Can’t beat the Alfa
COLIN GOODWIN PUTS THE GIULIA QUADRIFOGLIO THROUGH ITS PACES
ALFA Romeo has said it will be an all-electric brand by 2027.
It’s not the only car firm to make such a promise: Mercedes-Benz said it would only be making EVs by 2030. However, the German maker recently made an about turn.
It said that it would continue to make its petrol A-Class hatchback and furthermore only around half its output in 2030 would be electric cars. Quite a rethink.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Alfa Romeo makes a similar pull back on its electric plans. I hope so, because I will very much miss cars like this Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio.
The wait for Alfa to build a really good car to suit its enviable reputation as a builder of great sports motors and saloons was a long one – but then in 2017 it launched the Giulia saloon.
The Quadrifoglio is the top of the range model powered by a 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 engine that produces 515PS. In this facelifted model that’s 10PS more than before.
Although our week in this car, over which around 500 miles were covered, was hugely enjoyable, I’d choose the Veloce model if my money were heading in the direction of my local dealer.
The Veloce has a less exotic fourcylinder turbo motor but its 280PS output is more than adequate for modern-day motoring.
It would be a lot more economical than the V6, too. It also costs a lot less than the Quadrifoglio’s £78,195.
Mind you, for that money you do get a saloon that can do 191mph and 0-62mph in 3.9sec.
Alfa Romeo has done very little to the Giulia in this year’s update – and that’s fine with us because very little needed changing.
Aside from the slight increase in power, Alfa’s engineers have
replaced the electronically controlled clutch packs that used to sit each side of the rear differential with a conventional mechanical limited-slip differential. You might notice the difference on a race track but not on the road. The same goes for the readjusted dampers and thicker rear anti-roll bar.
The Giulia has plenty of grip and excellent balance. It’s a really proper sports saloon. It’s too stiff for
the road in Race mode, but Comfort is the perfect setting for everyday driving and is still sporty.
Virtually nothing has been changed inside the car and this is also fine. The Giulia had a driverfocused cockpit from day one with a great layout of instruments, lots of knobs and buttons plus a rotary controller for the infotainment system. The lacquered carbon fibre trim has been replaced by classier satin finished pieces.
There isn’t a sports saloon that I’d rather own than this Alfa Romeo.
The new Mercedes-AMG C63 only has a four-cylinder hybrid powertrain (but is very powerful) and even the BMW M3 doesn’t hit the spot the way the Giulia does.
I am now looking at Autotrader and Pistonheads to see what secondhand ones cost.
Alfa Romeo has done very little to the Giulia in this year’s update – and that’s fine with us because very little needed changing