Alfa Guilia Quad test driven! Mmmmm

Alfa Guilia Quad test driven! Mmmmm

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200Plus Club

Original Poster:

10,764 posts

278 months

Friday 23rd June 2017
quotequote all
Had an extended test drive of one today in Derbyshire. Have to say it's very impressive. Race mode takes it to another level, rev matching, no traction control, instantaneous paddle shifts, popping crackling and banging on and off throttle and a perfectly weighted and set up suspension.
In normal mode it's a nice quiet 4 door sports saloon. It's trimmed well and has super brakes and seats. Very very tempting. I've never owned or wanted to own an Alfa but these may make me change my mind.
First year depreciation plus reliability concerns are in my mind though tbh, but I could easily live with one of these

I've looked at the spec list and getting one in the right colour with a few extra bits n bobs is looking like £65k or thereabouts based on £61k list. Anyone care to share what they paid, and who they went with?

I'm wary of buying brand new because of the depreciation hit in yr one and Two, plus read the odd comments about issues from new, but the test drive was very impressive, it's as fast on the roads as my R8, sounds cool in race mode, and felt good quality inside

I've only just got my R8 but could easily see one of these being next up!
Comments from current owners or people waiting on delivery appreciated


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Original Poster:

10,764 posts

278 months

Friday 23rd June 2017
quotequote all
With regard to spec what did you opt for? Lots of good kit as standard but leccy heated seats, rear parking sensors and black glass spring to mind in addition to the nicer red paint over stock
Seemed to pump cost up by 4-5k but not a lot left I could see that I'd need

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Original Poster:

10,764 posts

278 months

Friday 23rd June 2017
quotequote all
Stunning cars :-)
Quite a few for sale on PH already, with price drops built in, like this one

https://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/...

Will be interesting to see prices in 1 yr methinks. Wondering why quite a few on sale with v low miles, will they be demo cars perhaps

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Original Poster:

10,764 posts

278 months

Saturday 24th June 2017
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generationx said:
Mine was an early order and, as such, fewer options were available. I went for Competizione red which looks stunning in the sunshine, carbon seats which are impressively comfortable and supportive, carbon steering wheel, red contrast interior panels, dark five-spoke alloys as EVERYONE else seemed to spec. the Teledials, Harmon Kardon speaker upgrade and adaptive cruise control.

5,500 trouble-free miles so far and I'm very happy with all these choices.

Do it!
That paint is the bees knees, but I'd like to see blue in the flesh perhaps. Been watching reviews on you tube all morning lol

Edited by 200Plus Club on Saturday 24th June 16:34

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Original Poster:

10,764 posts

278 months

Monday 26th June 2017
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mondie said:
I watch threads like these with interest as I would love a QV at the end of the year BUT why is it only a 4 seater? Is there a technical reason as I cannot fathom this decision, with 5 in the family its probabkly going to kill it off for us.
No idea, a 2 seater would work for us :-)
I did sit in a 4C as I like the look but I'm too big for it tbh my head brushed the roof constantly.
No power steering was funny watching them move it out of the showroom !

The QF would tick a lot of boxes for me but I'm.watching threads on the Alfa forum now with interest and I think I'll give it a year and pick up one with some depreciation and vat savings

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Original Poster:

10,764 posts

278 months

Wednesday 28th June 2017
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smarty156 said:
There's no ski hatch either.
i cant ski. i can however do a mean conga :-)

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Original Poster:

10,764 posts

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Friday 30th June 2017
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MegaCat said:
I don't even care, I have run it in so that I will give it the full beans from then - it is already more than enough for any road I have been on - roll on Millbrook!! ; )
the demo car i drove had 1100m on it and has been caned regularly by the look of it. we certainly had it in race mode at all times once warm.

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Original Poster:

10,764 posts

278 months

Friday 30th June 2017
quotequote all
ive joined the Alfa forum and am watching with interest one or two threads where initial issues have cropped up, to see how they pan out and are dealt with. at this stage i now dont envisage buying a brand new one this year unless they make me a stupidly good trade in offer for my R8. i think i'll wait a year and pick one up without the vat and 1st year depreciation loss.

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Original Poster:

10,764 posts

278 months

Monday 3rd July 2017
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Would love to drive one around blyton or similar where you can play a little in race mode :-)
I assume at some point ecu gurus will unlock the ecu to give you full noise and some stability control rather than race mode only unlocking it all.

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Original Poster:

10,764 posts

278 months

Monday 3rd July 2017
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I caned the bejesus out of it in race mode but it was a warm day and the tyres were sticky!

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Original Poster:

10,764 posts

278 months

Monday 3rd July 2017
quotequote all
smarty156 said:
Race mode gives even sharper throttle response, hard suspension setting (that can be softened back slightly to medium), faster gear changes, fully open exhaust at all revs and over boost facility.
Dynamic puts suspension in medium suspension which can be switched to soft of you're on a rough/bumpy road.
I believe the torque vectoring rear diff changes too in Race and the hazard lights don't go mental if you brake hard. And of course the screen between the rev counter and speedo has different displays depending what mode you're in.
Gearbox is very racy in Race mode when in auto.

Edited by smarty156 on Monday 3rd July 21:31
I tried it manually shifting in race mode and have to admit I could never rev match a box as good as that did it in Auto. Blimey it's good. Full throttle flat shifts by the sound of it and perfect downshift while standing on the brakes. I don't see why you'd ever manually shift it after the initial play :-)
If I wasn't so scared about dumping 20k of my hard earned down the pan I year one perhaps if be in one right now. I do hope they sell well and prove their reliability. My R8 is so good but it's so tempting!

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Original Poster:

10,764 posts

278 months

Tuesday 4th July 2017
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Ares said:
smarty156 said:
Race mode gives even sharper throttle response, hard suspension setting (that can be softened back slightly to medium), faster gear changes, fully open exhaust at all revs and over boost facility.
Dynamic puts suspension in medium suspension which can be switched to soft of you're on a rough/bumpy road.
I believe the torque vectoring rear diff changes too in Race and the hazard lights don't go mental if you brake hard. And of course the screen between the rev counter and speedo has different displays depending what mode you're in.
Gearbox is very racy in Race mode when in auto.

Edited by smarty156 on Monday 3rd July 21:31
Whats the over boost facility?
peak boost midrange is allowed to shoot to about 36psi if what i read was correct, in Race mode only. its certainly very very strong in the midrange there.

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Original Poster:

10,764 posts

278 months

Tuesday 4th July 2017
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Interesting. Not what I've read or heard tho so far. Maybe it just takes off traction control and makes exhaust noisy?

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Original Poster:

10,764 posts

278 months

Wednesday 5th July 2017
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please keep us informed, i'm watching with interest. my choice at present would be the misano blue as too many people are specifying competizione red with the gunmetal rims :-)

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Original Poster:

10,764 posts

278 months

Wednesday 5th July 2017
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smarty156 said:
Misano Blue is only available on the Veloce isn't it (which looked amazing at Goodwood)?
There's Montecarlo Blue for the Quadrifoglio.
Ah maybe yes. Nice deep blue tho. Couple on PH right now