Industry accolade comes courtesy of the Southern Automotive Media Association (SAMA)
The all-new 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Ti (Turismo Internazionale) took the top award in the “Affordable Panoramic” category at the seventh annual Topless in Miami Presented by Haartz competitive car event hosted by the Southern Automotive Media Association (SAMA).
“The all-new Giulia Ti equipped with the dual-pane sunroof is an exciting addition to the Topless in Miami Competition and we’re thrilled to have Alfa Romeo back in North America with a truly competitive luxury sedan,” said Jaime Florez, SAMA president. “SAMA judges were impressed by the highly-contended vehicle’s dynamic performance and beautiful Italian craftsmanship that make the new Giulia a serious competitor among luxury sedans.”
Crafted by Alfa Romeo artisans at the Cassino plant in Italy, the all-new 2017 Giulia is a testament to Alfa Romeo’s perfect balance of engineering and emotion, creating a premium sports sedan for driving enthusiasts that stands out in the segment, and is luxurious and comfortable on the inside.
Built around the driver, Alfa Romeo Giulia designers focused on simplistic elegance, with an emphasis on incorporating the essential elements for performance. The designers did this while taking a top-down strategy – starting with the halo high-performance 505-hp 2.9L twin-turbo V6 Quadrifoglio model – ensuring top performance, impeccable handling, and luxurious design and trickling that technology and craft down throughout the Giulia line-up today.
The all-new 2017 Fiat 124 Spider Abarth took the top award in the “Small Convertible” category at the seventh annual Topless in Miami Presented by Haartz competitive car event.
“With its iconic Italian design, spirited driving dynamics and easy-to-operate convertible top, the Fiat 124 Spider Abarth truly impressed our judges,” said Jaime Florez, SAMA president. “Across all of the judging criteria, including styling, technology, and ride and comfort, the Fiat 124 Spider Abarth not only delivered, but also wowed.”
The all-new 2017 Fiat 124 Spider brings classic Italian styling and proven performance to a new generation of buyers. Paying homage to the original 124 Spider, the all-new Spider delivers the ultimate Italian roadster experience with driving excitement, technology and safety combined with iconic design.
The roadster comes standard with the proven 1.4-liter MultiAir Turbo four-cylinder engine, the engine’s first application in a rear-wheel-drive vehicle. The engine delivers 160 horsepower and 184 lb.-ft. of torque on Classica and Lusso, 164 horsepower and 184 lb.-ft. of torque on Abarth, and is available with a six-speed manual transmission (26 mpg city/35 mpg highway) or a six-speed automatic transmission (25 mpg city/36 mpg highway).
The Fiat 124 Spider has a double-wishbone front suspension and rear multi-link suspension with stabiliser bars, and tuned electric power steering system for enhanced handling and fuel efficiency. Available safety features include Blind-spot Monitoring, Rear Cross Path detection and ParkView rear backup camera. Available technology and convenience features include passive entry with keyless go, Bluetooth connectivity, heated seats, and FIAT Connect with access to Pandora, Stitcher and Aha apps.
More than 40 journalists attended the event and drove more than 25 vehicles from various manufacturers. Journalists voted for their favourite vehicles after driving scenic routes in Key Biscayne, Fla.
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