If you are a car enthusiast there are some cars that have a universal draw, they have history, presence, and are achingly beautiful, one of these marques is Alfa Romeo. Looking back through the company's history it is hard to find an ugly Alfa, sure they aren't known for their reliability, but they do look amazing even when parked on the side of the road.
Today Alfa Romeo is part of Fiat Chrysler America and many of the reliability issues that have haunted the brand have been overcome. That reputation was earned if you have ever owned the 80s or 90s Alfa you understand the highs and lows of ownership, a 164 Quadrifoglio 4 with 230hp and AWD was a marvel in its day... when it worked. But as they say "time heals all wounds" and the majority of Americans today have little memory of the old Alfa Romeo.
That is a good thing because the new Giulia is a great Alfa to fall in love with for the first time, the base model packs an all-aluminum, 2.0-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder engine with an eight-speed automatic transmission with 280 horsepower, offering impressive performance and stunning good looks.
But the Giulia Quadrifoglio is the car that pays homage Alfa Romeo motorsport history and gives performance drivers what they are looking for with an all-aluminum 2.9-liter twin-turbocharged V6 engine pumping out 505 horsepower that delivers 0-60 in just 3.8 seconds. For additional bragging rights, the Giulia Quadrifoglio also holds the Nürburgring record for the fastest time ever achieved by a four-door production sedan, 7:32.
With dynamic driving modes, the Giulia Quadrifolio can transform from a daily driving sedan to a loud track focused, sports sedan ready to take on all comers. While you do get a lot of performance in the Giulia Quadrifoglio it does have a base price that is $7,000 more than a BMW M3 a car that has been the standard bearer for the performance sedan market for decades. Add in the $4,750 Competition Package and the BMW gets a bump up to 444hp giving a BMW M3 Competition a price of around $75,400.
So the BMW M3 Competition is more than a base Giulia Quadrifolio, but I wasn't testing a base model, this car had the Carbon Fiber Package, Exposed Carbon Roof, Carbon Fiber Seats, Carbon Ceramic Brembo Brakes, Carbon Steering Wheel, and of course the option cargo net, which all came to a staggering $93,140. That is $54,550 more than a standard 2.0 liter Giulia.
On paper, it would make more sense to buy a standard 2.0 Giulia to run the kids to school in and then pick up a used Jaguar F-Type R, Porsche Cayman, or Maserati GranTurismo with the leftover $54K. But Alfa Romeo's never have been cars you buy because they make sense on paper, they are cars you buy because of the feeling you get when you hear the exhaust note, the excitement of seeing that four-leaf clover badge on the fender, and the emotional connection that all Alfa Romeo owners have to these special cars.
With dynamic driving modes, the Giulia Quadrifolio can transform from a daily driving sedan to a loud track focused, sports sedan ready to take on all comers. While you do get a lot of performance in the Giulia Quadrifoglio it does have a base price that is $7,000 more than a BMW M3 a car that has been the standard bearer for the performance sedan market for decades. Add in the $4,750 Competition Package and the BMW gets a bump up to 444hp giving a BMW M3 Competition a price of around $75,400.
So the BMW M3 Competition is more than a base Giulia Quadrifolio, but I wasn't testing a base model, this car had the Carbon Fiber Package, Exposed Carbon Roof, Carbon Fiber Seats, Carbon Ceramic Brembo Brakes, Carbon Steering Wheel, and of course the option cargo net, which all came to a staggering $93,140. That is $54,550 more than a standard 2.0 liter Giulia.
On paper, it would make more sense to buy a standard 2.0 Giulia to run the kids to school in and then pick up a used Jaguar F-Type R, Porsche Cayman, or Maserati GranTurismo with the leftover $54K. But Alfa Romeo's never have been cars you buy because they make sense on paper, they are cars you buy because of the feeling you get when you hear the exhaust note, the excitement of seeing that four-leaf clover badge on the fender, and the emotional connection that all Alfa Romeo owners have to these special cars.
2019 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio
MSRP: From $73,995Horsepower: 505 hp
Curb weight: 3,806 lbs
MPG: 17 city / 24 highway
Engine: 2.9 L V6
Torque: 443 lb-ft
Transmission: 8-speed automatic with paddle shift
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