Alfa Romeo Guilietta gets second-gen Multijet diesel; returns 52.3 mpg

Back in October, rumors started to fly claiming that the Alfa Romeo Giulietta would become the foundation for the Dodge Caliber's successor. It's assumed that the Alfa-based Caliber replacement will show up sometime in late 2011 as a 2012 model. However, it seems unlikely that the Guilietta's second-gen MultiJet diesel engine, dubbed the 2.0 JTDM-2, will make it Stateside.

That's rather unfortunate because the Euro 5-compliant 2.0-liter oil-burning mill not only cranks out a reasonable 138 horsepower and a remarkable 258 pound-feet of torque, it also returns a claimed 62.8 miles per gallon (52.3 mpg U.S.). In addition, the MultiJet emits 119 grams per kilometer of CO2, propels the Giulietta to 60 miles per hour in approximately nine seconds and on to a top speed of 127 mph.

Alfa Romeo claims that 2.0 JTDM-2 is an "engine designed for customers who appreciate excellent throttle response but are also concerned with fuel consumption and running costs," which seems to match the mentality of at least a portion of the U.S. car-buying public. Right?

[Source: Autocar]