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Alfa Romeo has some interesting things on its stand at the Geneva Motor Show, but all eyes must be drawn to the super-limited 'Nurburgring Editions' of two of our favourite performance machines of the moment - the Giulia Quadrifoglio and the Stelvio Qaudrifoglio.
As both machines, powered as they are by Alfa's 510hp 2.9 twin-turbo V6 petrol, hold records in their respective classes for production-car laps of Germany's 'Green Hell' (the Giulia in 7 minutes 32 seconds, the Stelvio clocking 7 minutes 51.7 seconds), the Italian company felt they needed to be celebrated. And as Alfa is 108 years old, then there are 108 examples each of the Giulia Quadrifoglio Nurburgring Edition and the Stelvio Quadrifoglio Nurburgring Edition. In case you're wondering, each special edition gets an 'NRING' badge.
No changes to the mighty power and torque outputs are forthcoming on the NRING models, but they do come in exclusive Circuito Grey paint, plus they wear carbon-fibre mirror caps, side skirts and front badges, while the rear windows are tinted. The Giulia QF NRING, in addition, has a bare carbon roof, which is new for the Alfa.
Inside, there's a numbered plaque in the carbon-fibre insert of the dash stating which of the build runs of 108 each example is, while the standard equipment list is enhanced with Sparco racing seats with red stitching and carbon shells, a Mopar automatic gearknob with a carbon insert, a leather and Alcantara steering wheel (also with carbon inserts) and floor mats with a red Mopar-developed logo. Active Cruise Control, a Harman Kardon premium audio package, Alfa Connect 3D Navigation infotainment on an 8.8-inch screen, Apple CarPlay, Android Auto and DAB are all thrown in for the NRING variants, but perhaps the best standard equipment addition of all is carbon-ceramic brakes on both Quadrifoglio specials. Tasty.
Two more Stelvios and another pair of Giulias will be on the Alfa stand in Geneva, too. Starting with the SUVs, they feature the 200hp/330Nm and 280hp/400Nm versions of the 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine, leading to 0-100km/h in 7.2 seconds and a top speed of 215km/h for the former Stelvio, and 0-100km/h in 5.7 seconds and a 230km/h top speed on the latter SUV. Both are fitted with Q4 all-wheel drive and an eight-speed automatic transmission, but none of this is what makes them newsworthy - no, it's the fact that they both show off the new extended leather interiors (hide is now found on the dashboard and door cards), while they will both sport the Performance Pack.
This bundles together the Alfa Active Suspension (which is already available as a standalone piece of optional equipment on the Stelvio), self-locking rear mechanical differential and paddle shifters machined from solid aluminium on the steering column, all to enhance the driving experience. Beyond the Performance Pack, the Competizione Red 280hp Stelvio has a Sport Pack, featuring aluminium inserts for the interior, aluminium pedals, a sports steering wheel, red brake callipers, leather seats and dashboard with grey contrast stitching, privacy glass and roof rails. The 200hp Stelvio in Volcano Black is a Super, with beige leather seats and dashboard, grey wood inserts and 20-inch alloy wheels by Mopar, sitting in front of black-painted callipers.
For the Giulias, first up is the Giulia Veloce Ti. This has the 280hp petrol engine and eight-speed automatic, but also Q4 all-wheel drive - whether this will come to right-hand-drive Giulia Veloce models remains to be seen. Nevertheless, this step down from the full-fat Quadrifoglio has a black roof, leather-clad dashboard with carbon inserts, leather and Alcantara seats, and lots of carbon details styled by Mopar, inside and out. A set of 19-inch burnished five-spoke alloys complete the look.
The other Giulia is a Super with what Alfa calls a 'one-of-a-kind' Luxury Pack. For that, you get a beige leather interior with real grey oak wood trim finishers, 18-inch alloys wheels, black-painted brake callipers and a 200hp turbocharged engine with an eight-speed automatic gearbox.
Anything else?
While the Giulia and Stelvio models are 'New Alfa Romeo', a relic of the brand's recent past is also on the marque's Geneva Motor Show stand. It's the 4C sports car, with special 'Competizione' and 'Italia' special editions. A Vesuvio Grey 4C Coupe Competizione and a Misano Blue 4C Spider Italia will be on display, and while neither sports any mechanical updates, they each have their own unique styles - lots of exterior carbon on the 108-car run of the Competizione, plus a red-stitched interior and numbered plaque for the cabin, while the Italia (also limited to 108 cars) has asymmetric five spoke alloys, 18s on the front and 19s on the rear, as well as yellow brake callipers and yellow stitching in the cabin. It also enjoys an Italian 'tricolore'-shaded 'Spider Italia' sticker on the side of the car.