RE: Is the Alfa Romeo Giulia good enough? PH Blog
Discussion
Oilchange said:
Not quite getting there? Really? With over 500hp? 
By all accounts, the QF would leave the M3 in a cloud of dust...
Especially sad is BMW creating the "Competition Pack" M3 in a desperate move to catch up... And not quite getting there. By all accounts, the QF would leave the M3 in a cloud of dust...
cymtriks said:
This "peach" is just a very same again saloon trying to chase the BMW 3 Series and not quite getting there.
I took delivery of a Giulia QV two weeks ago. Having owned and driven a number of quickish cars over the past 20 years including TVR's in the 1990's early 2000's, Maserati's Gransport & Granturismo 4.7 MC's, a 997 C2S the Alfa in my humble opinion is just brilliant! There is no lag at all, the engine feels like it's missing a fly wheel as it revs so freely, the noise, oh the noise and beauty is in the eye of the beholder but both outside and inside I just adore it, plus it's a new rear wheel drive car. My only nervousness at the time of ordering back in September was it wasn't going to be available with a manual box. The paddle / ZF box has also been a massive positive surprise. Grazie Mille Alfa for giving us an all new rear wheel drive sports Saloon!
phalfalan said:
I took delivery of a Giulia QV two weeks ago. Having owned and driven a number of quickish cars over the past 20 years including TVR's in the 1990's early 2000's, Maserati's Gransport & Granturismo 4.7 MC's, a 997 C2S the Alfa in my humble opinion is just brilliant! There is no lag at all, the engine feels like it's missing a fly wheel as it revs so freely, the noise, oh the noise and beauty is in the eye of the beholder but both outside and inside I just adore it, plus it's a new rear wheel drive car. My only nervousness at the time of ordering back in September was it wasn't going to be available with a manual box. The paddle / ZF box has also been a massive positive surprise. Grazie Mille Alfa for giving us an all new rear wheel drive sports Saloon!
thanks for this post. I'm seriously considering one myselfWhen I ordered the dealer recommended the ceramic brake upgrade, it is expensive but now understanding the performance the car has I am glad I went for it plus the heating / electric seats / QV steering wheel and stereo upgrade again in my humble opinion make the inside feel that little bit more special! Certainly worth a test drive and I hope you are impressed!!
ZesPak said:
Really?
I mean, you can talk about it dynamically, but in terms of look (even though eye of the beholder and such), I find it hard to call this GM bland, better still, I find it hard to name a contemporary counterpart that looks half as good, inside and out:
I will dismiss the MiTo and Guilietta (again, eye of the beholder), but put them next to a Golf, Focus, 1 series, and ask any non-car person which one they like best in terms of looks and I'd say you're in for a shocker.
I think Alfa had a period where the best thing about them were the headlights. Take that away, and you have a pretty average car underneath.I mean, you can talk about it dynamically, but in terms of look (even though eye of the beholder and such), I find it hard to call this GM bland, better still, I find it hard to name a contemporary counterpart that looks half as good, inside and out:
I will dismiss the MiTo and Guilietta (again, eye of the beholder), but put them next to a Golf, Focus, 1 series, and ask any non-car person which one they like best in terms of looks and I'd say you're in for a shocker.
Having said that, I'm a huge fan of the new one. Again, take the headlights away, and you have a pretty good car. Its performance is stonking, which is what I like. I think it'll be great even as a family car, which is no mean feat for a car with such pace.
big_rob_sydney said:
I think Alfa had a period where the best thing about them were the headlights. Take that away, and you have a pretty average car underneath.
Having said that, I'm a huge fan of the new one. Again, take the headlights away, and you have a pretty good car. Its performance is stonking, which is what I like. I think it'll be great even as a family car, which is no mean feat for a car with such pace.
Some of Alfa's best cars were the ugly/dull/weird saloons. The 1962 Giulia, Alfetta, 1977 Giulietta.Having said that, I'm a huge fan of the new one. Again, take the headlights away, and you have a pretty good car. Its performance is stonking, which is what I like. I think it'll be great even as a family car, which is no mean feat for a car with such pace.
Hell, I even like the Alfa 90.........
Bordeaux Avis treated us to a Giulia over the last four days....
Overall I was pretty impressed, although we were issued with a diesel, which doesn't at all sound like an Alfa should (Sic).
The automatic gearbox was exceptionally smooth... it did feel like it had 50:50 weight distribution. Took it on a long trip through vineyard country to my mates house, lots of twisty b roads and it handled very well indeed, very sure footed and coming back at night, I rather liked the adaptive headlights. The Mrs fell asleep which is always a reasonable indicator of ride comfort.
On the autoroute the adaptive cruise control was responsive, emergency breaking us a few times when we were cut up by the rush hour traffic.
Great looking interior though it felt smaller than a 3 series... I'm 6ft 3, to get comfortable the drivers seat ended up behind the B pillar, so getting out was a little unceremonious. Loved the way the central screen was integrated into the dash.
When I first saw this in the press I thought it looked a bit A4/3 Series etc... but in reality and when you get used to it, it has proper Alfa heritage styling cues and touches of Maserati.
Over the weekend, we met a few friends & neighbours and they all liked the look of it..
Pretty good effort.
Overall I was pretty impressed, although we were issued with a diesel, which doesn't at all sound like an Alfa should (Sic).
The automatic gearbox was exceptionally smooth... it did feel like it had 50:50 weight distribution. Took it on a long trip through vineyard country to my mates house, lots of twisty b roads and it handled very well indeed, very sure footed and coming back at night, I rather liked the adaptive headlights. The Mrs fell asleep which is always a reasonable indicator of ride comfort.
On the autoroute the adaptive cruise control was responsive, emergency breaking us a few times when we were cut up by the rush hour traffic.
Great looking interior though it felt smaller than a 3 series... I'm 6ft 3, to get comfortable the drivers seat ended up behind the B pillar, so getting out was a little unceremonious. Loved the way the central screen was integrated into the dash.
When I first saw this in the press I thought it looked a bit A4/3 Series etc... but in reality and when you get used to it, it has proper Alfa heritage styling cues and touches of Maserati.
Over the weekend, we met a few friends & neighbours and they all liked the look of it..
Pretty good effort.
Apparently it inherents another Ferrari feature (even the lower spec cars)...I picked this up from the Alfaowner forum.
Owners review"The gearbox is fantastic, i tried out @macgeeks's trick about holding the left paddle down when approaching a corner. It's great, keeps banging down the gears, making angry sounds while it's doing it. It's just as I'd imagine a Ferrari would behave. "
MacGeek (some kind of Alfa insider) "It will keep downshifting as long as you keep the paddle pulled, performing each downshift as soon as it becomes feasible. It's a control logic inherited by Ferrari (where it debuted on the 599XX, and for road cars on the 599 GTO). "
Owners review"The gearbox is fantastic, i tried out @macgeeks's trick about holding the left paddle down when approaching a corner. It's great, keeps banging down the gears, making angry sounds while it's doing it. It's just as I'd imagine a Ferrari would behave. "
MacGeek (some kind of Alfa insider) "It will keep downshifting as long as you keep the paddle pulled, performing each downshift as soon as it becomes feasible. It's a control logic inherited by Ferrari (where it debuted on the 599XX, and for road cars on the 599 GTO). "
V6Alfisti said:
Apparently it inherents another Ferrari feature (even the lower spec cars)...I picked this up from the Alfaowner forum.
Owners review"The gearbox is fantastic, i tried out @macgeeks's trick about holding the left paddle down when approaching a corner. It's great, keeps banging down the gears, making angry sounds while it's doing it. It's just as I'd imagine a Ferrari would behave. "
MacGeek (some kind of Alfa insider) "It will keep downshifting as long as you keep the paddle pulled, performing each downshift as soon as it becomes feasible. It's a control logic inherited by Ferrari (where it debuted on the 599XX, and for road cars on the 599 GTO). "
I'll have to try this at the weekend Owners review"The gearbox is fantastic, i tried out @macgeeks's trick about holding the left paddle down when approaching a corner. It's great, keeps banging down the gears, making angry sounds while it's doing it. It's just as I'd imagine a Ferrari would behave. "
MacGeek (some kind of Alfa insider) "It will keep downshifting as long as you keep the paddle pulled, performing each downshift as soon as it becomes feasible. It's a control logic inherited by Ferrari (where it debuted on the 599XX, and for road cars on the 599 GTO). "
Oilchange said:
Not quite getting there? Really? With over 500hp?
By all accounts, the QF would leave the M3 in a cloud of dust...
Do people still hold these silly views? A similar weighted RWD 500hp car isn't going to leave the other RWD 450hp car in a could of dust....By all accounts, the QF would leave the M3 in a cloud of dust...
They'll be a match of each other give or take a 10th or two.
You know what I meant, I was just responding to this:
"This "peach" is just a very same again saloon trying to chase the BMW 3 Series and not quite getting there."
Harris, in his road test, claimed the Alfa was 10% quicker than an M3. Maybe, maybe not but that's good enough for me.
"This "peach" is just a very same again saloon trying to chase the BMW 3 Series and not quite getting there."
Harris, in his road test, claimed the Alfa was 10% quicker than an M3. Maybe, maybe not but that's good enough for me.
Edited by Oilchange on Tuesday 28th February 22:39
[quote]You know what I meant, I was just responding to this:
"This "peach" is just a very same again saloon trying to chase the BMW 3 Series and not quite getting there."
Harris, in his road test, claimed the Alfa was 10% quicker than an M3. Maybe, maybe not but that's good enough for me.
[/quote]
It was "very same again FWD saloon" in the post before he edited it iirc
"This "peach" is just a very same again saloon trying to chase the BMW 3 Series and not quite getting there."
Harris, in his road test, claimed the Alfa was 10% quicker than an M3. Maybe, maybe not but that's good enough for me.
[/quote]
It was "very same again FWD saloon" in the post before he edited it iirc
Edited by ZesPak on Tuesday 28th February 22:46
I wonder if there are a few new M car owners who feel a little emasculated by this pretty little Italian number.
I would be happy to have a new super saloon car on the drive but I could never bring myself to make it anything from BMW or VAG. Maybe Merc though. Now this car is out there and it's as good as it is, I am hugely excited. It's a wonderful thing to have a new rwd Alfa.
I would be happy to have a new super saloon car on the drive but I could never bring myself to make it anything from BMW or VAG. Maybe Merc though. Now this car is out there and it's as good as it is, I am hugely excited. It's a wonderful thing to have a new rwd Alfa.
Oilchange said:
You know what I meant, I was just responding to this:
"This "peach" is just a very same again saloon trying to chase the BMW 3 Series and not quite getting there."
Harris, in his road test, claimed the Alfa was 10% quicker than an M3. Maybe, maybe not but that's good enough for me.
And then said the Alfa wasn't quite as good as the M3 (I note you left that little comment out) "This "peach" is just a very same again saloon trying to chase the BMW 3 Series and not quite getting there."
Harris, in his road test, claimed the Alfa was 10% quicker than an M3. Maybe, maybe not but that's good enough for me.
Edited by Oilchange on Tuesday 28th February 22:39
But who really cares, as someone who actually buys cars like these the Alfa QF appeals but the fanboy comments don't.
My old F10 M5 is quicker than either but I would expect to loose either of them in a "cloud of dust" hence the silly comment, comment.
Edited by Wills2 on Tuesday 28th February 23:14
Oilchange said:
I wonder if there are a few new M car owners who feel a little emasculated by this pretty little Italian number.
I would be happy to have a new super saloon car on the drive but I could never bring myself to make it anything from BMW or VAG. Maybe Merc though. Now this car is out there and it's as good as it is, I am hugely excited. It's a wonderful thing to have a new rwd Alfa.
Jag needs to let the XE loose now. a wad of power, some suppleness and comfort and inject some visual muscle too.I would be happy to have a new super saloon car on the drive but I could never bring myself to make it anything from BMW or VAG. Maybe Merc though. Now this car is out there and it's as good as it is, I am hugely excited. It's a wonderful thing to have a new rwd Alfa.
Lol, I just notice that when one of the more downtrodden brands produces an absolute corker there are a lot of people who like to jump on it before it's even off the ground, so to speak. I on the other hand like to applaud them.
Look at Lotus for example, they come out with amazing cars, designed on fag packets in the pub garden and produced on a shoestring.. First thing that happens, usually, is some trolling Porsche owner comes along and slags them off. Well, they aren't a multi billion pound company in their own right so their interior plastics aren't going to be as solid!
Anyway, Alfa are great. End of.
Look at Lotus for example, they come out with amazing cars, designed on fag packets in the pub garden and produced on a shoestring.. First thing that happens, usually, is some trolling Porsche owner comes along and slags them off. Well, they aren't a multi billion pound company in their own right so their interior plastics aren't going to be as solid!
Anyway, Alfa are great. End of.
Was configuring one and came to this issue, I can't have the blue with the red interiour. Any reasons manufacturers do this?
I mean, are they protecting us from ourselves? Or could it be some weird manufacturing issue? Why would any outside colour limit your choice in interiour?
Edit: the metallic red only comes with black seats
come on?
I mean, are they protecting us from ourselves? Or could it be some weird manufacturing issue? Why would any outside colour limit your choice in interiour?
Edit: the metallic red only comes with black seats
come on?Edited by ZesPak on Wednesday 1st March 16:16
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