26: Alfa Romeo Giulia – An Italian saloon that doesn’t depend on history

It's too easy to get suckered in to the old rose-tinted Alfa Romeo marketing. Yes, this is a brand with a storied history, and yes its cars have been raced by the likes of Fangio, Lauda, and Andretti, but none of that matters (or should not matter, at any rate) when it comes to making an actual buying decision.

Thankfully, the Giulia is a car that needs little-to-no help from history; it’s good enough to stand by itself. OK, so the interior is less than perfect (it is at least fine, though) but the chassis is an utter peach, whether we’re talking about a bog-basic diesel or the mighty 510hp Quadrifoglio (more fun than an M3 - FACT).

Plus, it looks as if at long last Alfa has gotten over its build -quality foibles to the point where the Giulia can meet the Germans on the same pitch. The last one we drove was a year old, had 10,000km on the clock, and drove, looked, and felt brand new. Plus it’s gorgeous. Oh, and Fangio used to race an Alfa, don’t you know…

Best model: Giulia Veloce 2.0i Turbo 280hp for €54,495