Alfa Romeo is developing a
new Giulia coupé that features a
Formula 1-style energy recovery system (ERS), according to Autocar’s sources.
Two powertrains are said to be under development using the system. One is based on the 276bhp 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine used in the Giulia Veloce saloon. The other uses the 2.9-litre turbo petrol V6 of the Giulia Quadrifoglio.
The
2.0 version develops around 345bhp combined, and the
2.9 V6 a mighty 641bhp to create the most potent road- going Alfa Romeo yet, with an output only 20bhp short of the 661bhp Ferrari 488.
The Giulia coupé could
appear towards the end of this year and go on sale in 2019.
Rumoured in some quarters to be badged Sprint – although GTV would be historically more appropriate – the coupé is derived from the Giulia saloon
The forward set of exterior panels are likely to be carried over, but there will be a
new rear roofline, different rear quarter panels and longer doors to ease access to the rear seats. Alfa will likely be keen to provide good rear-seat accommodation. Its previous GT model provided excellent accommodation for a coupé and sold better as a result. A new nose design, to distinguish the coupé from the saloon, is also likely.
The ERS may well be a development of the HY-KERS set-up developed by Ferrari and Magneti Marelli for the LaFerrari, which, the company claims, is more advanced than the type used in its F1 cars. It is performance rather than economy and emissions oriented, the electric motor’s ample low-end torque complementing the petrol engine’s torque curve, which is fatter at higher revs.