RE: Alfa Romeo Giulia Veloce: Driven

[MDMA .]

ash73 said:

Very pretty but it's £5K more than a Mustang with four less cylinders, I don't get it?

And people talk about Alfa build quality

[Dan Trent]

Tim16V said:

PH seems to like making a big deal about minor things on Italian cars, the Abarth 124 had a similarly strange review. It's extremely irritating. The Giulia has very few minor issues on the face of it and we should be grateful it exists.

I'm not quite sure what the problem is in this superb looking well specified car that generates 295 lb ft at 2,000 rpm with only 1,400 RWD kilos to move around. Real world wafting.

German cars don't seem to have the same problem on PH but you have to keep them happy I suppose - to maintain the supply of loaners!

Wait until you see the next car joining the PH Fleet!

Cheers,

Dan

[oilspill]

Ruskins said:

Its a bit odd not offering a button to turn off TC on this car just like its odd the QV doesnt have a noisy exhaust button.

The EU killed the chav button this year and for extra punishment for those who used it on the streets have gone draconion on noise regs to EV levels within 10 years.

[aaron_2000]

ash73 said:

Very pretty but it's £5K more than a Mustang with four less cylinders, I don't get it?

You're really gonna compare a mid level Alfa to a Mustang? Not too sure that Alfa really wanna aim their car at Mustang buyers.

[Wills2]

Ares said:

kambites said:

The standard model is certainly much more cohesive looking than the QF.

You think? The Guilia strikes me as being a top down design, as opposed to the M3/C63 being bottom up?

The QF, in my (admittedly biased) viewpoint, works beautifully. Mix of beauty, purpose and aggression.

QF is a nice car but lets not start with the fanboy "it's a bespoke car" nonsense, it's a souped up Giulia nothing more nothing less.

[Hairymonster]

I have already seen these on Drive the Deal for just over 30k

[Ali_T]

Ares said:

I agree with this. The issue with the PH Quadrifoglio was documented, explain and resolved. Alfa UK's screw up, but a shame that PH follows the rest of the UK media in doing whatever is necessary to be negative at any given opportunity for someone breaking the comparatively dull mould.


PS - glad you are enjoying trouble free motoring..AND liked the Dark Grey (Vesuvio)....my Quadrifoglio arrives, in that colour, in August!!

It could be the old Haymarket bias to anything German, especially VAG related. I'm very suspicious of any Autocar or PH review nowadays, sadly. Any pictures of Vesuvio? My QF arrives in the next few weeks but my stereotyped choice of Rosso Competizione and silver teledials isn't really breaking the mould!

[Ali_T]

GTEYE said:

Well this story appeared on PH only a month ago:

www.pistonheads.com/features/ph-features/alfa-giul...

Maybe it is only 4 or 5 cars but one of them was PH's press car, and a few other ranting owners in the thread that followed.

But the point is Alfa had plenty of time to get this car 100% right, and from a manufacturer with a reputation to rebuild, that's what I have an issue with.

I'm glad your car has been faultless for 4 whole months, so it should be!

Preproduction software glitch and all production cars were sorted. There have been 3 software updates since then. As for Alfa having plenty of time, no they didn't. When Marchionne took over there was a FWD replacement for the 159 signed off and ready for production. He pulled it and scrapped the project. By that point, the 159 tooling had been removed and the lines it was produced on given over to the new Panda, hence why there's been such a long wait. But Giulia was produced in two years. From scratch. Think about what an achievement that is.

As for software glitches, a neighbour had his M4 off the road for 6 weeks shortly after taking delivery so let's not pretend the Germans are any better.

[smarty156]

Wills2 said:

QF is a nice car but lets not start with the fanboy "it's a bespoke car" nonsense, it's a souped up Giulia nothing more nothing less.

Actually, no it's not as the QF was designed first and then the other models followed, contrary to the way other manufacturers usually do it. Chassis designed by a Ferrari man and engine designed by a Ferrari man.
All the other Giulias are actually detuned QFs if you want to compare in that way.

[RBH58]

Why can't Alfa ever get something completely right? It's like every Alfa design brief specifies that a few annoying "features" must be incorporated. A step in the right direction though. Maybe the next Guilietta will get everything exactly right?

[RSchneider]

The 280PS gasoline inline four turbo is certainly the most "Alfa-ish" choice of the range. However, it still sits in a rather large car for a four-pot. And in certain Continental European markets you only get it with all-wheel-drive, which is a shame and beyond stupid from Alfa marketing. What the "sweet spot" would be is a ~400PS V6 turbo (with all wheel drive option). Of course that will not happen - if V6 + AWD is technically possible at all - since it would just be a software mod away from becoming a QF in disguise. Maybe that other FCA V6 from the Maserati line could be utilized to set it apart. Which would be a logistics and maintenance nightmare of course.

Re quality: The touch point criticism is correct. There are some very stupid, bean counter induced mistakes in the Alfa which would probably not have cost more than 200 USD to avoid and can be rectified with a facelift. Because the Giulia design and materials and how it's put together is fundamentally right.

Which is more than can be said about the Jaguar XE which is a desaster in many, and uncurable ways. The Giulia's interior quality is not unreachable far away from BMW 3 series. Mercedes C is another class and in a way impressive - shame it drives like on valium and the infotainment is simply 10 years behind BMW.

But another thing is also true: The Giulia suffers from electric gremlins, like warning lights going on and off randomly, starter button refusing to do anything, electric windows having their own life. All these things disappear with a reboot/restart and other Fiats also have them, but it is very Italian and one of the reasons Audi/BMW/Mercedes is the choice for anyone but the Alfa enthusiast.

The other is that Alfa is stupid with the list price vs real price; list is way overpriced and FCA is hurting the Giulia with that policy.

[DeltaEvo2]

Ah the Alfa/Fiat/Abarth bashing continues on PH just like the biased/controlled media with a certain party leader...Think of anything and spin it. "the plastic, that tiny screw, the reliability, the electrics, the colours..." Keep trolling for your german/japanese metal...and plastic. We'll have fun and look a million times better in our Alfas.

Edited by DeltaEvo2 on Wednesday 21st June 07:53

[sidesauce]

Ray_Aber said:

Look at BMW's 6 series coupé for a good example.

Somewhat biased but I'm inclined to agree... Deliberately chose Vermillion Red as the other options at the time were either too drab or would mark too easily!

[Hairymonster]

I cannot understand how anyone would choose an Alfa Romeo Giulia over a Toyota Avensis 1.6D Business Edition.

The Toyota is faster, better looking, higher quality, cheaper, dynamically superior and better-equipped.

[Hairymonster]

ash73 said:

Very pretty but it's £5K more than a Mustang with four less cylinders, I don't get it?

But they appeal to different audiences surely.

The Mustang appeals to those who love the look, or want a convertible, or want to hear a monstrous big V8 rumbling away, or fancy recreating that car chase from Bullitt. I see the appeal - I rented one for a weekend a few years back and spent most of the time ensuring that as many people as possible got to 'appreciate' the noise it was capable of. I didn't drive it particularly quickly - it was all about the noise and the look.

The Alfa is for those who want a slice of Italian design with an achingly pretty car which tugs at the heartstrings, behaves well dynamically, and encourages you to drive enthusiastically.

Were I in a position to do so, I'd have one of each!

[Hairymonster]

I just wish they'd make a wagon - I have dogs and musical equipment which needs to be carted round and I emphatically don't want a bloody Stelvio!

[Ruskins]

RSchneider said:

But another thing is also true: The Giulia suffers from electric gremlins, like warning lights going on and off randomly, starter button refusing to do anything, electric windows having their own life. All these things disappear with a reboot/restart and other Fiats also have them, but it is very Italian and one of the reasons Audi/BMW/Mercedes is the choice for anyone but the Alfa enthusiast.

Where did you find out this truth?

[Ruskins]

Roma101 said:

Perhaps what people are finding odd/worrying etc is that Top Gear, PH and Evo all had issues with their test cars (i.e. they stopped working properly). When was the last time any of the Germans had most of their test fleet stop working properly?

First I have heard of TG or Evo having any problems?

I find it hard to believe that no German car has ever had a problem during road testing. Most likely a new one was supplied in 5 minutes and the issue wasn't reported surely?

[RichardOfYork]

Ali_T said:

It could be the old Haymarket bias to anything German, especially VAG related. I'm very suspicious of any Autocar or PH review nowadays, sadly. Any pictures of Vesuvio? My QF arrives in the next few weeks but my stereotyped choice of Rosso Competizione and silver teledials isn't really breaking the mould!

Pics of Vesuvio Grey Speciale (in local dealers showroom) - I have ordered Veloce which will look pretty much identical (inc 'period red' interior, sunroof and wheels)... roll on 1st September!

Edited by RichardOfYork on Wednesday 21st June 09:56

[RichardOfYork]