Face of Alfa's power play

Uma Thurman won't be fronting Alfa's campaign in New Zealand. Photo / Supplied

Alfa Romeo is using Hollywood actress Uma Thurman and a line from Shakespeare's play The Tempest to plug the hatchback Giulietta in Europe and help pave the way for its re-entry next year into the United States market.

The line "such stuff as dreams are made on" blends with Thurman's edgy demeanour in the new campaign, designed to boost the Italian carmaker's stocks worldwide.

It will use the same advertising line in New Zealand from this weekend - but without Thurman.

"The rights to the Thurman ads were not available outside of Europe," said Laurie Malatios, general manager of Alfa in New Zealand. "We are using the same campaign theme - but without her."

The third-generation Giulietta replaces the 147 hatchback. It is a crucial car for Alfa, whose global sales over the past couple of years have been hit particularly hard.

The carmaker heads back to the US in 2012 via its tie-up with Chrysler and after an absence of 16 years.

The advertising campaign plays on the "dynamic" similarities between ice-cool Thurman - the star of Pulp Fiction and Kill Bill - and the Giulietta.

The Giulietta badge first appeared on a sedan and coupe between 1954 and 1965. The second generation, a sedan only, was built between 1977 and 1985.

The Giulietta will be the first Fiat group car to use the company's new C-Evo platform, recently renamed Compact to fall into line with American terminology after Fiat bought a chunk of Chrysler to help the US carmaker avoid bankruptcy.

The Compact platform will also be used in North America for new Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge vehicles due to be launched in 2012-13. Fiat says the new platform is a mix of aluminium and steel and has been designed to highlight road holding, agility and safety.

The five-door comes with a Euro NCAP five-star crash safety rating and an overall score of 87/100, the highest rating in its class.

The front-drive Giulietta, like the smaller three-door MiTo, borrows its styling from the limited-edition 8C coupe, the car the Top Gear team named as the most beautiful car of 2009.

It is available here with the choice of two engines. The 1.4-litre model is priced at $46,990 and packs the 125kW MultiAir engine from the current top-spec MiTo Quadrifoglio Verde (QV), driving the front wheels through a six-speed manual transmission. Alfa's TCT (Twin Clutch Transmission) automatic, which recently made its first New Zealand appearance in the MiTo, will become available as an option mid-year.

The $54,990 Giulietta QV flagship sits 10mm lower on its suspension and uses a 173kW version of the four-cylinder 1750cc turbocharged petrol unit that recently replaced the 2.2-litre engine in the 159 sedan.

Alfa claims a zero to 100km/h time for the 1.4-litre unit of 7.8 seconds and a town-and-around fuel consumption of 5.8 litres/100km, or 49mpg. It has a CO2 exhaust emissions rating of 134gr/km.

The Giulietta QV scoots through to 100km/h in a claimed 6.8 seconds and on to a top speed of around 240km/h. Combined fuel consumption is said to be 7.6 litres/100km, or 37mpg.

The Giulietta features an update to the "DNA" drive mode that appeared first in the MiTo. It allows the driver to alter the car's driving characteristics on the move by moving a three-position (D, N and A) selector by the gearlever.

At N (Normal) the default setting is applied while A (all-weather) sets the electronic stability control system for safer driving in slippery conditions.

D (Dynamic) mode sharpens throttle response and optimises the engine's torque delivery. D mode also firms up the steering and tells the various electronic safety nets, including an electronic limited-slip differential, to back off to allow drivers to explore the car's limits.

In addition, when the driver lifts off the throttle in D mode, pressure in the braking system is automatically increased to quicken response and reduce pedal travel by 30 per cent.

Both the 1.4 and QV come comprehensively equipped. Safety equipment runs to six airbags plus up-to-the-minute electronic devices, including stability control.

The Giulietta steps into one of the most challenging sectors of the market, the prestige small car segment.

"There is no doubt that the new Giulietta has very large shoes to fill," says Malatios.

"It carries one of the all-time great car names. But it is fully equipped to succeed."