2017 ALFA ROMEO GIULIA QUADRIFOGLIO

Experienced by Kimatni D. Rawlins

What an impeccable time I had with the 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio this past week in my hometown of Silver Spring, MD. Though spring had not fully manifested during my stint with the prestigious ride, combined with April showers to slow me down a bit, the performance enhancer still put on quite a show wherever I ventured including the illustrious Katie’s Cars and Coffee in Potomac, MD. What else would you expect from a brand born and bred in 1910 in Milan, Italy?

Fundamentally courageous, Automotive Rhythms’ weekly loaner arrived in a Rosso (Red) Competizione Tri-Coat exterior hue ($2,200), staggered 19″ dark 5-hole aluminum rims ($500) wrapped in Pirelli Winter Sottozero 245/35 R19 front tires and 285/30R19 rear tires, leather and Alcantara performance seats (red stitching) that hugged me tighter than my mother, an active aero front splitter, Brembo 4-wheel disc high-performance brakes with red calipers, an aggressive rear diffuser, and a dual-mode quad exhaust system that sang like Luciano Pavarotti upon acceleration. I can only imagine a set of the Pirelli P Zero Corsa three-season high-performance tires on the RWD Quadrifoglio! The name by the way translates to four-leaf clover. As the story goes Ugo Sivocci—recruited by friend Enzo Ferrari onto Alfa Romeo’s first ever factory racing team—was tired of placing second for the distinguished automotive company and needed a good luck charm for encouragement. So he aptly decorated his Alfa Romeo RL with the Quadrifoglio Verde (shamrock) symbol and won the 1923 Targa Florio. The rest is history.

From an industry standpoint the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio is a refreshing performance sedan that quickly converts admirers into fans. Upon approach the triangular shielded grille stares at you with confidence and hypnotizes inquisitive minds. I must have been confronted by at least twenty strangers during my time with the Italian job. Not one had previously seen this Alfa Romeo model on the streets and they were elated to chat with me about its mechanics, heritage, and design. In archetypal Italiano fashion the Giulia Quadrifoglio is ornamented with a profuse amount of carbon fiber both inside and out. For example, the roof, hood, rear spoiler, side sill insert, front splitter, drive shaft, interior accents, and the Quadrifoglio performance steering wheel ($400) are all fabricated from carbon fiber which accentuate the vehicle properly.

“The all-new Giulia is the result of our 105 years of passion for Italian style, craftsmanship, and performance,” said Reid Bigland, head of Alfa Romeo. “Crafted in Italy, the Giulia lineup sets an entirely new benchmark for the segment as the world’s fastest four-door production sedan.”

Of course the nucleus of the Alfa Romeo is what highlights your every desire. With 505 horsepower and 443 lb-ft of torque emanating from the 2.9-liter bi-turbo V-6 engine acceleration was always a joy and cornering was dynamically entertaining due to its active suspension and torque vectoring differential. Behind the wheel the four-door sedan just feels right. My vehicle came with the 8-speed automatic transmission with aluminum column-mounted butterfly shifters that let you know it’s literally ready to fly, especially if you tool around with the performance settings of the 4-mode Alfa DNA Drive-Mode system with Race Mode. Though, the stop/start system is palpably irritating so I kept shutting it off each time I jumped into the aeronautical cockpit. A red starter button is positioned on the left of the Formula One–inspired steering wheel and aluminum pedals call to the Giulia Quadrifoglio’s racing DNA. Without a racetrack the vehicle is somewhat of a tease since it continuously begs for more. I had to use discretion but when open roads were located best believe it was a “0-60 mph in 3.8 seconds” thrill. Yet, braking could have been a bit more aggressive unless the Brembos were experiencing brake fade from prior test drives.

Entertainment stems from the 8.8″ multimedia system that houses the 3D navigation, satellite radio, rear backup camera, Bluetooth settings, and more. I also had the $900 Harman Kardon premium audio system upgrade and a bevy of safety technology such as the $1,200 Driver Assistance Dynamic Launch Package with Forward Collision Warning and Lane-Departure Warning.

As far as size, the Giulia Quadrifoglio looks short in length but holds four comfortably. My teen kids had no qualms regarding their legroom. But of course this is not an everyday driving vehicle unless you want to feel like a racer when hitting the grocery store or post office. And since it sits low one has to be careful with every move like parking, rolling over speed bumps, and turning in and out of steep driveways. This should be deemed your trophy vehicle for when it’s time to show force like strong winds.

The 2017 Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio starts off with a $72,000 MSRP while our test model tallied to $79,195. Expect 24 highway mpg and 17 city mpg. The Italian performance sedan is inspirational, unique, and hyperactive as its blazing 7:32 Nürburgring lap time is the only testament needed.