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New Quadrifoglio Super Sport: the special limited series, a tribute to the first victory in the Mille Miglia

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New Quadrifoglio

Alfa Romeo presents the new Giulia and Stelvio Quadrifoglio Super Sport limited special series, a new chapter in the memorable history of the symbol of noble Italian sportiness that since its inception in 1923

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, May 28, 2024/APO Group/ — 

Alfa Romeo (www.AlfaRomeo.com) presents the new Giulia and Stelvio Quadrifoglio Super Sport, a special edition limited to 275 units for the Giulia and 175 for the Stelvio, to be marketed globally; The limited special series pays tribute to the brand’s sporting history by celebrating Alfa Romeo’s first victory at the 1928 Mille Miglia. That legendary feat was accomplished by the 6C 1500 Super Sport; For this special series, the Alfa Romeo Centro Stile has worked on a bold celebratory reinterpretation of the Quadrifoglio logo, now in black for the first time in over 100 years of its history; The interior is devoted to sportiness and the new 3D carbon fiber with a red finish is making its debut. On the front headrests, the red logo stitching and black numbering certify the exclusive limited series; The epitome of technical sophistication and technology: a 2.9-liter V6 engine with 520 hp and mechanical limited-slip differential, for a unique driving experience; Unique and always focused on the driver, the driving dynamics are confirmed as the benchmark in the respective categories, for their perfect weight balance, best-in-class agility and lightness, and extremely direct steering.

Alfa Romeo presents the new Giulia and Stelvio Quadrifoglio Super Sport limited special series, a new chapter in the memorable history of the symbol of noble Italian sportiness that since its inception in 1923 has represented a constant quest for technical excellence applied to competitions and production cars.

Giulia and Stelvio Quadrifoglio Super Sport are a limited edition, in only 275 units for the Giulia and 175 for the Stelvio, to be produced and marketed globally. A total of 450 cars, ambassadors of the iconic sportiness, technical purity, and technology that have always positioned these two cars at the top of their respective segments in terms of handling and power-to-weight ratio, for a unique, direct, and engaging driving experience like a true Alfa Romeo.

A tribute to the 6C 1500 Super Sport and its legendary victory at the 1928 Mille Miglia.

After the RL’s decent placing in the first edition of the “most beautiful race in the world,” in 1928 the 6C 1500 Super Sport (Mille Miglia Speciale) driven by Giuseppe Campari and Giulio Ramponi dominated the Mille Miglia, run between 31 March and 1 April. After a marathon 1621 km, only 40 of the 82 starters reached the finish line, preceded by the streamlined Zagato spider that finished the race in 19 hours, 14 minutes, and 5 seconds at an average speed of 84.128 km/h. For Alfa Romeo, it was the first in a string of 11 victories in the Mille Miglia, a record that will remain unbroken. But it was also the first major win for the new 6C 1500, the forerunner of a new generation of Alfa Romeos designed by Vittorio Jano.

Alfa Romeo Centro Stile reinterprets the Quadrifoglio.

To make this special limited series completely unique, and to celebrates the unbreakable bond with the world of racing, the Alfa Romeo Centro Stile has worked on a reinterpretation of the Quadrifoglio, a symbol that has long identified the most extreme performance in the range. For the first time in over 100 years of the Quadrifoglio’s history, the white background of the triangle that has traditionally framed the green four-leaf clover with a sharp contrast gives way to black, a color that gives further boldness and solidity to the iconic coat of arms. Last year, for its centenary, the Quadrifoglio logo was embellished with a golden frame and the dates (1923 -2023) that define a century of passion for sports, performance, and racing.

Features of the Quadrifoglio “Super Sport” special limited series

The Giulia and Stelvio Quadrifoglio Super Sport are the result of a century-old quest for technical excellence applied to competitions and production cars. The 2.9-liter V6 engine delivers 520 hp and is combined with the mechanical limited-slip differential. As a result of specific tuning derived from the Giulia GTA design experience, this important technical solution contributes to the improvement of the car’s behavior and traction, by optimizing torque transfer and increasing stability, agility and cornering speed.

Powerful personality in the strongly sporty exteriors featuring the new Quadrifoglio logo with a black background and widespread use of carbon fiber, visible on the roof (Giulia opt. only), in the “V” on the shield and on the rearview mirrors. Burnished 5-hole sports alloy wheels, 19” for the Giulia and 21” for the Stelvio, with new, super sporty black brake calipers. They are available in the following liveries: three-layer Rosso Etna, metallic Nero Vulcano, and Bianco Alfa (Giulia only). The look features “3+3” headlights, with new adaptive Full-LED matrix lights with anti-glare and adaptable driving beam for optimal lighting in all conditions. All this ensures energy savings, extensive improvement in safety, and reduced eye strain.

The same sporty features can be found in the interior, where the 3D finish in red carbon fiber makes its debut in the dashboard, central tunnel, and door panels. The front headrests are embellished with stitching of the “Super Sport” logo in red and the car’s number in black to distinguish them as part of the exclusive limited series. The steering wheel is upholstered in leather and Alcantara with black stitching and carbon fiber accents.

Best-in-class driving dynamics, the result of surprising lightness, given the use of ultra-light materials such as aluminum for the engine and carbon fiber for the transmission shaft, bonnet, spoiler and side skirts. In the Giulia, the aerodynamics remain active with the carbon-fiber front splitter: when activated, it controls the quality of air flow under the vehicle, to increase stability and performance. Last but not least, the Akrapovič exhaust system for its unmistakable sound.

From exclusive aesthetics to technology and on-board connectivity that, by definition, are there to ensure the typical Alfa Romeo driving experience. Instrument panel featuring the historical “telescopic” design, including the fully digital 12.3” TFT screen, to access all the car’s data and the settings for the autonomous driving technologies. In the Quadrifoglio, on top of the three layouts available across the Alfa Romeo line-up – Evolved Relax and Heritage, the exclusive “Race” configuration is also offered.

The “Race” layout brings together on the central screen all the essential information every driver wants to keep under control: tachometer, speedometer and shiftlight for manual driving. The layout can be customized by placing additional information in the sidebars, including snapshots of performance. 

Both the Giulia and Stelvio Quadrifoglio Super Sport are equipped with a smooth and intuitive Human-Machine Interface (HMI), to put all the car’s features at your fingertips. The infotainment system also provides content, functionality and the “Alfa Connect Services” platform, consisting of a wide range of practical services for safety and comfort.

6C 1500 Super Sport

The day after winning the World Championship in the Tipo P2, Vittorio Jano responded to the need for a new road car with a medium displacement and brilliant performance with the 6C 1500, the chassis of which was previewed at the 1925 Paris Motor Show under the initials NR (“Nicola Romeo”). However, the new car – equipped with a 1487-cc inline 6-cylinder engine that delivered 44 hp – would have to wait until 1927 to go into production.

It was an immediate success, on the market and in races; versions with continuous evolutions and increases in power came thick and fast, including the top-of-the-range Super Sport with a supercharger and “fixed head” that ran at 84 hp for a top speed of 155 km/h.

In 1928, Alfa Romeo entered six cars in the second run of the Mille Miglia. The drivers were Bruno Presenti, Attilio Marinoni, Giovan Battista Guidotti and, most of all, Giuseppe Campari, who shared with Giulio Ramponi the cockpit of a 6C 1500 bearing the initials MMS (“Mille Miglia Speciale”), souped up by Jano with work on its weight balance. In the first part of the race, it left the threat of the three official Bugattis driven by Gastone Brilli-Peri, Pietro Bordino and Tazio Nuvolari in its wake. At the Rome checkpoint, the Campari/Ramponi duo had taken the lead, a position they maintained at the finish line in Brescia, ending the race in first place overall with an average speed of 84.128 km/h. Between 1927 and 1929, on top of its successes in racing, the various versions of the 6C 1500 also gave Alfa Romeo outstanding commercial results: as many as 1064 units were sold, a perfectly respectable figure for the time. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Alfa Romeo.

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Hainan FTP marks 6-month milestone of special customs operations, signs deals during Hong Kong visit

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Hong Kong

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 29 June 2026 – As the Hainan Free Trade Port (FTP) marked the six-month milestone since the launch of its full special customs operations, a Hainan provincial delegation wrapped up a three-day visit to Hong Kong. During the visit, the delegation signed deepened cooperation agreements with several major local chambers of commerce and promoted the latest policies introduced since the island-wide special customs operations took effect.

According to data released by Hainan Province during the visit, Hainan’s foreign trade has surged since the launch of special customs operations. As of June 17, the province’s total goods imports and exports reached RMB 173.98 billion (approximately US$24 billion), up 54.6% year on year. Imports of zero-tariff goods hit RMB 2.645 billion, a 120% jump that generated tariff savings of RMB 440 million. A total of 172,100 new market entities were registered—a 61% increase—including 1,240 foreign-invested enterprises. Zero-tariff items now account for 74% of all tariff lines, benefiting more than 12,000 market entities.

During the Hong Kong visit, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Hainan Provincial Committee (CCPIT Hainan) signed separate deepened cooperation MOUs with the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce, Hong Kong and the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce. Under the MOUs, the parties will establish a regular liaison mechanism for the periodic exchange of economic and trade information, and will promote collaboration in areas including professional services, green finance, the digital economy, supply chain management, and cultural tourism. Mutual enterprise service desks will be set up to provide consulting services regarding policies and projects. The parties will leverage their complementary strengths to help Chinese mainland enterprises access overseas markets via Hong Kong, while facilitating Hong Kong companies’ entry into the Chinese mainland through Hainan.

The delegation also held talks with the British Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong and the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, exploring ways for British and American businesses to leverage Hainan’s value-added processing tariff exemptions and multifunctional free trade accounts to position themselves in regional supply chains and cross-border investment and financing. HSBC, De Beers, and other British firms are already active in Hainan, and the UK served as the Guest of Honor country at the 2025 China International Consumer Products Expo.

According to industry analysts, amid the shifting international trade landscape, Hainan is leveraging Hong Kong’s “super-connector” role to accelerate its integration with global capital and business networks, while simultaneously offering the Hong Kong business community a policy testing ground for entering the Chinese mainland market.

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Africa’s Grid Constraints Come into Focus as Regional Markets Push Toward Integration

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Africa

Regional power pools are advancing and renewable pipelines are growing, but the regulatory and financial architecture needed to connect them remains the continent’s most critical infrastructure gap – an issue central to the Power Africa Today conference at AEW 2026

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, June 25, 2026/APO Group/ –Africa’s electricity demand is projected to nearly double to 2,291 TWh by 2050, requiring an estimated $30 billion in transmission and grid infrastructure investment to unlock and integrate new generation capacity. Yet across the continent, grid systems are struggling to keep pace with rapidly expanding supply pipelines and rising demand.

In Nigeria, repeated nationwide grid collapses as recently as February 2026 underscore the fragility of aging transmission infrastructure. In East Africa, tower failures along the 428 km Loiyangalani-Suswa line temporarily stranded output from Lake Turkana Wind Power – Africa’s largest wind installation. Meanwhile, demand growth pressures are accelerating across North Africa, where electricity consumption is expected to rise by around 50% by 2035, driven by urbanization, desalination projects, and climate-related temperature increases.

Despite these constraints, generation investment continues to accelerate across Africa, particularly in renewables, gas-to-power and hybrid systems. However, without equivalent investment in transmission and interconnection, much of this new capacity risks being underutilized or stranded. This growing imbalance between generation and grid capacity is driving a sharper focus on system-wide planning and regional market design – issues that will be central to the newly launched Power Africa Today conference at African Energy Week 2026. The platform will bring together policymakers, utilities, investors and developers to explore how regional interconnection, cross-border trading frameworks and financing structures can better align generation growth with grid expansion.

Power Markets Experiment with Reform

Alongside infrastructure challenges, Africa’s electricity sector is undergoing gradual – but uneven – market reform. Most countries still operate vertically integrated systems dominated by state utilities, but a growing number are introducing competitive frameworks to attract private capital and improve efficiency.

Zimbabwe opened its electricity market to full private participation across generation, transmission and distribution in 2025, targeting $9 billion in new investment. South Africa is advancing one of the continent’s most ambitious grid expansion programs, with plans for 14,500 km of new transmission lines and 133,000 MVA of transformer capacity by 2034, alongside mechanisms designed to crowd in private financing. Kenya, meanwhile, has introduced open access regulations enabling independent power producers to wheel electricity directly to multiple off-takers, reshaping how generation assets interface with the grid.

Interconnected electricity markets are the foundation of Africa’s industrial future

Regional Integration Remains Fragmented

Efforts to connect Africa’s fragmented power systems are progressing, though at different speeds across regions. In Southern Africa, the World Bank’s RETRADE SAPP program, approved in 2025, is deploying $12 million to strengthen renewable integration and transmission capacity across 12 member states. In East Africa, the Ethiopia–Kenya–Tanzania Electricity Highway is now in trial operations at up to 2,000 MW, marking a significant step toward a more interconnected regional grid.

West Africa is also moving toward deeper integration, with permanent synchronization of the West Africa Power Pool expected in 2026. Analysts, including the African Finance Corporation, argue that such synchronization is critical to unlocking large-scale hydropower potential and industrial demand across the region. Longer term, full synchronization between the Eastern and Southern African power pools – targeted for the end of 2026 – could create one of the world’s largest cross-border electricity trading corridors.

Building Bankable Financial Architectures

While interconnection is advancing, infrastructure alone is not enough to create investable electricity markets. Investors consistently cite the lack of standardized offtake structures, creditworthy counterparties, and cross-border payment guarantees as key barriers to scaling capital deployment.

New models are emerging to address these constraints. Africa GreenCo, operating across Zambia, Namibia and South Africa, is helping to aggregate independent power producers under a single creditworthy intermediary, standardizing power purchase agreements and reducing counterparty risk. At a broader level, AUDA-NEPAD estimates that Africa requires around $30 billion in additional investment to complete priority transmission corridors and establish three fully interconnected regional trading blocs by 2030.

“Interconnected electricity markets are the foundation of Africa’s industrial future,” said NJ Ayuk, Executive Chairman of the African Energy Chamber. “The question at Africa Energy Week is not whether integration is possible – the evidence is already there. The question is which regulatory frameworks and financial structures will get projects to financial close, and which markets will be ready when capital is looking to move.”

The Power Africa Today conference will run alongside AEW 2026, taking place October 12–16 in Cape Town, and will focus on the regulatory, financial and infrastructural architecture needed to build interconnected electricity markets capable of attracting institutional capital and delivering reliable, cross-border power at scale.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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African Development Bank Group and La Francophonie Sign Partnership Agreement to Promote Youth Employment in Francophone Africa

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The agreement was signed during a meeting between the Secretary General of La Francophonie, Louise Mushikiwabo, and African Development Bank Group President, Dr Sidi Ould Tah in Paris, France

PARIS, France, June 25, 2026/APO Group/ –The African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) and The International Organization of La Francophonie (OIF) on Wednesday entered a strategic partnership to strengthen digital skills, employability, and entrepreneurship of young people and women in five African countries: Benin, Cameroon, Guinea, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Madagascar.

 

The agreement was signed during a meeting between the Secretary General of La Francophonie, Louise Mushikiwabo, and African Development Bank Group President, Dr Sidi Ould Tah in Paris, France. The agreement will address a major challenge faced by countries in the Francophone world and across Africa: providing young people with access to opportunities offered by the digital economy and fostering the emergence of a new generation of entrepreneurs.

The partnership calls for the implementation of training programs in digital professions and entrepreneurship, in fields such as web and mobile development, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and data analysis. Participants will also receive guidance toward employment and self-employment, as well as support for innovation and business creation, notably through training camps, prototyping activities, and partnerships with incubators and accelerators.

The African Development Bank Group and OIF will also work with national authorities in these five countries and training institutions to sustainably strengthen local capacities and promote ownership of the programs by national stakeholders. An initial pilot phase, lasting 12 to 24 months, will be rolled out in the five partner countries, followed by a gradual expansion to other member states depending on the results achieved.

The African Development Bank Group is pursuing a bold agenda based on “Four Cardinal Points” developed by Dr Ould Tah, the third of which is ‘Turning Demographics into a Dividend.’ This is about strategically converting Africa’s rapidly growing and youthful population into a decisive engine of inclusive growth, productivity, and innovation through large-scale investment in human capital—particularly youth and women.

 

It sees Africa’s growing young population not as a risk, but as a major asset. With the right policies and investments, this potential can create jobs, help small businesses grow, bring more informal businesses into the formal economy, and equip young people with the skills needed for the future. By investing more in education, science and technology, vocational training, entrepreneurship, finance, and digital tools, Africa can help its people drive economic transformation, stay competitive, and build lasting, resilient growth.

The OIF said the agreement marked the first concrete step in its initiative to mobilize innovative and additional funding for its most impactful projects.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

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