First series

The Giulietta was launched in November 1977. Two models were available: Giulietta 1.3, with an oversquare 95 PS (70 kW) 1357 cc engine, and Giulietta 1.6, with a 109 PS (80 kW) 1570 cc engine, both Alfa Romeo Twin Cam inline-fours fed by two twin-choke carburettors.^[3]

In April 1979, just under two years later, Giulietta 1.8 with a 122 PS (90 kW) 1779 cc engine was added,^[4] and in May of the following year the Giulietta Super with a 2-litre engine (1962 cc, 130 PS or 96 kW) appeared.^[1] The Giulietta was unusual in that the tachometer rotated counter-clockwise, meeting the speedometer needle at the top, rather than the usual clockwise movement.^[5]

Second series

In summer of 1981, the Giulietta received a minor facelift, externally and internally, while the engines remained the same. The car got plastic protection around the lower body, while interior modifications included a new steering wheel and new seats. The instrument panel and the centre armrest were also modified.

The Autodelta-produced Giulietta 2.0 Turbo Autodelta (175 PS) was introduced at the 1982 Paris motor show. This special version had a turbocharged 1,962 cc engine.^[6] The production Giulietta Turbodelta version had 170 PS (125 kW; 168 hp) and a KKK turbocharger coupled with two double-barrel Weber carburettors.^[7] All turbo versions were black with red interior; only 361 were produced. In the same year, the petrol-engined Giulietta 2.0 Ti and the Giulietta Turbodiesel (VM) 1995 cc version with 82 PS (60 kW; 81 hp) were also introduced, going on sale in early 1983.

In 1982, Alfetta and Giulietta turbodiesels achieved seven world speed records over 5/10/25/50 thousand kilometres and 5/10/25 thousand miles at Nardò (Lecce).^[8][9] While one of the quickest diesels in its category at the time, the Giulietta was rather costly and suffered from a very forward weight distribution (56.9 per cent over the front wheels).^[10]

Third series

In late 1983, the "84" Giulietta (Series 3) was presented, with minor differences in appearance, bumpers were redesigned and the dashboard was significantly re-designed, the instruments changed slightly and the rear seat in some versions changed its form. Mechanically it was basically the same, with minor modifications to the brake booster and inlet manifold on some versions.

The largest international market for the Giulietta was South Africa,^{[citation needed]} where a very successful TV advertising campaign by Alfa Romeo produced good sales between 1981 and 1984. Central to this campaign was emphasis of the Giulietta's new 'aerodynamic' line, which was carried over to the 75, and then the 33. The Giulietta was the 'last hurrah' for Alfa in South Africa before the appearance of the 164 and 156 models in the 1990s

In 1985, after around 380,000 Giuliettas had been built, it was replaced by the Alfa Romeo 75, which used much of the Alfetta/Giulietta underpinnings.

• 1984 Alfa Romeo Giulietta 2.0 RS
• One of the 361 Giulietta Turbodeltas
• Rear view of a Giulietta Turbodelta