Test Car Specifications
Model: 2024 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio
Price: From £78,315
Engine: 2.9-litre turbocharged V6 petrol
Transmission: eight-speed automatic, rear-wheel drive
Power: 520hp
Torque: 600Nm
Emissions: 228g/km
Economy: 28.0mpg
0-62mph: 3.9 seconds
Top speed: 191mph
Boot space: 480 litres
Styling
Whether in Quadrifoglio form or not, the Giulia is an utterly beautiful thing, and it has become even better since it was updated last year. The new headlights have made it look a bit more modern, but it didn't really need the tweak. It's a stunning piece of design, and the big wheels and flared arches of the Quadrifoglio do nothing to damage that. Yes, it's more muscular than the standard car, but somehow that works for it. And boy does it work. It's outrageously attractive.
Interior
Once upon a time, the Giulia’s cabin was the main reason for choosing a BMW 3 Series — or, in the case of the Quadrifoglio, an M3 Competition — but no longer. Yes, it’s still a bit ropey in places, but the current-generation car feels much more upmarket with proper materials and a sporty-but-smart design. It’s generally fairly well built, too, which might come as a surprise to those with extensive experience of Italian cars.
But the primary reason for the improvement in the cabin is the technology. As with the standard Giulia, Alfa has fitted the Quadrifoglio with a new digital instrument cluster, making it feel a bit more posh, and there’s a more modern infotainment system. Admittedly, neither system is as good as its peers in BMWs and Audis — the Alfa tech is still quite clunky — but they’re better than what went before, and that has brought the Alfa closer to its rivals.
Practicality
Those who choose a Giulia Quadrifoglio are unlikely to be too fussy about practicality, but that doesn't mean it won't be a consideration. Fortunately, the Quadrifoglio isn't really any more or less practical than the standard Giulia, so though it isn't the most spacious saloon out there, you can put four adults in there with relative ease. And the 480-litre boot is pretty competitive, too, matching the BMW M3 Competition for volume. Obviously, being a saloon car, the boot opening is a bit letterbox-y, but no more so than with any of the Giulia's rivals.
Performance
In essence, the Giulia Quadrifoglio has much the same engine as its predecessor — a 2.9-litre turbocharged V6 that famously had tenuous links to Ferrari’s Maranello headquarters — but it has enjoyed a little fettling.
Alfa has upped the power output from 510 to 520hp, which sounds better in a game of top trumps, but has little impact on performance. With the power all heading to the rear wheels via a smooth eight-speed automatic gearbox, the Quadrifoglio still manages the 0-62mph sprint in less than four seconds. Flat out, it’ll do the best part of 200mph.
However, the car also comes with a new mechanical limited-slip differential, which sounds every bit as important as it is. In effect, it’s designed to stop the car ‘spinning away’ too much power uselessly if one of the rear wheels breaks traction. That means, in theory, you get better performance, more traction, and if you’re a small child in an adult’s body, more controllable powerslides. Yippee!
What you don’t get, however, is much in the way of economy. To be fair, 28mpg isn’t bad for something this fast and this big, but it isn’t likely to be Greta Thunberg’s new mode of transport any time soon.
However, those with an eye on luxury and comfort might be interested to know that the new Giulia Quadrifoglio’s powertrain is a little more aristocratic than that of its predecessor. Under load and in sportier settings, it still snarls and snorts a bit, but it’s less guttural than the old car. And when you’re just cruising along, it’s positively quiet and refined, growling only when you give it a dollop of throttle. Whether that’s a positive or not depends on your viewpoint, but it definitely makes the Alfa easier to live with every day.
Ride & Handling
The same can also be said of the ride comfort, which has improved noticeably thanks to slight modifications to the suspension. The old Quadrifoglio was hardly a boneshaker, but the new model feels considerably better damped and controlled, so though some bumps will permeate through the ultra-low-profile tyres, massive alloys and tightly controlled springs, the Giulia is almost comfortable. It’s sporty, but it doesn’t batter your back any more than a standard BMW 3 Series would.
However, it does handle better than a standard 3 Series, and that’s quite the compliment. The steering feel is fantastically well judged, the way the car seems to rotate around the driver’s hips is spectacular, and the grip is prodigious. The body moves a little in corners, but barely, so there’s no motion sickness — just an innate feel for where the forces are being placed on the car and its running gear.
More of a weak point than the gearbox, though, is the way the Rafale drives. Renault says it has set the suspension up to reduce body roll, and though the Rafale doesn’t lurch or wallow in corners, it doesn’t stay flat either. There’s a kind of progressive lean as you pitch it into corners that doesn’t feel sporty, but doesn’t feel scary either.
The problem is that this reasonable body control comes at the cost of ride comfort, with an edgy, brittle quality to the way the Rafale takes bumps. It isn’t disastrously savage, but it’s very firm, particularly at lower speeds.
And because the steering is less than exemplary, it isn’t an especially enjoyable car to drive. Our test car came with the 4Control four-wheel steering that’s fitted as standard to all but the basic Techno model, and it gives the car a nervousness and tetchiness that’s really disconcerting, particularly in combination with the lifelessness of the wheel. Yes, it means the turning circle is good, and yes, you can soften the edge slightly by dialling down the agility setting in the Perso driving mode, but it’s generally unpleasant in any mode and any situation, if only because it makes it difficult to drive the car smoothly.
However, there is one feature that we’re big fans of, and that’s the little switch by the steering wheel that allows you to turn off the safety features that annoy you most with just a double-tap of the button. Obviously, it’s cleverer than that – you set a preset of features you like and dislike, and the system loads them all up – but it means all those things that have to be deactivated every time you start the car can go away almost immediately. Hallelujah.
Value
Quadrifoglio prices start at a heady £78,315, which sounds like quite a lot of money. Particularly when it was a hundred quid cheaper just a few months ago. But at risk of sounding very Victor Meldrew about it, everything is expensive these days. A BMW M3 Competition will set you back almost £86,000 before options. So by that measure, the Giulia is a bargain. Especially when everything you need – including a reversing camera, leather upholstery and heated seats – are all thrown in free of charge, along with a few things you don’t. A heated steering wheel is standard, as is red paint and a posh sound system. The only thing we’d probably want to add is the red brake callipers, just because they look a bit cooler.
Verdict
The Quadrifoglio has always been fabulous, and this new model is even better in many ways. From the way it drives to the way it looks, it's an absolutely stunning piece of mechanical engineering that feels well worth its five-star rating. In a dream scenario we'd change the touchscreen, and we'd go back to the old exhaust note, but those are minor complaints about what is one of the best cars we've driven. As Oasis once said, true perfection has to be imperfect. And while the Giulia Q isn't perfect, it somehow still manages to be perfection in four-wheeled form. We love it.
