It's been a while since there's been an Italian competitor in the premium saloon segment.

Not, in fact, since the demise of the 159 and 166. Both were blessed with superb driving dynamics and excellent engines, but they also suffered from poor build quality which meant that most examples now reside in the hands of only the hardiest of Alfa Romeo fans.

Alfa is back in the running with what is, without doubt, another example of stunning automotive design but it has its work cut out if it is to make any headway against the German giants – Mercedes, BMW and Audi – as well as competitive offerings from Jaguar and Volvo.

It’s off to a promising start, having been steeped in Italian flair. The proportions are finely balanced, with taut, flowing lines, short overhangs, a long bonnet and muscular haunches. The Giulia’s lean body adorns the longest wheelbase in the segment.

If you stop – not on a hard shoulder, that’s for emergencies only – to consider for a moment how little of each tyre is actually in contact with the road at any one time, even in optimum conditions, you might be tempted to make your next car a tank.

That those points where road and rubber come into contact with each are all that’s keeping you and your car on the black stuff doesn’t need stating – but I have anyway- which is where Alfa Romeo’s trick new front suspension comes into its own.

It’s a double wishbone arrangement, with ‘virtual’ lower wishbones comprising of a pair of rods designed to optimise the amount of the tyre in contact with the road, improving grip, feel and feedback.

The rear suspension is a piece of Alfa Romeo trickery too, with a sophisticated four-arm set-up that is intended to maximise the Giulia’s dynamic abilities without sacrificing driving comfort.

It also boasts perfect 50:50 weight distribution thanks to the use of high-strength and ultra-lightweight materials including carbon fibre for the driveshaft, aluminium composites and plastic for the rear cross member and aluminium for the doors, wings, engines, brakes and suspension.

As a result, the dry weight of the 180bhp 2.2-litre diesel reviewed here is just 1,374kg.

It’s clear, then, that the Italians have worked hard at producing at car that can deliver the performance that its looks promise, especially in range-topping Speciale trim which includes unique 18in five-hole dark alloy wheels, red painted brake callipers, bi-xenon healdights, powered and heated sports seats, black gloss window surrounds and rear sports diffuser with dual exhausts.

The engine sends its power to the rear wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. There’s healthy slug of torque available from 1,750rpm – 450Nm - and it means that progress is relaxed and refined, keeping enforced gear changes to a minimum.

Performance is swift and unflustered, with 62mph arriving in a none-too-shabby 7.1 seconds. In ‘Normal’ automatic mode the gearbox swaps ratios seamlessly. Switch to dynamic mode using the rotary D.N.A. drive selector – the other little-used option is All-weather – and change gear via the delightfully tactile steering column-mounted aluminium paddle shifters, a worthy £275 investment, and you’ll be blessed with even more rapid shifts.

The cabin is a relative oasis of peace and tranquillity. The diesel unit is inaudible unless it’s worked hard and even then, it remain unobtrusive, and there’s little in the way of road noise but, and it’s a significant but, there’s a significant amount of whistling as the air circulates around the door mirrors at speed.

The steering is very light and direct. Until you become acclimatised to the high degree of sensitivity it is all to easy to turn in to quickly and use to much lock in a corner. There’s lots of grip, with that clever front suspension playing its role to perfection, and the chassis feels lithe and alert.

The suspension is, perhaps surprisingly in a car this nimble, soft but complemented by expertly judged damping. It makes for ride quality of the very highest order. Potholes that might be better described as sinkholes do little to unsettle the Giulia. Indeed, the suspension not only does a remarkable job of absorbing each intrusion but the structure possesses an eerie ability to confine it to the affected corner of the car.

The driving position is flawless and all-round visibility excellent. The instruments reside in shrouded binnacles while the dashboard swoops from side to side, housing the beautifully integrated 8.8in Uconnect multimedia system. I’m pleased to see that Alfa have opted not to mount the screen atop the dashboard that, while it might bring it closer to eye level, always looks like something of an afterthought to me.

It doesn’t quite stand comparison to the very best units – the feature set is a little light and the graphics aren’t quite as crisp – but it’s simple enough to operate via the multi-directional dial and supplemental buttons. What it does do – Bluetooth audio and handsfree calling, DAB radio, USB, MP3 playback – it does very well.

Cabin quality is, for the most part, perfectly respectable. It’s only when you start to delve a little deeper that you discover a few corners have been cut.

Passenger space all round is more than adequate, and four taller people should have no trouble getting themselves comfortable while the boot matches the BMW 3 series with a healthy 480-litre capacity.

Alfas have always tended to be cars that you buy with your heart, rather than your head. They have rarely been anything short of seductively styled and dynamically capable but each model has been consistently hamstrung by poor build quality.

The Giulia changes all that, maintaining the Italian manufacturer’s reputation for stunning design but now its been bolted together with a lot more conviction.

What you end up with is a quite stunning-looking automobile, with excellent straight-line performance and an agile chassis that is also genuinely practical. It’s a combination that Alfa have been able to boast in their recent history and it’s certainly something that should have its rivals looking tentatively over their shoulders.

Alfa Romeo Guilia 2.2 Turbodiesel

Price: £35,515

As tested: 35,790

Engine: 2.2-litre 4-cylinder turbodiesel

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

Max power: 180hp

Man torque: 450Nm @ 1,750rpm

Max speed: 143mph

Acceleration (0-62mph): 7.1sec

Urban: 53.3mpg

Extra urban: 80.7mpg

Combined: 67.3mpg

Emissions (CO2): 109g/km

BIK rate: 23%

For more information visit www.alfaromeo.co.uk