148, it was then renamed Milano. That name has now been changed due to pressure from Alfa Romeo workers in the firm's home city of Milan, who are unhappy with the use of the name following Alfa's decision to relocate to Turin. The firm has now settled on calling it Giulietta.

Alfa plans to launch the Giulietta in Italy in late March. The UK launch will coincide with the Goodwood Festival of Speed in June, where Alfa Romeo will be the featured marque.

The car will be made as a five-door only. It features a Volkswagen Golf-sized rear compartment but a coupe-like roofline and disguised rear door handles (as used on the 147) to enhance its sporting credentials. The shape draws obvious influence from both the outgoing 147 and the new Alfa Romeo Mito supermini, but it looks more modern than either.

It has the most striking three-dimensional version of Alfa’s shield grille yet, supported by two prominent lower lateral air intakes. The muscular sculpting of the body sides leads to prominent rear haunches, with twin exhausts and a diffuser beneath a rear panel whose LED tail-lights echo shapes pioneered in the Alfa Romeo 156.

Suspension is MacPherson struts at the front and a new multi-link design at the rear.

Inside, the Giulietta echoes the twin-binnacle, driver-oriented fascia design that Alfas have traditionally used, but with the familiar centre stack replaced with a simplified, lateral panel. The interior uses novel trim textures and body-coloured metal to signify a change from Alfa traditions.

At 4.35m in length, the car is 130mm longer than the Golf or the 147. The 2.63m wheelbase is about 50mm longer than the Golf’s or 147’s, and although its extra length makes it look low, it is 50mm higher than the car it replaces.

Alfa engineers say rear seat space and boot capacity are “the same or bigger” than a Golf’s and that the overall weight is “a little bit heavier” than a comparable 147’s, even though the body-in-white is lighter.

Buyers will be offered three different designs of 16in, 17in and 18in wheel - a thick-spoke design, a multi-spoke and Alfa’s familiar ‘telephone dial’ design.

A range of the Fiat Group’s transversely mounted four-cylinder diesel and petrol engines, all turbocharged, will drive the front wheels, ranging from a 120bhp 1.4-litre petrol to a 170bhp 2.0-litre diesel. Later next year there will be a 230bhp Cloverleaf model.