Alfa Romeo is plotting a high-performance flagship version of its Giulia Quadrifolgio performance saloon with more than 600bhp, reports suggest.

US site Mopar Insiders reports that the Italian firm could revive its historic GTA nameplate for the new model, which is also expected to weigh around 20kg less than the standard model. 

The new Quadrifoglio GTA is likely to use an uprated version of the standard model’s 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6. A quoted power figure of 612bhp represents a 114bhp boost over the current Quadrifoglio, and would give the new model a significant power advantage over its BMW M3 and Mercedes-AMG C63 rivals.

While Alfa Romeo sells the Quadrifoglio with a manual gearbox in the US, the new model will likely be sold exclusively with the eight-speed automatic ‘box we get in Europe. Mopar Insiders says it is “unsure if the new hot four-door Giulia offering will make it to the shores of North America”. 

Autocar has reached out to Alfa Romeo for official comment, but a UK spokesperson was unable to confirm or deny the rumours. Reports suggest the Quadrifoglio GTA could be unveiled in Milan on 24 June, at an event marking Alfa’s 110th birthday.  

Rumours of the new super-saloon come just two months after Alfa Romeo stopped development of its long-awaited GTV sports coupe and a successor to the 8C supercar. Mike Manley, CEO of parent company FCA, told investors that the company’s portfolio plan has been “significantly scaled back, with a corresponding reduction in capital spending”. Shortly after, the firm’s 4C sports car was taken off sale. 

Any new high-performance version of the Giulia can be expected to be sold in extremely limited numbers, as the company’s five-year product plan, revealed in November, detailed just two new models: the Tonale compact SUV and a slightly larger B-segment model.