ALFA Romeo has announced a new Alfa Giulia Veloce addition to the year-old range, sitting comfortably between the Speciale and flagship Quadrifoglio.

The new Veloce offers a little bit of both with a good balance of comfort and performance that could tempt many drivers to take the plunge and join the ranks of the Alfisti – Alfa Romeo fanatics to you and I.

Featuring an exclusive 2.0-litre turbo petrol engine mated to an eight-speed automatic and with rear-wheel drive, this new model promises solid performance and balanced handling. The lightweight aluminium engine generates 280bhp which is enough to take the Veloce to 60mph in around 5.5 seconds and on to a top speed of 149mph.

A clever combination of MultiAir electro-hydraulic valve activation, a “2-in-1” turbo, and direct injection means the Veloce manages to achieve these figures while still returning around 45mpg and just 141g/km CO2. This should make it quite a tax-efficient means of going reasonably quickly while looking very good at the same time.

The Veloce shares the styling details of the Speciale with sports bumpers, gloss black trim, rear diffuser and dual exhaust, but adds 18-inch alloy wheels and black brake calipers.

The Misano Blue paint is an exclusive option to the Veloce and can be complemented with black, tan or red leather sports seats and aluminium shift paddles on the steering wheel. Standard equipment also includes parking sensors, dual-zone climate control and 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment system, plus a whole host of safety features that ensure a five-star NCAP rating.

The Giulia Veloce is available to order now with prices starting from £37,935 – a relatively small price to pay for such a lovely looking machine.