Virtually out of nowhere, the F80 BMW M3 gets a new opponent: In spring 2016, the new Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio Verde will come to market and aims to reshuffle the cards in the premium mid-range sportscar segment. The Giulia Quadrifoglio will be the first example of Alfa’s bold strategy to take on BMW, Mercedes and Audi.

With a balanced weight distribution, 510 horsepower from a 2.9 liter V6 twin-turbo engine developed in collaboration with Ferrari and a rear-wheel drive, the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio Verde seems to have the right ingredients promising tremendous driving pleasure. Thanks to the use of carbon fiber, the sporty Alfa also has a curb weight of around 1500 kilograms (3306 lbs).

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The sporty Giulia should run from standstill to 100 km/h in just 3.9 seconds. The Giulia Quadrifoglio will only be offered with rear-wheel drive and a manual transmission.

The Giulia Quadrifoglio will go on sale in Europe early next year and in the U.S. a few months later.

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Whether Alfa Romeo could benefit from the Ferrari know-how and set a new benchmark for performance sedans, we will find out next year. For now, let us know in the comments below which design you like best.