Alfa Romeo Giulia, a beautiful sexagenarian!

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Carved by the wind

The development of the Alfa Romeo Giulia Tipo 105 was put into practice as early as 1959 using some of the mechanics and technical solutions already available on the Giulietta. Philosophy and size are similar. At Alfa Romeo we prefer to show that we know how to make cars like no other, to think about aerodynamics, to take an interest in style, to impose our own dynamism and to significantly change the structural scheme. We therefore prefer to keep the iconic four-cylinder with aluminum twin shafts and overhead cams, but the displacement goes from 1.3 to 1.6 liters with, the height of refinement, sodium-cooled exhaust valves: the rest, in particular at the level of the lines, is set aside.

Alfa invests in a modern and avant-garde production plant, focusing on a location about 15 kilometers from Milan: Arese, also introducing an unprecedented test track. The idea was to produce around 150,000 new Alfa Romeos every year in Arese thanks to an extension of more than 2.5 million square meters. However, due to production delays, the factory was not inaugurated until 1963 with the Giulia GT.

Among the distinguishing characteristics between the new Alfa Romeo Giulia and the old Alfa Romeo Giulietta, we first note a clear abandonment of rounded lines. Among the slogans that accompanied the new Giulia at the time, we retained the “designed by the wind” . The values ​​were studied using the wind tunnel of the Politecnico di Torino. The reduced-section front end with a lowered profile, a revised windscreen inclination with rounded corners and even scratches that contribute to reviewing the resistance values ​​downwards: it emerges that the Giulia manages to guarantee a Cd of 0.34 which becomes the best data among those obtained by the sedans of its time. A perfect value to guarantee an ideal ratio between performance and consumption.

Pure sportiness

Also under greater attention to safety, the gearbox is installed behind the engine against the firewall. All mechanical parts are secured with brackets to prevent them from entering the cabin, while the steering column has been designed to avoid hitting the driver’s head or chest in the event of a driving accident. The front seatbacks had increased padding while the windscreen was ejected and the edges inside the cabin were absent.

The first Alfa Romeo Giulia on the market was the Ti, for International Tourism. With 4.14 m long, 1.56 meters wide and 1.43 meters high for around 1000 kilos, it offers an ideal compromise between roominess and sportiness. The 92 horsepower 1.6 comes with a five-speed gearbox, a rarity for cars of the time. The front suspensions had two superimposed quadrilaterals, while the rear axle remained faithful to the rigid axle but with particularly studied anchoring points for the coil springs and the shock absorbers. With a top speed of 170 km/h, the 1962 Giulia offered exceptional values ​​for a saloon of its time.

declined at will

From 1963, the range was completed by the lighter Ti Super variant, with the boot and doors in aluminium, rear window and rear door windows replaced by plexiglass, two fewer headlights on the grille and, of course, the quadrifoglio verde affixed to the wings. Lowered to 910 kilos, it is also more powerful and ready for homologation in touring competitions. The engine is increased to 112 hp thanks to the power supply by two Weber twin-barrel carburettors, larger diameter valves and reworked camshafts. It has four disc brakes, Campagnolo alloy rims and a shifter moved to the floor.

In 1965 came the Giulia Super, with a 98 horsepower engine fed by two horizontal double-barrel Weber or Solex carburettors. In 1967, the entry-level version was no longer the Ti, but the 1600 S with a 95 horsepower engine and instrumentation inspired by that of the Super. The variation will continue to infinity with the Sprint GT scratched by Giugiaro, the TZ and TZ2 of Zagato, the spider Duetto, etc, without forgetting of course the GTA prepared by the wizards of Autodeltawhich, by combining a weight lowered to 745 kilos and an engine inflated to 112 horsepower, exceeded 185 Km/h, and much more in the competition versions inflated to 170 horsepower.

The Giulia, born in full “Italian economic miracle”, therefore embodies both a sensational entry into modernity for the Biscione, but also a form of apogee in competition, marked by the emblematic duels against BMW in the races of tourism.