What's all this about?

Alfa Romeo knows how to lift our spirits in a crisis. Just days after it revealed a load of racing liveries for the bonkers Giulia GTAm, now it has announced a raft of updates for the very car which serves as the basis of the aforementioned 540hp special - namely, the wonderful Giulia Quadrifoglio. Oh, and the closely related Stelvio Quadrifoglio SUV is included in this overhaul, too.

Cool! What has happened to the Quadris?

Well, they've gone through 'The Change' that the regular Giulia and Stelvio model lines were subjected to last year. And no, we don't mean the motoring menopause (ahem), but rather better interior quality, sharper infotainment and some sundry additional options.

So, there's the swish new centre console, with increased storage, more cupholders and just a general air of it being better-finished than the earlier Quadrifoglios. The plush leather-trimmed gearlever and steering wheel both make an appearance, these two items being the key to enjoying the 2020MY Giulias and Stelvios far more than before (no more sharp edges on the shifter, for instance), while the 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment has new displays and graphics to bring it up-to-date. Not class-leading, obvs, but at least no longer embarrassingly off the pace. Alfa will also offer more upholstery finishes for the Giulia and Stelvio QF models, as well as the choice of red or green seatbelts if you don't fancy then standard black items. Finally, a load of extra Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are added as well - including Lane-Keep Assist, Active Blind-Spot Assist, Active Cruise Control, Traffic Sign Recognition, Intelligent Speed Control, Traffic-Jam Assist, Highway Assist, and Driver Attention Assist.

Moving outside, there's a bit of visual tweakery to all cars, in the form of LED rear light clusters with dark lenses and a gloss-black finish for the front and rear Alfa emblems. Furthermore, Mopar has cooked up a range of exclusive Quadri accessories made out of carbon fibre (door mirror caps, a rear spoiler and a front grille with a 'V' insert being among their number) and Alfa itself has upgraded the Stelvio's alloy wheels to 21-inch items, this being a first at this diameter for the performance models. But we really need to talk about the paint.

Do we? What is it, Farrow & Ball's 'Sparrow's Lonely Quest' or something?

Don't be facetious. Alfa has grouped new paint finishes into four categories called Competizione, Metal, Solid and Classic. Focus on the last of these; it looks back to Alfa's heritage and includes three fresh hues, two of which are 6C Villa d'Este Red and GT Junior Ocra. However, feast your eyes on the ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL (sorry for the capitals, there) Montreal Green shown in the pics. Cripes, even without the interior updates and extra technology, this colour alone would make the 2020MY Giulia and Stelvio Quadrifoglio cars well worth the entry fee. And that's to say nothing of the 510hp drivetrain.

Ah, so there are no power upgrades as part of these changes, then?

No. But with the arrival of the GTA/GTAm anyway, and considering that the 2.9-litre twin-turbo V6 is an utter peach with mega performance, we're not that bothered; the Quadris' main failing was their interior finishing and Alfa has addressed that. Dynamically speaking, this 510hp/600Nm drivetrain is beyond reproach, the Giulia continuing to funnel the power and torque to its rear wheels only, while the Stelvio has a Q4 all-wheel-drive system. Both use an eight-speed automatic gearbox, with the most wondrous metal paddle shifts to play with inside, and the Stelvio uses its traction advantages to bely its heavier weight with a 3.8-second 0-62mph sprint - the Giulia takes 3.9 seconds. Mind, the lighter, more aerodynamic saloon has the last laugh, as it will run on to 191mph where permitted, while the Stelvio has to top out at (an admittedly none-too-shabby) 176mph. Glorious.

There is one mechanical alteration, though, and it's good 'un. Exhaust-master company Akrapovic has fashioned a set of pipes for the Alfas, which are made from titanium and finished with carbon-fibre exhaust tips. Honestly, knowing how good the Quadrifoglios already sounded, this is an option box you most definitely want to tick come ordering time. Anyway, the updated 2020MY Giulia Quadrifoglio and Stelvio Quadrifoglio models will go on sale this summer, coronavirus crisis permitting, and we'll bring you full UK prices and specs as soon as they become available.