My FM Log: Italian Works of Art

Two Italian works of art, the Giulia Sprint GTA and the Murcielago SV, made their comeback in Forza Motorsport as prize cars in two separate limited-time tours in Update 4.0.

First up is the Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA, a motorsport legend obtained after fighting through Update 4's Open Tour until February 14th.

Launched a year after the first Giulia sedan of 1962, the Giulia Sprint is the coupe version styled by Giugiaro, who was part of Bertone then. At launch, the Sprint GT is powered by a 1.6L DOHC 4-cylinder engine producing 104HP of power and 102.7ft-lb of torque.

Three years later, the lightweight GTA version was launched, featuring aluminum body panels, plexiglass rear and side windows, and a stripped-off interior which drops the weight to 745kg for the road version. The 1.6L engine was upgraded with two spark plugs per cylinder, new camshafts, and a pair of twin-barrel carburetors which bumped the power to 115hp, giving it a top speed of 185kph.

500 examples were made between 1965 and 1969 to comply with Group 2 homologation. In the 1966 racing season, the Giulia GTA scored over 200 wins with official team drivers and privateers behind the wheel.

Lastly is the Lamborghini Murcielago LP670-4 SV which was obtained by clearing the time-limited Italian Challengers tour until February 28, 2024.

The Murcielago LP670-4 SV served as the "last special edition" before production, as well as its legendary V12 engine traced back to the Miura, ended in 2010 after its near-decade-run tenure. The 6.5L V12 engine was improved to produce 670PS of power. 

It is limited to 350 cars worldwide and costs 450,000 US Dollars. However, only 186 models were built before the factory had to be reserved for Aventador production. In 2010, there was a China Limited Edition launched exclusively in China that comes with the same specs but with a middle stripe on it.

Let's give these Italian works of art around Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and see how legendary these icons are. Let's roll the tapes.

If Forza Motorsport is art, these Italian legends are masterpieces that deserve to be driven. This is the art of driving, the Forza way.

Enjoy your new rides!

My GT7 Log: A tale of two Giulias

Whether it's classic or modern, the Alfa Romeo Giulia has motorsport bloodlines running through its veins and when you take it to the track, it really showcases the classic Alfa Romeo magic from within.

So, what makes the Giulia special in an Alfa Romeo kind of way? The question will be answered by two machines in question; an ancient Giulia Sprint GT and the modern Giulia GTA.

Beginning with the Giulia Sprint GT, this model is essentially the coupe equivalent of the original Giulia that was marketed from the 60s to the 70s. It became part of the range a year after the original Giulia was launched in 1962. Styled by Giugiaro, who was part of Bertone at that time, the Sprint GT is powered by a 1.6L DOHC 4-cylinder engine producing 104HP of power and 102.7ft-lb of torque.

Fast forward to the 2020s, Alfa Romeo unveiled the Giulia GTA, a track-honed limited edition of the modernized Giulia sedan made in honor of Alfa Romeo's 110th anniversary. In addition to the aggressive aerodynamics provided by Alfa Romeo's Formula 1 partner, Sauber, the 2.9L V6 Bi-Turbo engine was tuned to produce 540HP of power, making it capable of hitting a 0-100kph time of 3.6 seconds. 

The GTAm is the Italian four-door equivalent of the Porsche 911 GT3 RS because of its extensive use of lightweight materials including the deletion of rear seats, giving it a power-to-weight ratio of 2.82kg per horsepower. 

500 of these were made and sold, and those who bought it were eligible for a personalized experience package which includes a special Bell helmet, special racing overalls by Alpinestars, a special car cover by Goodwool, and a driving course courtesy of Alfa Romeo Driving Academy.

Now that I shed light on these two Giulias, let's find out how much the Giulia has progressed from the ancient Sport GT to the modern GTA, and with that, I'm off to Monza to conduct the Italian experiment. This is Darwin's Evolution theory the Alfa Romeo way and it's time to put this theory to the test.

And now the results;

Giulia Sprint GT - 2m49.629s

Giulia GTAm - 2m07.614s

The evolution of the Alfa Romeo Giulia, forty-two seconds in the making. It took about 42 seconds to progress the Giula from the Sprint GT of the past to the GTA of today...in my mind.

From the classic Sprint GT to the modern GTA, the Alfa Romeo Giulia really has motorsport bloodlines running through its veins and it really showcases the classic Alfa Romeo magic from within. 

As the world embraces the new normal, it looks like cars like the Giulia will face the inevitable but nevertheless, it's a clear reminder that the modern Giulia is the best Alfa Romeo at this moment in time because of the style, dynamics, and performance worth upsetting the Germans case to case.

Grazie ragazzi, Alfa Romeo Giulia.

Forza Motorsport 7: Alfa Romeo Julie Quad Bike something...

The Giulia is one of the most important Alfa Romeos in their revitalization plan, so important, that it became the subject of delayed launch dates because of design issues and I'm delighted to say that it's finally arrived in Forza Motorsport 7 via the Samsung QLED TV Car Pack.





Quite a long overdue for the producers to feature this newest Alfa Romeo in a Forza game, eh? Better late than never as they said but anyway, what is the Alfa Romeo Giulia?

One of the most important Alfa Romeos in their revitalization plan, the Giulia name has been revived as the first rear-wheel drive Alfa Romeo in history since 75. It was the first to wear the new Alfa Romeo badge in honor of the company's 105th anniversary when it was presented at a special event in the summer of 2015 before it went on sale a year later.

The most potent version is the Quadrifoglio which comes with AlfaTM Torque Vectoring, Active Aero Splitter, Chassis Domain Control, a carbon-fiber prop shaft, carbon-fiber roof, a carbon-fiber bonnet, limited-slip differential, the most direct steering in its segment, a choice of either manual six-speed gearbox the new eight-speed automatic transmission, and a 510 HP 2.9-litre V6 BiTurbo Petrol Engine that propels it to a top speed of 307 km/h, and from 0 to 100 km/h in only 3.9 seconds. This saloon lapped the Nurburgring in 7 minutes and 32 seconds.

In Top Gear Season 24 Episode 2, Chris Harris reviews the Giulia, much to the dismay of Rory Reid setting challenges for him, including "The Wall". When handed to The Stig, it set a 1:21.4 lap time.



I kind of admit that the Giulia is not a pretty-looking car because the face is kind of reminiscent of a Wolseley while it's difficult to get out of the front than in the back. That's some faults but this is how human qualities are best described and despite its faults, this Alfa Romeo is different than what we think today because it was engineered by the same person behind the magnificent Ferrari 458 supercar, it has some Ferrari genes this Italian M3 beater, making it very unique to experience how the Giulia reacts more than the German high-performance saloons. Of course, it's surprisingly nice to drive on the road even in Sport Mode but out on the track however...





On the track, the Giulia is a masterpiece, and the more you drive it, the more you're going to love it because of its direct steering while some say that this is a BMW M3 for morons, the Giulia Quadrifoglio is by no surprise an exciting sports saloon with the heart and soul of an Alfa Romeo in the same way you experienced it on the 4C, which is a brilliant sports coupe a true petrolhead would want to drive. I've been waiting to drive this powerful Alfa saloon and now, here I am, driving one out of my jealous belief, and because all of my eagerness paid off, time for a little challenge.

The Giulia Quadrifoglio recently lapped the Top Gear track in 1:21.4 so my challenge is to beat that time as fast as I can.



In the end, I did a 1:25.268, about four seconds more than what The Stig set in real life. I don't know, probably it's getting damp or moist out there, I don't really know but I tried and I'm starting to believe that I love this Alfa more than any other high-performance saloon.



The Giulia Quadrifoglio transforms from a car which is brilliant into something that is sensation and as some say that you can't be a true petrolhead without driving an Alfa Romeo, this is the one true petrolheads have been waiting for, well some would go for 4C, but nevertheless, it's been an honor to drive Alfa Romeo's premiere high-performance saloon the world has been demanding for. It's a dream come true, really. It is.

Speaking of which...





See something special I did with the Giulia? Hmm? Take a guess...

Alfa Romeo Giulia (952)

This is by no means the most anticipated Alfa Romeo the world has ever waited since...well, I don't know what famous Alfa hit in its timeline, probably the 4C perhaps. This car signals the rebirth of the legendary Alfa Romeo marque and it's a clear sign that the famed Italian car company will rise with new models coming to compete with the best that Europe has to offer.

2016 Alfa Romeo Giulia

It's no clear wonder why every car enthusiast from across the world can't hardly wait to see what the new Alfa Romeo Giulia is ever since Alfa Romeo worked on the revitalization plan years ago and when it made its smashing appearance, we had no words to describe why we've waited an eternity to see Alfa's first rear-wheel drive saloon since the 75 come into fray.

Anyway, what's in our mind about the Giulia from Alfa Romeo? Let's talk it over because being the first in the brand's revival act, which involves an eight-car line-up and a worldwide sales target of 400,000 by the next two years, it runs on an entirely new platform called Giorgio and being Italian, it's built entirely in Italy. Thanks to Alfa's in-house design, the new Giulia's design is very striking to look at as well as Alfa Romeo's brand new logo, which is a shame why video game companies that making racing games (I'm talking to you, Forza) are shying away from it these days just like Cadillac.

2016 Alfa Romeo Giulia interior

The interior looks as if Alfa stole it from BMW, specifically the E60 5-Series perhaps but nevertheless, it would be fun to be accommodated inside the long-awaited Alfa we can buy. Not only does it look luxurious to be accommodated with but also high-tech if you know how to use it. One thing that amazes about the Giulia's high-tech commodity is its sat-nav that picks up the pace even if the GPS signal is missing thanks to Dead Reckoning technology. Try driving into the tunnel and the car's GPS still tracks your movements. Pretty smart, huh?

2016 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio

What's on our minds about driving the Giulia? Let's talk it over like you're drinking a Super Dry beer at the pub. The fastest version, the Giulia Quadrifoglio, comes with Alfa's brand new 2.9L V6 twin-turbo engine, which shares the same components as the V8 engine from the Ferrari California T. It produces 510HP of power and 600Nm of torque and when mated with the 6-speed manual gearbox, it can do 0-100kph in 3.9 seconds and onwards to 307kph. Thanks to its motorsport DNA that traces to past Alfas in history as well as extensive use of lightweight materials, it's no wonder it lapped the Nurburgring at 7:39.0, making it the fastest 4-door saloon to lap around the legendary track.

For the normal Giulia, meanwhile, the only engine available for launch is a 2.2L l4 Multijet engine with two power configurations; one that produces either 150 or 180PS of power output, both are mated with either a 6-speed manual or an 8-speed automatic.

Whichever Giulia you'll get, it's going to be a great car to drive even though this is a rear-wheel drive car. Best of all, most models come with a carbon-fiber drive shaft as well as aluminum shock towers, suspension components, independent suspension setup, and better weight distribution that makes handling like no other. Because the handling is so great, it makes anyone who never tried the Giulia very jealous to get their hands on it, at least someday, we really want to get our hands on this.

Of course, a Giulia can't be called a luxury car without safety tech, which is kinda bugging us on the move, such as Forward Collision Warning with Autonomous Emergency Brake and pedestrian detection, Integrated Brake System, Lane Departure Warning system, and cruise control.

2016 Alfa Romeo Giulia

Should you buy it? The Giulia starts at 35,500 Euros while the hi-po Quadrifoglio starts at 79,000 Euros. On that pricing, that would mean 3-Series money for the normal Giulia and M3 money for the Quadrifoglio. Either way, it's been a while since Alfa Romeo launched the most-talked-about car of the decade, and with that kind of performance, this Alfa begs to have its presence be known not just in the real world but also in video games due to its high demand. No, seriously, this is the most demanding car we ever want to drive in our lives.

Photo: Alfa Romeo