Tongues started wagging when Dutch shop Squandra Tuning discovered an entry on Fiat Chrysler’s parts site for a 2.0 litre turbo Giulia producing 350 metric horsepower.

When you think of Alfa Romeo’s Giulia, three distinct models pop into mind – the 2.0 litre, turbocharged four-cylinder base model with 280 horsepower; the 2.0 litre four-cylinder Veloce with 280 horsepower; and the 2.9 litre, twin-turbo six-cylinder Quadrifoglio with 505 horsepower.

Now rumours are circulating of a potential 350 horsepower version of the 2.0 litre turbo Veloce.

Tongues started wagging when Dutch shop Squandra Tuning discovered an entry on Fiat Chrysler’s parts site for a 2.0 litre turbo Giulia producing 350 metric horsepower. This was last December, when it was also discovered that FCA document for NAFTA also listed a 2.0 litre 350 horsepower model with 8-speed automatic and all-wheel drive for the United States.

The name of the model that engine is reserved for? You guessed it – one “Giulia Veloce”.

All that speculation started gaining more body when renowned car journalist Bozi Tatarevic discovered the 2.0 litre 350 horsepower engine option on Mopar Tech Authority, FCS’s OEM service portal.

Alfa Romeo is denying all suspiciouns however, stating, “No plans for any other engines for Giulia in North America for 2018 model year besides the 2.0L and 2.9L [gasoline] versions.”

Our question now is, there may be no plans for 2018, but what about 2019?

At 350 horsepower, the Veloce would take position to compete with the 354 horsepower Audi S4, the 362 horsepower Mercedes-AMG C43 and the 320 horsepower BMW 340i, although it still loses out in terms of cylinders. All three use six vylinders compared to the Alfa’s four.