The new Alfa Romeo Giulia is limbering up to take on the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes C-Class in the competitive compact executive class, but what about the top end of that market? Well, this Giulia Quadrifoglio (Cloverleaf) is Alfa’s rival for the BMW M3 and Mercedes-AMG C63. Tough competition, but after trying it for the first time at the Italian brand’s test track in Balocco, things are looking promising.
Starting up with a roar, the 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 under the bonnet is the first thing that will catch your attention once you get behind the wheel. It sounds great inside the car and out, with more of a tuneful growl than the BMW’s straight-six. Step on the throttle and it revs up smoothly, with a howling top-end. It’s a shame it doesn’t rev past 7,000rpm, though, as it feels cut short by the limiter.
Not that it’s lacking performance, as at 6,500rpm the engine is putting out an impressive 503bhp. It’s just that the engine sounds like it’s building up to a higher limit than it actually can, since it’s so linear in its power delivery. Alfa says the engine is Ferrari-inspired - and it feels it as it rips through the gears.
There’s no boosty, torquey character at low revs, although the maximum torque of 600Nm comes at from just 2,500rpm. It actually feels more like a naturally-aspirated engine than a turbocharged one. The figures are competitive too, with a 0-62mph time of 3.9 seconds and a top speed of 192mph, plus emissions of 189g/km and economy of 34.4mpg.
The engine is only part of the package, though, and it’s when you hit a corner that the Quadrifoglio really starts to impress. The steering rack is very quick and precise, and there’s plenty of grip at the front, so changes of direction are a joy. A kerb weight of around 1,650kg means it’s relatively light, and you can certainly feel that in the corners.
It’s agile and very well balanced too. Even in Race mode – which turns off most of the driver aids, as well as improving throttle response, adds weight to the steering and prepares the rear differential and suspension for track driving – it felt very well-mannered on our test drive. The carbon-ceramic brakes fitted to our test car were very strong and had enough feel through the pedal, but we’ll have to see how much they cost before recommending them.
The torque vectoring system on the rear axle can send power to each wheel as required without the traction control kicking in, which means you can break into oversteer smoothly. The linear power band and responsive throttle pedal mean you can judge your inputs more accurately, too.
European cars have the option of a manual gearbox, which has a smooth action and a well-placed shifter, but UK models will be automatic-only. That might come as a shame for some enthusiasts, but for most the quick-shifting eight-speed auto will be a better choice anyway. Upshifts are smooth, and downshifts feed back with a satisfying clunk - it’s a responsive box, and the large Ferrari-like paddles are fun to use, too. The great news is that it’s just as good in the more humble diesel models.
Just like the standard Giulia, the Alfa Romeo has already taken class honours for looks. The Quadrifoglio is a stunning machine, taking the elegant lines from the rest of the range and adding just a little more aggression, with larger air intakes at the front and a large diffuser at the rear, plus four big tailpipes and a carbon-fibre boot spoiler.
The changes are tasteful while also giving the car a meaner look. It’s not exactly a surprise given Alfa Romeo’s history with beautiful saloon cars, but this is surely one of the best-looking cars on sale today.
Inside you’ll find plenty more Italian design flair, with the dials, slender steering wheel and shapely leather seats being the highlights. It’s definitely a more interesting design than you’ll find in rivals like the M3, although buyers used to solid-looking German designs might not appreciate some of the materials on the dash and doors. The overall quality is good, but it’s not up there with the M3 or C63.
Build quality is a complaint often levelled at Alfa’s products, and we’ll have to spend more time in the car to give definitive verdict - but the Giulia seems like Alfa’s best try yet. The infotainment screen is easy to use via the rotary dial, but just isn’t as good as the Germans in terms of design. It’s not so simple to return to functions you were using, like the sat-nav, as each action takes multiple steps in the menu system.
The seats and driving position are very comfortable. Although we only tried the Giulia Quadrifoglio on Alfa’s test track, the smooth ride of the standard diesel model should translate over to the hot version, as most of the suspension and chassis parts are the same across the whole range.
One of the key factors for the Quadrifoglio will be the price. We’re told it will cost pretty much the same as its rivals. But if Alfa Romeo manages to undercut the German super-saloons with its price tag, it will make its few drawbacks start to fade away.
- Model: Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio
- Price: £60,000 (est)
- Engine: 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol
- Power: 503bhp
- Torque: 600Nm
- Transmission: Eight-speed auto, rear-wheel drive
- 0-62mph: 3.9 seconds
- Top speed: 192mph
- Economy: 34.4mpg
- CO2: 198g/km
- On sale: September
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