It would be a gross understatement to say Alfa Romeo has traveled a rough road on its way to the United States – a place where it hasn’t been since 1995, and even then with sales slower than snail snot. It appears things are turning around for Alfa, though, as its parent company, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, is pushing the Italian brand headlong into the U.S. Alfa Romeo has already seen success with its niche market 4C coupe and Spider, but FCA is aiming for mass-market appeal. Spearheading the movement is the 2017 Giulia Quadrifoglio – a twin-turbocharged supercar killer based on the four-door Giulia.
Alfa Romeo is making its grand entrance with the Giulia Quadrifoglio, otherwise called the Giulia QV. Rather than introducing the high-powered variant after the high-volume sedan, Alfa is putting its best foot forward. The Giulia QV is hitting dealerships early in 2017 while the standard Giulia sedan arrives a bit later. Alfa is currently expanding its nationwide dealership network from roughly 86 in 2014 to more than 200 by early 2017. The stand-alone showrooms and service centers will carry both Alfa Romeo and Fiat brands.
The Giulia QV already has a bold reputation. It posted a Nürburgring lap time of 7:32:00, placing it in the same category as cars like the new 2017 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 (7:29:60), the 2016 Ford Shelby GT350R (7:32:19), and the outrageous Koenigsegg CCX (7:33:55). The QV also boasts a 0-to-60 mph sprint time of 3.8 seconds and a top speed of 191 mph. Its extensive use of aluminum and carbon fiber give it an astonishingly light curb weight of roughly 3,600 pounds. An active front spoiler lip helps the big six-piston Brembo brakes slow the car from high speeds.
Best of all, the QV is still a five-seater sedan with a trunk. It runs on the conventional premium fuel found at the corner gas station, runs on common Pirelli P Zero tires, and can be had for $73,500. That’s not a bad deal for an Italian sports car with such a pedigree as this.
Undoubtedly Alfa Romeo wants the Giulia Quadrifoglio to do extremely well in the U.S. – so much so they loaned me an example for a week. I treated it like a daily driver when the wife and kid were riding, and like a go-kart when empty. I am pleased to give you my thoughts below.
Continue reading for the full driven review.
from Top Speed http://ift.tt/2iaWal9
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