Sunday, December 12, 2010

Alfa Romeo Giulietta G430 iMove Marangoni

We don’t usually see auto brands like Alfa Romeo get dressed in green tires, so when somebody decides to do it – props to Marangoni – we jump on the opportunity to know more about it.

Based on the Alfa Romeo 1750 Quadrifoglio Verde that has had its fair share of modifications, the Alfa Romeo Giulietta G430 iMove Marangoni is a testament to an aggressive sports hatch being given randy dandy aerodynamic and aesthetic upgrades. Heck, these guys were nice enough to even include a Segway i2 a dashboard-integrated iPad and its own Internet connection.

Marangoni’s M-Power tires were used on the car and the green color wrapped around them came as a result of using compounds with high silica content and other innovative materials. Aside from being an aesthetic quirk, this colorful addition actually serves a meaningful purpose by minimizing rolling resistance and, consequently, saving up on fuel consumption.

Exterior and Interior

The car’s exterior body was given a charcoal gray finish that uses a unique textured paint finished with a 100% matte clear coat. Among the other design cues on the car’s body is a front bumper with two wide air grills that direct the airflow straight to the uprated braking system. The rear diffuser was also replaced with a new carbon component with air extractors reminiscent of the Ferrari F430 and the side mirror casings were also given carbon. Further illustrating the car’s unique and aggressive look, Marangoni took the spoiler on the rear window and raised it up a notch. Finishing off the package is unquestionably the most noteworthy aspect of the car: the tires.

Called the Marangoni M-Power iGreen tires, these tires were turned green courtesy of special fluorescent pigments that were added to the compound, giving it green-black combination that makes the Giulietta G430 iMove Marangoni even more eye-catching. The tires are then fitted to a set of 19” Barracuda Karizzma wheels.



The interior of the Giulietta G430 iMove was designed in collaboration with Conte of Florence, an Italian-based label that specializes in high-end sportswear apparel. In designing the interior, Conte of Florence used a number of premium materials, including leather, Alcantara, and carbon. Moreover, the company also applied quilting to pay homage to Scotland’s golfing tradition while using a unique green and grey color finish to reflect one of the brand’s themes on their current 2010-2011 Fall-Winter collection.

PERFORMANCE

The Giulietta G430 iMove has over 286 horsepower, a bump up from the 1750 TBi, 235 horsepower output Alfa’s range topping Giulietta – the Quadrifoglio Verde – comes in. The increased output is a result of a power kit that includes, among other things, a new bearing-mounted rotary turbine, downpipe complete with metal catalyst, complete Ragazzon stainless steel exhaust with wide diameter pipes, and an air intake that has been modified through the use of a special carbon air box.

PRICING

Pricing for the car is still being withheld, but we do know that the car will be in attendance at the Bologna Motor Show from December 4th to 12th with another 10 shows in 2011 where it is already scheduled to appear.

COMPETITION

The 2010 Volkswagen Golf R (270 horsepower), the 2010 Volkswagen Scirocco R (265 horsepower), and the Audi S1 (240 horsepower) are all worthy adversaries for this special edition Giulietta. You can have your own pick on any one of these cars and go home happy. But if you think the same way we do, there’s something to be said about a sports hatchback with the audacity to sport green tires. Some people may not like it, but consider us sold.